In 1988, 23, gangling, green behind the years and starry-eyed, Atul graduated from IIT Kanpur. In 1998, a mere decade later and not quite out of his youth, Atul decided to become wise. He decided to paint the future and script it as well. So what prompted this unusual turn of events?

In the quest to build capital to create a software company, Atul decided to coach IIT-JEE aspirants. He started with a rag-tag bunch of students, some barely eking the pass grade. The mix of students didn’t change over the next 4 years, but what changed the face of the market and Atul’s outlook was the results he managed to achieve. Over 75% hit rate for a industry struggling with barely 20% [10%]. In the 5th year, 5000 students decided to break down his door clamouring to be part of his following and climb the IIT bandwagon. Alas, a mere 100 could be accommodated.

So what happened?
Atul discovered that his personalized approach to students, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, working on their weaknesses with additional assignments and ensuring that most weaknesses were eliminated was instrumental in his success. However this personalized approach could not be scaled up. Atul figured that unless he got around this issue, he would continue to see angst-ridden parents and students crest-fallen at not being accommodated in the success formula.

Many long walks, some rather disturbed nights later, Atul figured that the only way he could achieve his objective was to marry personalized education to technology. Barely months later, Atul turned his back on a rising empire. He decided to close his coaching class, migrate to Bombay and script the education revolution. The idealism of his dreams kept him from being lured into the magic and mystique of Bombay. Walks in the forest close to his house, the jeers of his batch-mates who thought he was nutty all helped him in achieving his goal.

Dynamind. The engine that Atul created is a world first. Whilst it promises to usher a revolution in the way education is taught around the world, it is also a harbinger of the times when the poor and the not-so-well off have access to quality education. Dynamind is the backbone which powers Aasanka’s offering for students of xi and xii who are preparing for their board and competitive exams.

The long walks continue. Atul dreams on.