It was the beginning of 3rd year-Intermediate Class. Bapu and I were well settled in the JJ environment. Not only our every assignment was appreciated by professors and classmates, but we also managed to secure 1st or 2nd rank in every semester as well as annual exams.

On the other hand, our friends Santosh Suryawanshi and Dattatreya Bhamere, who were in 3rd year of Electrical Engineering Diploma, already had job offers with them.
Knowing this, we both got restless about not having any clarity on our future. I just couldn’t imagine myself going back to hometown and painting walls for ads of Germs-Cutter, Bytco Gripe-water, Amrutanjan Balm or drawing names on umbrella or metal travel boxes like Baburao Painter…

After much debate in mind, I decided to switch to Electrical Engineering Course. I shared the thought with professors Acharekar, Sathey & Yende. They supported my decision saying I already acquired basic knowledge on applied art. So, I can try without quitting JJ. In case I find it difficult, I can always join back.

I applied to VJTI at Matunga and to my astonishment I got the admission on the basis of my SSC scores.

New Faculty, New Syllabus, New Professors and New Classmates, It was a totally new beginning again…I was enjoying it and scoring well in most of the subjects. Classmates were amused to see me handling Engineering Drawings easily without using any instrument.

Soon things started getting difficult. Being a student of SSC (11th Std.) last batch, I was unfamiliar with Trigonometry as it wasn’t the part of our syllabus. Gradually my scores started dipping at weekly tests. Professors alerted me to concentrate and improve. This led to stress and severe migraine. In the process, I could not attend classes, missed assignments and the attendance. The pressure kept mounting. The entire experience was frustrating, discouraging and demolished my confidence to carry on with my career in Electrical Engineering.

With deepest sorrow, I resigned from VJTI. However, the homecoming to JJ was welcomed by all. Professors greeted me with open arms and supported in completing the missed assignments. As destined, the journey to commercial art commenced yet again.

Milestone Moment: In realisation of ‘Family First’ motto, I had managed to muster enough courage to divert my entire career path.