Odisha Tribal Youth Who Worked as Labourer in Bengaluru Cracks NEET-UG

A tribal boy from Mudalidhia village in Khurda district, Shubham comes from a small farmer’s family and is the eldest of four siblings. For years, poverty stood like a wall before him. Yet, armed with determination, he scaled it — cracking NEET-UG in his very first attempt and securing admission at MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur.

On June 14, while working at a construction site in Bengaluru to earn a living, Shubham received the life-altering phone call from his teacher, Basudev Moharana. “I couldn’t stop my tears. I told my parents I will become a doctor,” Shubham recalled.

His journey has been far from easy. After scoring 84 per cent in Class 10, he moved to Bhubaneswar for higher secondary studies, where he first set his eyes on medicine. To support his dream, he toiled in Bengaluru for three months, earning Rs 45,000 and saving Rs 25,000 — money that helped him pay his initial admission fees.

What makes his story even more remarkable is what lies ahead: in four years, once he completes his MBBS, Shubham will become the first doctor in his panchayat.

Shubham’s struggle, however, is not over yet. He now faces the daunting task of arranging money for his admission fees. “We don’t have the means to pay,” he said with quiet determination. “My father has already left the village to work outside and earn whatever he can. If the government provides some financial support, I can fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor and serve the people.”

Commenting on his journey, Dr Ashok Acharya said, “From the dust of construction sites to the white coat of a doctor, Shubham’s story is a reminder that no dream is too distant when pursued with resilience. It is now the responsibility of society to extend a helping hand to this tribal boy so that his dream does not falter midway.”