Meet Asharam Choudhary, the ragpicker's son who got into AIIMS

Aspiring doctor and medical student Asharam hopes to top his class in AIIMS

Meet Asharam Choudhary, the ragpicker's son who got into AIIMS Asharam Choudhary

The story of 18-year-old Asharam Choudhary who got admission in All India Institute of Medical Sciences for MBBS through the NEET entrance exam is quite filmy. His father, who is a ragpicker, did not have money for his son's education, but with the help of a local businessman and a government officer, his son could pursue his studies.

Born in Vijayaganj Mandi village, some 40 kilometres from Dewas district headquarters, Asharam got admission in Navodaya Vidyalaya in class VI when a local administrative officer facilitated his admission after seeing his academic capabilities in class V.

Asharam's father Ranjit Choudhary, who worked as a ragpicker collecting thrown away liquor bottles and plastic bags, told local media that a local businessman and a doctor came forward to support his son. Young Asharam was meritorious since childhood. He was selected for the young scientist award and was chosen by the Silver Zone Foundation Olympiad when he was in class X.

Ranjit Choudhary has two sons. The younger son is studying in class XII in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. “It was the OBC certificate which proved to be helpful for my son. The certificate helped him get admission in Navodaya Vidyalaya, and later to Pune’s Dakshna Foundation,” says Ranjit. Dakshana Foundation in Pune helps bright and impoverished students from rural India to prepare for the IIT and medical entrance exams.

Following his stint in Dakshna Foundation coaching centre, Asharam secured the 121st rank among OBC candidates and an all India rank of 707 among the four lakh students who appeared for the exams. With his brilliant performance, Asharam secured his admission to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Campus in Jodhpur, and will begin college from Monday next week.

Asharam told the media that it was the local additional-divisional magistrate Kailash Bundela who helped him get his backward caste certificate. He sought Bundela's intervention when the issuing authority had demanded a bribe for the certificate. The officer then helped him get the document and supported Asharam with other government schemes for meritorious students. He said “I was always inspired by the local doctor since when I was in class V. I used to see him. He, too, later supported me to become a doctor.”

The Choudhary family lives in a thatched house in the village with minimum land. They do not own any agricultural land, and the household expenses are met by Ranjit who collects garbage, his only means of livelihood.

After securing admission to AIIMS, Asharam says “I want to be on top of my class in MBBS also. I will continue to work hard to achieve this goal. I am grateful to my parents and my school and several others because of whom I could achieve this.”