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‘This platform made a scientist’: Thyrocare founder shares how a Tamil Nadu railway platform shaped his future
The Thyrocare founder shared how long days on a Tamil Nadu railway platform helped him study and build a sustainable career.
Dr A Velumani, the founder of Thyrocare, has shared a deeply personal story from his student days, recalling how a railway platform in Tamil Nadu became his classroom and shaped his future as a scientist and entrepreneur.
A choice driven by poverty and determination
Taking to X, Velumani wrote about his college years between 1974 and 1978, when he studied at Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya in Coimbatore. He explained that city colleges were unaffordable, with fees ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 and hostel costs of ₹200 per month. In contrast, the Vidyalaya located 25 kilometres from the city charged ₹300 as college fees and ₹75 per month for accommodation.
However, even this hostel fee was beyond his reach. “Reason to travel by train: I could not afford even that Hostel fees,” he wrote, explaining how he found a government Harijan hostel in the city that was free. Daily bus travel would have cost him ₹30 a month, which also felt expensive at the time. Instead, he relied on a passenger train, whose student quarterly pass cost just ₹7.
Long hours on a railway platform
Velumani detailed his routine, noting that the train arrived at 6:25 am and departed again at 6:10 pm. With college starting at 9:00 am and ending at varying times, he spent nearly six hours a day waiting. “What I did: Sat in this Railway platform and studied Maths Physics Chemistry,” he wrote.
Reflecting on how those hours changed his life, he added, “How did I get BARC job: My 1000 days and 6000 man hours intense focus on Avagadros, Ohms and Pythagoras.” He also recalled his family’s financial struggles, noting that his mother earned just ₹3 a day and even sold four bangles to pay his college fees.
‘Fortunately I was poor’
In a line that resonated widely, Velumani wrote, “What I wish to say is: ‘Fortunately I was poor’.” He concluded with a lesson drawn from his journey: “Be it college or career or business ‘Patience, Focus, Frugality and Discipline’ gives slow but sustainable success.”
He ended the post by sharing that he once took his wife to the same railway platform. “I took my wife to show how a railway platform made a Scientist. Pic: 2015,” he wrote, alongside a photograph of the couple seated on a platform bench.
Take a look here at the post:
Social media reacts
The post drew widespread reactions online. One user commented, “This is the kind of story that reminds us what real struggle looks like.” Another wrote, “Patience and discipline explained better than any textbook.” A third said, “Your journey is truly inspiring and humbling.”
