From Idlis To IIM - Inspiring

From the slums of Chennai and selling idlis on the street, to an MBA degree from IIM-Ahmedabad, Sarath Babu's journey has been remarkable. He had a dream. Like millions of other Indian kids who grow up in abject poverty, he dreamt of earning enough some day to take his mother away from the one room hut they stayed in, to a life of comfort.

For most, such dreams remain stillborn. But Sarath Babu took life in both hands and looked fate in the eye. Last week, he emerged victorious. From the slums of Chennai to the hallowed portals of IIM, Ahmedabad, Sarath's journey has been nothing short of inspirational. Today with an MBA degree from the country's premier BSchool, Sarath knows his and his mother's days of poverty are over. "I had a tough childhood and till I joined BITS-Pilani for my graduation, I thought everybody had a similar life,"he smiles, sitting in his room inside IIM-A. "I was six when my father left us to face starvation. With a meagre salary of Rs 30 that my mother earned through a job in the state government's midday meal scheme, she managed to educate me and my siblings,"he recalls. But despite all her problems, Deeparamani (Sarath's mother) never gave up. "She would make idlis and I would sell them on the streets. My mother has been my biggest inspiration,"he says. But if the story of a poor idli seller's son making it to a B-School raises eyebrows, what he has done now, leaves one stunned.

Just last week, Sarath refused a tempting package of Rs 8.5 lakh per annum - to start his own catering business. "It would have been very easy to take up a corporate job and give my family all comforts they never had. But that's not my ambition. I'd rather have my own company and employ one person who can support four other lives,"he smiles. But why is the man who was offered a senior systems analyst's post in a software firm setting up a catering service as his business venture? "Serving someone food is an extremely satisfying feeling. The smile you get after giving good food to someone is an experience to cherish. Moreover, this industry has less investment and a high turn-over,"he explains. And when one's almost resigned oneself to believing that nothing is 'normal' about this genius, he surprises you again. "I love bikes and cars... and yes, I do have a girlfriend who's very supportive,"he reveals sheepishly. For the time being though, Sarath's working hard to negotiate offers he's received from different companies and individuals. After all, he still owes his mother a roof over her head.