The Pursuit of Learning: Vishal’s Story of Perseverance and Progress

Imagine meeting someone who possesses in depth understanding of ship machinery, can decode complex engine room line diagrams, and easily read technical drawings, all without ever having obtained a formal mechanical or marine degree. Surprising, isn’t it? To some, it might even be shocking. 

Vishal’s journey from humble beginnings, supporting his family at a very young age, to creating a space for himself in the maritime world is nothing short of inspiring. If you’ve ever felt limited by your circumstances or believed that you lacked the resources to move forward, Vishal’s story is a testament to the power of determination and the spirit of learning. 

My earliest childhood memories are of living in a slum in a tiny room with walls made of tin. These tin walls had cutouts to use them as windows and doors. The environment wasn’t suitable for children upbringing. Realizing this, my father decided to move us out of that place. 

We moved to a different neighborhood. It was a small room in an illegal building. It might not have been fancy, but certainly an improvement from the slum. Our lifestyle was very simple, with my father working daily to get us food and to complete basic needs. I also began attending local school, to continue my studies. However, a few years later, our situation began to worsen. My father, employed at a mill, faced a setback when it was shutdown. With him out of work, life became increasingly difficult for us. 

I was around 15 or 16 years old at that time but enough to understand the challenges we were facing. Some days, we had food, while on others, we went hungry. I recall a kind hearted lady living next door. She often gave us a bowl of cooked daal and my mom would then increase its quantity by adding water and other ingredients, making it last for two time meal. Those days are unforgettable. 

Even though I hadn’t finished school, I was eager to earn money to support my family. I saw a boy around my age delivering newspapers and asked if I could do the same. He agreed and introduced me to newspaper stall owner. From there I began earning 70 Rs per month, delivering 35 newspapers to various homes every day. After few months, I was delivering double the newspapers, which increased my income to 150 Rs. Additionally, I spent hours at the newspaper stall till noon, to earn 300 extra. A few months later, I began my day at 3:30 AM, collecting newspapers from their main distribution site. So, from dawn to noon, my world revolved around newspapers. I was earning just 1000 Rs per month, but that amount held significant value for my family. 

At that point in my life, my thought process was: the more I work, the more I can earn. This understanding led me to shift from full-time schooling to open studies, allowing me to attend school only for exams. This freed up my time to work and earn more money. 

 One day, I heard an opening at a nearby coaching institute. They were conducting classes in subjects like Tally, Networking, MS Office, Hardware, and more. I was hoping to get a role there similar to an office boy. When I approached, they explained it was not a full-time position; they needed someone to clean, arrange the classroom benches, and refill water during the afternoon break. They offered 700 Rs per month for this 2 hours job during that interval. 

I thought this could fit into my schedule. After wrapping up my work at the newspaper stall around noon, I could work at the coaching institute. 

It wasn’t as challenging as waking up early and climbing stairs for newspaper deliveries. So, after my newspaper job till noon, I would go home for lunch and then head to the coaching institute. I was able to finish the class room tasks in just 15-20 minutes. Afterwards, I used to sit and look at the computers, occasionally turning them on and off when no one was watching. I was so fascinated by those machines. One day, I approached teacher, expressing my interest in learning how to use them and asked if I can learn any particular course. She agreed to teach me but told me that course fee will be deducted from my salary. It was not that much so I agreed to it. All I wanted to sit on those machines and learn. That was the beginning of a new journey. I was really good at learning and she noticed my ability to explain concepts to other students. She encouraged me, and I began to wonder, ‘Why shouldn’t I start teaching there and move beyond the image of just a water boy?’  

With the teacher’s support, I started instructing students in MS Office tools like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. This experience taught me an important lesson. It’s not just about working hard but also about continuous learning. The more knowledge you acquire, the more opportunities you create for earning. Over the next six months, I mastered various courses and began teaching them. My reputation underwent a complete transformation, and I earned considerable respect. This journey significantly boosted my confidence. 

Later, I worked in various companies, leveraging my knowledge and continually expanding it by learning from my colleagues. My journey took an exciting turn when I joined a company that was providing services to the maritime industry. Initially, I started with data entry, but soon I started learning more about ship machinery as I was regularly reading the manuals. I got to know more about the machinery spare parts, maintenance routines, the line diagrams, and more. My concept was clear: go to the work and always learn beyond your primary duties. Whenever I was stuck, I asked people for help or searched on google for answers, but never stopped learning. After working there for few years, I began leading various projects and even promoted to Assistant manager.  

Many people gets surprised at how do I know that much about ship machinery even without having any technical degree from mechanical or marine. My response has always been the same: you don’t need a school or college to learn, what you need is hunger for continuous learning from the available resources around you. God sees your dedication and continues to send you good people who can guide and support you. 

I would tell everyone out there that no matter where you work or what you do, always seek more knowledge and continue learning. I am thankful to every single person who has helped me reach where I am today, and I will continue to pursue further learning. 

After dedicating nearly a decade to the maritime industry, Vishal recently had the opportunity to visit a ship at Mumbai port. Seeing the machinery up close, which he had been working on remotely for years, was a profoundly emotional moment for him.