Slums of Mumbai have been (in)famous, right from their beginning. Because sometimes, people who emerged out of this dirt have done not-so-many good things. But this ain’t no one such story- this is rather about how a slumdog in real life became a scientist. So, raising the curtain, let the name be told- 25-year-old Prathamesh Hirve, who lived in Filter Pada slums of Mumbai, has achieved a notable feat, which has brought the slums a much-needed distinction, as well as to the entire Mayanagri.
Filter Pada slums are amongst the most densely populated totalities in the city. And, that is exactly where Prathamesh used to live in a small 10×10 dwelling. But dreams see no limits- despite his humble family set-up, he aspired to become an engineer. Nevertheless, because of the very same reason, his family and friends persuaded him to go for arts, as they considered the subject to be analogously cheaper for him to cram.
In a country where every other university is English-medium, coming from a Hindi-medium school, made it more difficult for Prathamesh.
The initial 2 years of the diploma course were really tough for me because of language issue, as it was difficult to translate the complicated words, used in engineering terminology. I sat on the backbenches to escape the professor’s attention, for I didn’t want to be asked questions, which I couldn’t answer.
-says Hirve.
However, gradually he was able to become eloquent in English, to the extent of using it extemporaneous while ingesting his internships. Realizing that Prathamesh was working very hard, his parents began to support him. Last year, Prathamesh sent an application to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), as he always dreamed of joining it. His application was put in waiting list by ISRO, but he didn’t lose hope.
But how long could a diamond be sojourned apart from the lamps of a smith?
Soon the long wait ended and being one of the 9 people picked out of 16,000 applicants, Prathamesh’s hard work finally bore fruit.
Prathamesh Hirve is now the first Mumbaikar to join ISRO, as a scientist.
He is jubilant to have finally tasted success, after 10 years of prolonging and will be posted in Chandigarh. He now plans to give his parents all the comforts of life, which they desired but failed to attain. Though the poor parents don’t understand what he has exactly achieved by getting a job at ISRO for they don’t recognize its exhilarating institutional value because of lack of proper awareness, notwithstanding they’re jubilant of their son.
