Picture courtesy: Super 30
A free coaching centre, Super 30, which helps children of labourers, tea stall owners and peons in Bihar reach the prestigious IIT engineering institutes, has impressed people in Japan too, its founder Anand Kumar says.
He says that in the last few years, Super 30 has become quite popular in Japan after several newspapers, magazines and TV channels covered his inspiring life story and the impact of his 'Super 30' school, which has so far helped 236 students from underprivileged families clear the highly competitive IIT-JEE, drawing worldwide attention.
"The eyes of Super 30 students shine with hope, while the eyes of Japanese children look exhausted due to computer games," said a Japanese national in his response to a documentary on Super 30, which was shown on Japan's popular TV Channel NHK.
Another Japanese national described the Super 30 as a "learning experience". "We realized how crucial education is. We really have to learn from India how to survive in the 21st century," he said after watching the documentary on Super 30.
These are from among responses of dozens of Japanese nationals that were sent to Kumar from Emiko Amagawa, producer of NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corporation, to show the kind of praise his efforts have fetched in that country.
"Watching Super 30 students at the Ramanujan School of Mathematics make tremendous efforts to become engineers and contribute to the community and the country, I understand why India can and will grow dramatically," another Japanese national said in his response.
"We have been receiving phone calls and messages from the audience in Japan. They are very impressed by all that you are doing and the passion of your students," Emiko Amagawa informed Kumar.
"The response of the Japanese after watching a documentary on Super 30 has encouraged me to work hard to provide more opportunity to talented poor students," Kumar told IANS.
He credited the success of Super 30 mainly to his dedicated team of teachers and sincere bunch of students, who toil to achieve their goal. "I am happy with the recognition Super 30 has got. It was started to help talented students from poor families, who would otherwise find it difficult even to continue studies. Such recognition will give me strength to continue," he added.
Two weeks ago, the journalists of NHK came up with a book, "Indo No Shougeki", published by Japan's well-known publisher Bhunshun. The book has a chapter exclusively on Kumar's struggle and the success of his pioneering Super 30 initiative. Priced at 1,800 yen (RS.1,050), the book describes him as a 'wind of change', who is contributing to India's rapid progress.
The book is quite popular among the students of the Japan Management School. "We had seen and read a lot about Super 30 through TV programmes and newspapers. It is amazing and shows how and why India is progressing fast. The answer lies in education and the passion for it," said Takyuki Doi, a student from Tokyo, who visited Super 30 a few days ago.
The book revolves round India's development story. It says that education is at the root of India's progress march and people like Anand Kumar are lending strength to it. It says how Kumar, who could not go to Cambridge for want of money, is helping several talented students from poor families to reach out for higher education.
Former Miss Japan Norika Fujiwara came to Patna to make a film on Super 30 for Man Union. Japan's leading newspaper Yomiuri also carried an exhaustive feature on Anand and his Super 30 School.
Kumar, who started the Ramanujan School of Mathematics in 1992, founded the Super 30 in 2002.
Most of the successful candidates have been from the underprivileged sections of the society. They are provided with free food, lodging and free coaching.
The students have to pass a competitive test to get into Super 30 and then apply themselves to a year of 16-hour study each day, Kumar said.