Vasu Arora is a budding engineer working as a Grade Officer with Asian Paints since 2019. However, his journey has not been an easy one.

Vasu and his sister were brought up in Ludhiana, Chandigarh. His father was a transporter while his mother took care of the household. Vasu’s father worked hard every day to provide an education for his two kids at a private CBSE school. While circumstances constantly pushed the family to make ends meet, things started looking bleak when his mother fell seriously ill and was bedridden. If that didn’t take enough of a toll on the family, later Vasu’s father too fell ill, and the family was forced to sell their trucks to make up for the limited income.

Soon after, Vasu faced a dilemma because he had secured admission in the Mechanical Engineering Diploma course at the Chandigarh Polytechnic. While the family was proud, they weren’t able to pay the fees for the course.

However, there was a silver lining that promised to change the tide for Vasu and his family. In 2016, Vasu applied for the Mahindra All India Talent Scholarship (MAITS). The KC Mahindra Education Trust established MAITS in 1995 to support students like Vasu by extending interest-free loans and scholarships to ensure that their education continues irrespective of their disadvantages.

Vasu secured the scholarship and began his education in his desired college. He also participated in a contest along with his college peers, in which they had to design a hybrid car. The design led Vasu to win a cash prize of INR one lakh, which greatly benefitted his family.

Soon after his graduation, Vasu got a job with Asian Paints, where he continues to work. His regular income has enabled his father to take a step back and spend time with his ailing wife. Since then, his sister has been able to take up a professional nursing degree and pursue her career further.

A fan of DC designs, Vasu aspires to become an auto designer like the renowned Dilip Chhabria. His key motto — Work hard today and reap the benefits later — has helped him tackle his struggles and emerge victorious. “My hard work and determination gave me the confidence to dream about becoming an engineer. But it was MAITS that helped me achieve that dream,” signs off Vasu.