Even today, admission of even a single child from a village to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) is considered a big deal. At the same time, there is a village in Bihar from where more than a dozen children are selected in IIT every year and the village is called the 'IIT factory'. The dream of every student who wishes to study engineering is to get admission in IIT but the path to reach IIT is full of hurdles and struggles. The village named Patwa Toli in Gaya has given many IITians in the last 25 years. It is said that there is no house in Patwa Toli which has no engineer. Many students from this small village get selected into IIT every year.
While talking to ANI, Dubeshwar Prasad, President Vriksh Veda Chain, said, "For the first time Jitender Patwa from this village passed IIT and later he went abroad for a job. Later the people of the village saw that if children are educated, then their child can also become capable and since then this trend has been going on."
"But there are some families who cannot send their children out of the village for studies. They are not financially capable. That is why we started Vriksh Veda Chain and created a library model, in which financially weaker children are taught. Online classes are run in our library. Our seniors who teach in Delhi, and Mumbai teach our children (students) free of cost. This village was earlier called the city of weavers, but today every year students qualify in IIT, so it is called the village of IItians," he said.
While talking to ANI, a student Suraj Kumar said, "Earlier there was no environment for education in this village. Children used to study till Class 10 very easily but after that, there was a problem with further studies. But since education is free in Vriksh, many children get an education and for the last many years, there are IITians and engineers from every house in this village. That is why this village is called the village of IITians."
Another student, Nandini Kumari said, "My father is a mechanic and my mother works in a powerloom and I am preparing for NEET. Many children in the medical field also study in this village. Earlier girls were not allowed to go out of the village but now the situation is different."
The IIT graduates of the village have together formed an organization named 'Vriksha'. Through this institution, children are given free coaching for JEE Main exam. Vriksha Sanstha has been doing this work since 2013. It is funded by IIT graduates. This institution provides engineering books to children. Renowned teachers of the country teach children online.
The beginning of IIT's success started 31 years ago when a student from Patwa Toli, Jitendra Patwa got admission to IIT in the year 1991. After this, many people gathered the courage to fulfil their dreams of sending their children to IIT.
Initially, some children of Patwa village reached IIT. Patwa also has another identity and is also referred to as the 'Manchester of Bihar' as the majority of its population belongs to the Patwa caste and is involved in cloth weaving. As you enter the village, the sound of weaving cloth can be heard.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
