My grandfather's story is one of perseverance, dedication, and self-improvement despite facing numerous challenges and obstacles throughout his life. Coming from a family of farm workers, he was expected to follow in their footsteps and work in the fields to support his family. However, he realized that there was more to life than just working on the farm and decided to pursue his education.
Although he was not encouraged to attend school, my grandfather developed an interest in education and fell in love with math. He quickly saw how mathematical principles could be applied to his day-to-day life, which motivated him to improve his skills further. Unfortunately, high school was only free until 10th grade, so he had to drop out of school and take up farming full-time. Despite this setback, he was determined to find a pathway for opportunities beyond his village, and this opportunity came after the independence of India.
When the Indian railways expanded employment opportunities to Indians, my grandfather saw this as a chance to leave his village and move to the city to work as a mechanic. However, the pay was low, and the lack of a high school education made it difficult for him to advance in his career. His dream of becoming a signal engineer seemed impossible, as the position was typically filled by people with higher education qualifications and affluent backgrounds. Nevertheless, he persisted and worked tirelessly to improve his skills and work ethic.
Over the years, my grandfather's hard work and dedication began to pay off. His supervisors began to recognize his work ethic and dedication to his job, and he was eventually promoted to the position of signal engineer. He continued to work hard and eventually became a supervisor in his department, a testament to his persistence and dedication to his job.
Outside of work, my grandfather was also committed to being a great father. Despite his limited education, he took it upon himself to help his children with their coursework, often staying up late on his one day off to learn alongside them. He even became fluent in two North Indian languages and English, proficient in Algebra, and developed an interest in physics, which undoubtedly helped him be better at his job.
But my grandfather's legacy is not limited to his professional and academic achievements. He was also a human perceptive to the importance of modifying his worldview, societal expectations, and beliefs for the betterment of those he loved. When my mother was struggling in her marriage and expressed a desire to leave her husband, my grandfather defied societal norms and supported her and her decision to divorce and raise her two children on her own.
My grandfather's beginnings were not easy. He did not have a clear roadmap for navigating his career or guidance on how to succeed. His aspirations exceeded what his parents could imagine. When he saw an engineer, who was likely someone more privileged, educated, and polished than he was, my grandfather would have felt a strong sense of intimidation and lack of belonging. He may have had doubts about his capabilities and dreams. He may have even felt jealous and helpless. This sense of not belonging is commonly referred to as imposter syndrome, which is experienced by people from non-privileged backgrounds who compete for opportunities in higher education and higher positions in STEM.
