Ravi lives with his parents and siblings in Mariamma Nagar, Worli. Ravi grew up seeing his friends struggle to get financial aid and guidance for studying. He feels blessed to have parents who supported him in every way despite of their modest jobs, and Akanksha to believe in him.
The first few lessons Ravi learned at the center were to be non-judgmental, perseverant, and adaptable. Implementing these ideals in his everyday life proved harder, especially when he failed his S.S.C exam three times. Often his aunts would sarcastically compare Ravi to their children and try to belittle his efforts. His mother would feel bad, but the mentors at Akanksha always stood by him.
He recalls, “Sima didi never lost hope, she kept pushing me even when I wanted to give up. She told me ‘Prove yourself,’ And that turned my life. If I hadn’t failed and come out of that test, I would have never taken my life seriously.” In his H.S.C exam, Ravi scored an exceptional 72% and joined Lala Lajpat Rai College.
As a part of Akanksha’s Social Leadership Program, Ravi interned at the “Make a Wish” foundation and at “Manav Sadhna.” At the Make a Wish Foundation, he helped fulfil wishes for terminally ill children. At Manav Sadhna, he worked at Seva Café to help create awareness about tuberculosis. His relentless efforts won him accolades. He recalls, “Dev bhaiya had taught me something very valuable, ‘Your first job is about learning, not about the salary,’ I simply kept that in mind while working.”
Currently, he is pursuing his second year of Bachelors of Banking and Insurance and is mentored by Salil Nigam from Yes Bank, through the Mentor Program. Ravi says, “Salil has helped clear a lot of banking and career related concepts, and this has helped me make better decisions. He showed me the disparity between my current lifestyle and a corporate life.”
Today he feels very confident speaking in public and making eye contact during presentations, while some of his peers at college struggle. He believes this habit was subconsciously instilled during his tenure at Akanksha. With a beaming smile, he says, “I’m the most educated amongst all my family members. I want to set an example for my nephew.” He says, “Having Akanksha was a luxury, I was lucky to be a part of this.”
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