“I knew I had a rare condition, but self-pity was never acceptable to me. I always thought that I was here to make a difference and I gave my 100 percent for it,” said VK Bansal sir at an event in 2017.As I did not study or teach in Bansal classes, but I was lucky to met respected VK Bansal sir twice in life. This blog is in remembrance of the founder of Bansal classes, Mr. VK Bansal, the man behind making Kota a Mecca for engineering aspirants, a jovial teacher, and a disciplinarian
On one fine evening in February 2014, we got connected about an article that Bansal Sir was working on those days. Meeting him was from vision to reality for me. Bansal Sir invited me at his residence. Our interaction was constrained to thecareer versus family productivity– whom to give the preference. Sir was keen to know about the persons who bartered their career path, the ones for whom their family was their priority. As he went on, we spoke about IITians who left their dream jobs for the sake of their families living in Kota. As there are many IITians who take teaching as first job, but it was for those who opted for some other working segments and switch to their hometown Kota and then look for teaching as career option. The article was majorly consisting of stories about such specificIITians. Having my graduation completed, I was employed as a consultant at Bangalore and remodeled my career stream for the sake of my family and moved to Kota. The change was abrupt from supply chain domain consulting to become an educator for IITJEE platform & mentoring the aspirants. On further discussion about education industry particularly in Kota, I could sense that VK Sir were not happy about the trading of educators based on money and position. I could feel the pain he was addressing, the person who had established this industry now watching this getting out of ethical forms and going out of hand.When I was in class 12th(State Board Hindi Medium) I missed the opportunity to write IIT JEE exam just because of deficiency of proper guidance & lack of awareness.“IIT JEE is for English medium students”the answer I got when I was in class 12thand I believed this lie.
After my 12th, when I decided to go for IIT, and was going to start preparation for the same, the first step used to be to get admission into the institutes by cracking entrance exam of Bansal Classes. In those days, these institutes were not open for all, one had to first clear the entrance exam of these Institute first to take admission into it and then start preparing for cracking IIT JEE. Cracking entrance test of these coaching institutes was the only criteria for admission into them.
Many of my peers took extra coaching to crack this entrance exam to get admission in the organization. They came to Kota 1-2 month prior, and prepared for this entrance exam.
The two stages here are clearly visible –
- First qualifying the entrance exam to get admission in the preparational organization.
- Final one consisting of the real exam for IITJEE
My father and VK sir were being employed in the same company many years ago. As my father told me very clearly that if I couldn’t clear the entrance exam of Bansal Classes, My father wouldn’t be helping me in admission process by asking favour to his colleague. At that instant, many of my familiar persons aspiring for that were unable for having admission into the preparational institutes, but luckily I had qualified both for Bansal classes as well as Resonance (a year old baby at that time). I had seen many students who had been admitted there but after some time taken refund from the classes because of not being able to cope up with the superior curriculum maintained at this prestigious institute. I belonged to Hindi medium background so people around me advised to take admission in Resonance as Director RK Verma sir were also a Hindi medium student. It was told me that I might not be able to cope with Bansal Classes curriculum. That time, study material was not available in Hindi language. When I got into IIT Bombay then I found that major chunk of North Indians were from Bansal classes via Kota. So, I had more knowledge about Bansal sir from there. He is so charismatic personality that not only students, but parents were also genuinely influenced from him.
Three years later, surprisingly we met on a street road where he was getting out from his car and was on the way to some Aadhar update center. Catching sight of him, I immediately got down from my vehicle and went to him and literally, he recognized me even after 3 years. A person who is physically struggling with some dangerous diseases but despite all that having such a sharp mental memory was just fabulous. He had 5 minutes conversation.
My first Mathematics Book on Coordinate Geometry from Pearson Publication was released in Aug 2020 and as Sir also belongs to Mathematics subject, I got connected with his PA. I really wanted to meet him personally and present my copy to him. But I got to know that sir is home isolation as precautionary measure from Covid 19, So I dropped the idea of meeting Sir for time being. On early morning of 03 May 2021, got a heart-breaking news that respected VK Bansal Sir is no more.
Nowadays I notice many students constantly seeking for motivation from somewhere. We all should learn from VK Bansal sir. The journey of VK Bansal sir could be the best example of living a life like a legend with the limited resources you have. He is the “Bhishma Pitamah” and architect of the Kota education hub, who devoted 35 years of his life to nothing but teaching his students. He’s an inspiration for everyone who has access to very limited resources but can still do wonders and live a legendary life.
Hope you guys will be having precious boons from this!!
He was an exceptionally proficient man, who mastered problem-solving skills and had brilliant leadership competencies. Despite suffering from muscular dystrophy, a medical condition that impaired his physical movements, Bansal Sir always found ways to surprise life.
