Mumbai guy makes it to IIM Lucknow inspite of the odds

He fought competition, spastic paralysis , dyslexia and dysarthria to crack CAT-2019 with 92.5 per cent marks.

Yash Avadesh Gandhi, 21, is now a student of IIM-Lucknow and has been attending online classes from his range in Mumbai for the past one month.

“I face problems with numbers. So, I had to place in extra effort, particularly within the quantitative ability section. It was tough, but not impossible,” he said in an interview to an area daily.

Yash needed a writer to require the written examinations. He has difficulty in walking, but still travels on local trains in Mumbai. He speaks with a slur, but conveys his thoughts and emotions with clarity.

His story is inspirational, to place it rather mildly.

Yash had started preparing for CAT in July 2018, when he was still within the second year of his graduation.

His diligence paid off and after clearing the CAT, he got interview calls from several IIMs, including Kozhikode and Indore, but he chose Lucknow because it’s ranked higher.

He was admitted to IIM-Lucknow under the persons with disabilities quota for the tutorial session 2020-22.

Yash has spastic paralysis , dyslexia and dysarthria, a condition that weakens the muscles needed to talk .

Yash’s parents have expectedly been his main network .

“When he joined the varsity, he faced difficulty in learning and wasn’t ready to compete together with his peers. But he picked up gradually. He has always had to figure harder than normal children,” Avadhesh Gandhi, his father, who works during a private firm.

He said that while studying for CAT, there came a point when Yash was so depressed that he almost decided to give up.

“I told him that he has the potential to try to anything and will not stop making an attempt. After this, Yash started everywhere again,” said his mother Jignasha, who works as a supervisor during a kitchen where midday meals are cooked.

The young man features a special place in his heart for his mentor and “spiritual brother”, Harshit Hindocha.

“Yash’s success may be a perfect story of grit and commitment. He remains calm and composed even within the most trying circumstances, he never gives up. Even once I exempted him from taking notes thanks to his writing issues, he would always jot points,” Harshit said.

Yash did his graduation from Mithibai College in Mumbai with accounting and finance and ranked among the highest five.