From Mule Paths to IIT Madras: Atul’s Remarkable Journey of Grit and Determination

Rudraprayag’s Atul Kumar has proven that no dream is too distant—even from the rugged trails of Kedarnath. Once earning a modest living by transporting pilgrims on mules and horseback to the revered shrine, Atul is now set to step into the prestigious IIT Madras, having cracked the IIT-Joint Admission Test (JAM) 2025.

Hailing from a humble background as the son of a horse breeder in a remote Uttarakhand village, Atul never let his circumstances limit his aspirations. “My only aim is to improve life—for myself and for my family,” he shared.

After returning from Kedarnath last July, Atul began preparing for the JAM exam using borrowed notes and self-study, with little access to resources or reliable internet. Despite the odds, his hard work paid off in February this year with success in one of the country’s toughest postgraduate entrance exams.