From Night Watchman To IIM Professor, The Inspiring Story Of Ranjith Ramachandran

Starting from his humble beginnings as a night watchman earning very little, Ranjith Ramachandran overcame numerous challenges to graduate from the prestigious IIT. He is now an Assistant Professor at IIM, Ranchi. His inspiring story serves as a motivation for others to face and conquer difficult circumstances in their own lives.

In a Facebook post accompanied by a photo, Ranjith Ramachandran proudly declares that he was born in the very place where an esteemed IIM professor now resides. The image depicts his modest and deteriorated tiled hut, protected by a tarpaulin sheet to prevent rainwater from entering. His inspiring story, shared on April 9, quickly gained popularity, receiving more than 37,000 likes. T M Thomas Isaac, the Finance Minister, congratulated Ramachandran, known as Ranjith R Panathoor on social media.

While pursuing his Economics degree from Pious Xth College in Kasaragod, Ranjith Ramachandran supported himself by working as a night watchman at a BSNL telephone exchange in Panathur. In a Facebook post, he shared that he attended college during the day and fulfilled his night duty at the exchange. Despite facing challenges, he graduated with honours and gained admission to IIT Madras. However, his limited knowledge of Malayalam made it difficult for him to study. Feeling discouraged, he contemplated giving up on his PhD programme. Thankfully, his mentor, Dr Subhash, convinced him not to abandon his aspirations. Determined to achieve his dreams, Ramachandran decided to fight against the odds.

Ranjith Ramachandran persevered and successfully obtained his doctorate last year. Recently, he took up the role of Assistant Professor at Christ University in Bengaluru. Reflecting on the unexpected viral response to his post, he expressed his initial intention of sharing his life story as a means to inspire others. His message to everyone is to aspire to great dreams and wholeheartedly strive to achieve them. He hopes that his journey serves as a source of inspiration for others, motivating them to find their path to success.

In his post, Ramachandran recounted facing severe financial challenges that almost led him to abandon his schooling. His father works as a tailor, while his mother earns a daily wage through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.