Inspiring Journey Of Mumbaikar Pratamesh Hirve
Out 16,000 applications, only nine were selected –Pratamesh Hirve was one of them. He is the first ever mumbaikar to be slected in ISRO. Pratamesh belongs to middle class family who lives in Filterpada slums in Powai of Mumbai. Although he lives in a small home of 10X10 ft he never stopped working for the sky big dream he believed in. Out of poverty,rejection and failure he raised like a phoenix. Here is his Inspiring Story.
Pratamesh father Soma is primary school teacher. His mother Indu is a house wife. Both of his parents are highly supportive and believed in their son. His father says “He would study day and night, and our lights would never be switched off. Everyone at our native place in Dahiwadi, Satara, is as proud of him as we are.”
Pratamesh studied in a Marathi medium school till Std X then he opted diploma to do engineering. The first two years of the diploma course were very difficult for him because of the language barrier and the complex engineering terms. He used to sit at the backbench so the professor would not ask him the questions that he could not answer. In the second year, he told his teacher about language issue and he advised him to read and refer to the dictionary as much as possible. Later he joined in Smt Indira Gandhi College of Engineering in Navi Mumbai to study Electrical Engine
After completing his studies Pratamesh applied for a coveted spot in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recruitment but failed. He then decided to set his sights on the stars, and applied to ISRO last year, but made it no further than the wait.
With an unshaken belief he again started studying and applied for the post of electrical engineer in ISRO once again. But this time all his hard work he put under the oil lamps till midnight has been paid off. Pratamesh has been selected and his struggles came to an end.
Pratamesh’s mother, Indu said, “I am a Std VIII-pass, at first, I did not understand what this job meant. When my husband explained that our son would be working with such an elite organisation, I was in tears. I remembered all the hard work he had put in since childhood – this is what he had wanted to achieve. I am very proud of my son, his hard work has paid off.”
Pratamesh’s achievement is even more thrilling for his father, Soma. He said, “When Pratamesh refused to take up Arts and insisted on engineering, I just told him that he would have to study very hard, and he committed to it. When he told me he got a job at ISRO, I realised he had been right all along. Pratamesh now wants to give his parents a better home and life.
Pratamesh will be an electrical scientist at ISRO, the first ever recruit from Mumbai. He will be posted in Chandigarh. With a higher self belief he now wants to explore the heights of the universe. His story is quite inspiring as he never stopped aiming high after the failure in UPSC exam and rejection in the qualified list. His story is worth an example for hard work pays off one day and never stop aiming high and never stop believing in yourself.