21-year-old lifted bricks for 8 hours daily, studied for 7 hours, cracked NEET; now he wants to fulfil his mother’s dream to…

New Delhi: What 21-year-old Sarfaraz from Egra, a small village in West Bengal has achieved is truly commendable. There was a time when he was working as a daily wage labourer for Rs 300, but today he has cleared the NEET 2024 exam and has been admitted as a medical student at Kolkata’s Neel Ratan Medical College. Sarfaraz’s three big dreams were to join the Indian Army, become a cricketer, and become a doctor. The first two dreams were shattered due to financial reasons, but he worked hard to fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor.

“I used to work for 8 hours and earn Rs 300. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I had to work to support my family. At that time, I used to work with my father and I used to get 7 hours for NEET preparation. The rest of the time I slept and did household chores,” Sarfaraz said while talking to India Today-Aaj Tak.

Sarfaraz’s journey began in 2022, when he used to feed his family by lifting 400 bricks daily. “My mother wanted me to become a doctor. I worked hard to fulfil her wish and successfully cracked NEET in the third attempt but the journey was very tough. All night long I would cry due to this difficult fight.”

Sarfaraz had three dreams. First, he wanted to become a defence officer, second, he wanted to become a cricketer and thirdly, which was his mother’s dream of becoming a doctor, which has now been fulfilled. “I needed money for cricket and defense and that was the reason that I had given up both these dreams. Once during the NDA practical examination, I met with an accident,” said Sarfaraz.

Sarfaraz credits his family, school teachers, personal tutors and the Physics Wallah for his success. “My inspirations were my father, mother, my private tuition teacher who taught me free of cost, my school teacher and Physics Wallah scholarships.”

With government assistance during the pandemic, Sarfaraz got an opportunity to buy a phone. He furthered his preparation using YouTube videos and Physics Wallah courses. Sarfaraz now lives in a PM Awas Yojana house and along with his father, takes care of his mother and younger brother.

Now as a medical student, Sarfaraz’s dream is to be able to provide free education and health services to poor children.

“I know what I have suffered, borrowed books, struggled to get food. My mother always inspired me to provide free education to poor children. I will start from my village and city,” he said.