Ahmedabad watchman waits for brother’s MBA, cracks CAT, gets IIM call

AHMEDABAD: A remarkable tale of two brothers has unfolded in Ahmedabad, where the elder one's dedication enabled his younger sibling's success. After Dinesh Kevlani, 24, completed his studies at IIM Lucknow, his 27-year-old elder brother, Dipesh Kevlani, residing in Naroda, successfully cleared the Common Admission Test (CAT) and received an offer from IIM Shillong this year."My father passed away when I was 11 years old. My mother raised us brothers, and my maternal uncle has remained the pillar of strength for us, supporting us financially and emotionally. I worked in a footwear shop in my formative years while studying and, since Class 12, got a job as a watchman at a govt-run hospital, which continues to date," recounts Dipesh.Achieving over 80% in both Class 10 and 12, Dipesh enrolled in a commerce college in Naroda for a BCom course. His CAT performance placed him in the 92.5 percentile. Supporting his family with a Rs 19,000 salary, he resumed his educational journey following his brother's encouragement after his MBA from IIM Lucknow. Dipesh subsequently completed MCom from HL College of Commerce."I am currently working to secure a loan of Rs 25 lakh for the IIM fees. The overall expenses will be about Rs 30 lakh for the course. I hope to take finance as a specialisation. I am also hoping to get calls from other IIMs with fingers crossed," he adds.Another Ahmedabad youth, Suraj Soni from Chaloda village near Dholka, also received an IIM Shillong offer. Born to a peon father and a domestic help mother, Soni demonstrated that determination overcomes obstacles."I studied in Gujarati medium till Class 12 and then took admission in HL College of Commerce for a BCom degree, where I scored 78%. I did not know much about MBA courses and IIM when I got admission to the college, but several of my group members were taking courses, and I thus got interested. I enrolled in one such class and prepared hard. I am in the 82.14 percentile of students," said Suraj.Similar to Dipesh, he awaits loan approval and additional IIM offers. "Getting into IIM is a dream for anybody, and I believe that my education may help my family," he added.