A student from Gadchiroli on his journey to Australia and back

I grew up in a seven-member family in Bande, a village near the Surjagarh iron ore mine in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. My father is a farmer and my mother an anganwadi helper. While growing up, studying abroad was a dream we thought could not be achieved.

When I got the Lloyds Infinite Foundation’s Curtin University Sponsorship Programme, which would cover my tuition, accommodation, travel, and living expenses, a distant dream suddenly became a reality. I went on to pursue a Master’s in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Curtin University in Perth, Australia.

For someone from Bande, this meant stepping into a completely new life. The educational and cultural environment in Australia changed my perspective, confidence, and ambitions. These abstract concepts became real to me only once I was living a life I could not have imagined.

Not only did I realise that I was capable of holding my own among students from across the globe, but I also learnt to be responsible for my studies, routine, and choices and to figure out everything by myself. But it turned out to be the most valuable part of my education.

Growing up, Gadchiroli was simply home with its own rhythms, difficulties, and quiet dignity. I never thought of it as something to look at from the outside. Living so far away gave me that distance for the first time. I began to understand my district differently.

I saw more clearly what Gadchiroli has and what it needs. I did not come back with a sense that we lack ability but with a clearer understanding of what access and opportunity can do for people who have never lacked the will to work hard.

That understanding became a large part of why I chose to return to Gadchiroli rather than build a career elsewhere. Thus, I joined Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd. as a Management Trainee, beginning my professional journey in the same district I grew up in.

Returning home and starting my career has been one of the most meaningful parts of this entire journey My story, so far, is a simple one: a village, a scholarship, a degree earned far from home, and a decision to bring my learning back to the place that shaped me.

I hope it motivates other students from remote villages to dream big and not let distance be an obstacle to achieve what they are capable of. The writer is the first graduate of the Lloyds Infinite Foundation’s Curtin University Sponsorship Programme.