Teen Finds Family Away From Home on Path to IIT Guwahati

A mother's kindness in India's most competitive exam prep city helped three teenagers survive the grueling path to their dreams.

Shreya Agrawal was struggling in Kota, the pressure-cooker city where thousands of Indian students prepare for engineering entrance exams. Hostel food was making her sick, and her own mother wanted her to come home.

Then something beautiful happened. The mother of one of Shreya's best friends moved to Kota and began caring for their small group of three students. She cooked for them, created a sense of home, and gave them the support they desperately needed during one of the most challenging periods of their young lives.

That warmth carried Shreya through. In 2024, she ranked 23,000 in the highly competitive JEE Advanced exam and earned admission to study Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Guwahati, one of India's premier technology institutes.

The 18-year-old from Mumbai had always loved problem-solving. Growing up with two teacher parents, she spent lockdown years reading novels and working through math problems for fun. Her father encouraged her passion, and engineering felt like a natural fit.

Why This Inspires

Shreya's journey shows how small acts of care can change trajectories. One mother recognized that academic excellence requires more than textbooks and tutoring. By providing home-cooked meals and maternal warmth to three teenagers far from their families, she protected their health and spirits during a make-or-break year.

Now on IIT Guwahati's stunning campus, Shreya has joined the Aeromodelling Club, Coding Club, and Math Club. She balances late-night coding sessions with long walks across campus and midnight Maggi runs with friends. She calls home regularly and helps her younger sister study before exams.

The nervous teen who cried when her mother first left her at the hostel has found her place. She's learned to trust people, accept uncertainty, and build community far from home.

Sometimes the difference between giving up and achieving your dreams is one person who sees you struggling and decides to help.