New Delhi, Aug 23: From leaving Bihar at the age of 14 with an old laptop and just ₹1,000 to securing a full-ride scholarship worth around ₹3.5 crore at Georgetown University in Qatar, Adarsh Kumar’s journey is a story of persistence, rejection and creating opportunities against financial odds.
Raised by a single mother, Adarsh experienced early in life how financial constraints could limit access to education. He moved to Kota at 14 hoping to join a coaching institute, but could not afford the admission.
Instead of abandoning his ambitions, he explored startups and grassroots projects and eventually founded Skillzo, a platform aimed at helping students access skills, mentorship and opportunities. The initiative has since reached nearly 20,000 students.
Adarsh’s work also earned international recognition. In 2025, he won the Global Student Prize, emerging from nearly 11,000 nominations across 148 countries. He also became a Google Youth Advisor, participated in international entrepreneurship programmes and mentored students through global competitions.
The road to university admission, however, remained difficult. Adarsh faced 22 university rejections before receiving an opportunity through Second Chance, founded by Cornell University alumna Joan Liu.
Georgetown University in Qatar agreed to review his application after Liu approached the university through a partnership related to supporting Palestinian students. The university eventually offered him admission with a full scholarship, even though its regular admissions cycle had already closed.
“It taught me that sometimes talent is not the problem. People simply need someone willing to open a door and give them a chance,” Adarsh said.
The scholarship will cover his tuition, accommodation, meals, flights, visa, health insurance and other educational expenses.
Recalling the moment he received the admission offer, Adarsh said, “I was sitting with my mother when I received the email.”
“I remember being extremely excited and almost unable to believe what I was reading,” he said, adding that his mother’s reaction made the achievement even more special.
“She has been the person behind me throughout this entire journey. Seeing her reaction made the moment even more special,” he said.
At Georgetown, Adarsh plans to study primarily Political Science, Economics and International Relations, while exploring other subjects as well.
His interest in policy is closely linked to his experiences in Bihar.
“I have always been interested in understanding why some policies work while others fail, and how decisions made by governments ultimately affect ordinary people,” he said.
“Coming from Bihar has also shaped that interest. I have seen how education, employment, healthcare and access to government schemes can fundamentally change someone’s opportunities,” he added.
He is also looking forward to studying in Doha, where students from diverse nationalities come together, and exploring Georgetown’s opportunities at its Washington, DC, and Italy campuses.
“I want to understand how policy decisions are made, how countries interact with each other, and how institutions can create meaningful change,” Adarsh said.
His long-term ambition is to work at the intersection of policy, governance and social impact, particularly in education, employment, youth development and economic opportunity.
“Ultimately, I would like my work to contribute to making Bihar and India places where a person’s circumstances at birth do not determine how far they can go,” he said.
Adarsh also hopes his journey will encourage students from smaller cities and economically constrained backgrounds to aim higher.
“If a student from a government-school background in Bihar can eventually receive a full scholarship to Georgetown, then other students should at least believe that they have the right to try,” he said.
Having experienced 22 rejections himself, Adarsh has a simple message for students facing setbacks: “There will be rejections but I’d tell them not to reject themselves.”
“I had many of them myself. But one rejection should not become a conclusion about your potential,” he said.
“Build something meaningful with the opportunities you already have, and then keep applying for the opportunities you think are beyond your reach,” he added.
For the teenager who once left Bihar with ₹1,000 and an old laptop, Georgetown marks the beginning of another chapter.
“The biggest lesson from my own journey is simple: sometimes the door is difficult to find, but that does not mean it isn’t there,” Adarsh said.
