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Indian man who once had no passport flies to US on a company-paid trip: ‘College doesn't matter’
A Reddit post went viral after an Indian engineer shared how his company funded his first US trip
A Reddit post has gone viral after an Indian engineer shared his inspiring journey from struggling in a tier-3 engineering college to being flown to the United States by his company for the first time - with all expenses paid.
The user began by admitting, “I know this won't be a big deal for many. But this trip represents so much more for me personally. I performed very poorly in high school. Got into a tier-3 engineering college and really struggled there, even had to repeat a few years. My best friend at that time suggested I wouldn’t make a good engineer and that I should drop out and pursue something easier.”
He went on to describe his persistence despite setbacks. “Unlike many in my class, I was in that course because I liked tech. I didn't want to give up. Really wanted to be an engineer. I loved the learning, but really couldn't do well in the exams,” he wrote, adding that he was later diagnosed with ADHD. After graduation, he managed to land his first job and slowly began to grow in confidence and skill.
Recognised for hard work
Sharing how his dedication was eventually recognised, he explained, “Boss's boss wanted to setup a team India for core technical responsibilities while letting the product teams focus on new features. Every other member got to join after they had requested to be part of this team. I didn't. My name was recommended by the big boss. I was recruited.”
When asked to apply for a visa, he admitted, “I said I didn’t even have a passport. Like many who get their passports after turning 18, or graduating, I didn’t even think I’d get a basic job, let alone an opportunity to travel abroad.” Just a month after getting his visa, he found himself on a flight to the United States.
A message of gratitude and hope
In his post, he added, “I was lucky to have people around me who saw potential in me when I didn’t. People who pointed out my mistakes, not to belittle me, but to help me. People who trusted me with important things.” He concluded with a message of encouragement: “This is proof that what college you went to doesn’t matter in the real world. Your grades don’t matter. People who say you can’t be good at something, don’t matter.”
Check out the post here:
Internet reacts with praise
The story struck a chord online, prompting many responses. One user commented, “Finally a post actually worth a flex. Best wishes buddy, keep going.” Another wrote, “This takes more than just luck to be so good in one’s profession that the higher-ups fund your entire trip.” Others shared their own emotions, with remarks like, “That sounds really interesting,” “Congratulations, more success to you brother,” and “My journey is a little bit similar… people told me to leave engineering but I can’t step back.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
