Stories of Change

From Selling Masks to Studying AI: A Son's Dream to Build a Better Home

Karnataka
April 24, 2025

Chirayu calls Dharamsthala home. It is a town in South Karnataka, where he studied at a philanthropist-run English-medium school before enrolling in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) Dakshin Kannada. His father, Prabhakar, is an autorickshaw driver, and his mother, Dhakshayini, is a homemaker. With his parents having studied up to the 10th and 12th grades, respectively, and an elder brother, Sohan, studying at IIT Hyderabad, the family often faced financial insecurity. To ensure both sons received a good education, Chirayu’s parents made several sacrifices, including sending his brother to their grandparents’ home for better care. The pandemic and subsequent lockdown, which forced people to stay home, severely impacted the family’s finances, as his father’s income came to a halt overnight. Sharing his brother’s smartphone for online classes became a challenge, highlighting the lack of resources. To afford a phone for his studies, Chirayu ingeniously helped his mother sell flower garlands; later, he sourced and sold face masks, demonstrating business acumen and resourcefulness in overcoming financial obstacles.

Chirayu learned about Avanti Fellows’ free test preparation program through his brother, who had benefited from it at JNV Hassan. Private coaching (estimated at ₹4 Lakhs) was out of reach, and encouraged by his brother’s positive experience, Chirayu decided to enroll in the program after his board exams, buoyed by a need to prove his determination. Avanti Fellows provided invaluable support through 24/7 teacher availability at school for immediate clarification of doubts, a structured study schedule that combined regular coursework with JEE preparation, comprehensive study materials, and regular mock tests with detailed performance analysis. This holistic approach helped him track his progress and identify areas for improvement without forcing him to compromise on his regular schoolwork.

Chirayu is set to pursue a Bachelor’s in Engineering at IIIT Hyderabad. Driven by a strong desire to support his family, he is keen to enter the job market after graduation. He has developed a keen interest in programming, coding, and particularly Artificial Intelligence, sparked by a school workshop in the 11th grade. His ultimate dream is to build a proper house for his parents, whose current 50-year-old mud-and-brick home is in disrepair, so that he can ensure they have a safe place to live and call their own.

‍

Stories of Change

From Selling Masks to Studying AI: A Son's Dream to Build a Better Home

Karnataka
April 24, 2025

Facing financial hardship and a crumbling family home, Chirayu found a way to not only fund his own education but also to excel academically. With the help of the Avanti Fellows' program and a burning desire to support his family, he is now set to pursue engineering and a career in AI, all while working toward his dream of building his parents a new house.

Chirayu calls Dharamsthala home. It is a town in South Karnataka, where he studied at a philanthropist-run English-medium school before enrolling in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) Dakshin Kannada. His father, Prabhakar, is an autorickshaw driver, and his mother, Dhakshayini, is a homemaker. With his parents having studied up to the 10th and 12th grades, respectively, and an elder brother, Sohan, studying at IIT Hyderabad, the family often faced financial insecurity. To ensure both sons received a good education, Chirayu’s parents made several sacrifices, including sending his brother to their grandparents’ home for better care. The pandemic and subsequent lockdown, which forced people to stay home, severely impacted the family’s finances, as his father’s income came to a halt overnight. Sharing his brother’s smartphone for online classes became a challenge, highlighting the lack of resources. To afford a phone for his studies, Chirayu ingeniously helped his mother sell flower garlands; later, he sourced and sold face masks, demonstrating business acumen and resourcefulness in overcoming financial obstacles.

Chirayu learned about Avanti Fellows’ free test preparation program through his brother, who had benefited from it at JNV Hassan. Private coaching (estimated at ₹4 Lakhs) was out of reach, and encouraged by his brother’s positive experience, Chirayu decided to enroll in the program after his board exams, buoyed by a need to prove his determination. Avanti Fellows provided invaluable support through 24/7 teacher availability at school for immediate clarification of doubts, a structured study schedule that combined regular coursework with JEE preparation, comprehensive study materials, and regular mock tests with detailed performance analysis. This holistic approach helped him track his progress and identify areas for improvement without forcing him to compromise on his regular schoolwork.

Chirayu is set to pursue a Bachelor’s in Engineering at IIIT Hyderabad. Driven by a strong desire to support his family, he is keen to enter the job market after graduation. He has developed a keen interest in programming, coding, and particularly Artificial Intelligence, sparked by a school workshop in the 11th grade. His ultimate dream is to build a proper house for his parents, whose current 50-year-old mud-and-brick home is in disrepair, so that he can ensure they have a safe place to live and call their own.

‍

Videos

From Selling Masks to Studying AI: A Son's Dream to Build a Better Home

Karnataka
April 24, 2025

Facing financial hardship and a crumbling family home, Chirayu found a way to not only fund his own education but also to excel academically. With the help of the Avanti Fellows' program and a burning desire to support his family, he is now set to pursue engineering and a career in AI, all while working toward his dream of building his parents a new house.

Chirayu calls Dharamsthala home. It is a town in South Karnataka, where he studied at a philanthropist-run English-medium school before enrolling in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) Dakshin Kannada. His father, Prabhakar, is an autorickshaw driver, and his mother, Dhakshayini, is a homemaker. With his parents having studied up to the 10th and 12th grades, respectively, and an elder brother, Sohan, studying at IIT Hyderabad, the family often faced financial insecurity. To ensure both sons received a good education, Chirayu’s parents made several sacrifices, including sending his brother to their grandparents’ home for better care. The pandemic and subsequent lockdown, which forced people to stay home, severely impacted the family’s finances, as his father’s income came to a halt overnight. Sharing his brother’s smartphone for online classes became a challenge, highlighting the lack of resources. To afford a phone for his studies, Chirayu ingeniously helped his mother sell flower garlands; later, he sourced and sold face masks, demonstrating business acumen and resourcefulness in overcoming financial obstacles.

Chirayu learned about Avanti Fellows’ free test preparation program through his brother, who had benefited from it at JNV Hassan. Private coaching (estimated at ₹4 Lakhs) was out of reach, and encouraged by his brother’s positive experience, Chirayu decided to enroll in the program after his board exams, buoyed by a need to prove his determination. Avanti Fellows provided invaluable support through 24/7 teacher availability at school for immediate clarification of doubts, a structured study schedule that combined regular coursework with JEE preparation, comprehensive study materials, and regular mock tests with detailed performance analysis. This holistic approach helped him track his progress and identify areas for improvement without forcing him to compromise on his regular schoolwork.

Chirayu is set to pursue a Bachelor’s in Engineering at IIIT Hyderabad. Driven by a strong desire to support his family, he is keen to enter the job market after graduation. He has developed a keen interest in programming, coding, and particularly Artificial Intelligence, sparked by a school workshop in the 11th grade. His ultimate dream is to build a proper house for his parents, whose current 50-year-old mud-and-brick home is in disrepair, so that he can ensure they have a safe place to live and call their own.

‍