Super 30 founder has answer to world's problems

Education is the answer to world's pressing problems, Anand Kumar, a mathematician and founder of Super 30, has said.

Kumar said the meaning of education lies in developing responsible citizens and stressed the need for quality teachers. "Unless we have good teachers, education cannot improve."

"Youth should be encouraged to take up teaching profession and the governments around the world should strive to make it a lucrative option. It is said that all parents want good teachers for their wards, but they don't want their wards to be teachers," he said at a mega conference organised by 'Education without Border' at the UAE's Higher Colleges of Technology.

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Anand's Super 30 -- the programme that selects 30 meritorious candidates each year from economically backward sections and trains them for the IIT-JEE -- success story has become a toast of international media, with several invitations from different countries requesting him to share his unique model and experience.

He is now in the process of setting up a school.

"We have experienced it with our Super 30 initiative, where students from all backgrounds, castes and class live under one roof, share food and follow one goal with single point devotion," he said.

Anand narrated the story of his childhood struggle, which led to the birth of Super 30. "Life teaches more in adversities. It was life that showed me the path to move ahead when I was morally down. I just followed the path and today I am happy that my small initiative has drawn the attention of the world."

He said in the last eight years, there had never been an occasion when man-made boundaries came in the way of education at Super 30.

"Many of them don't even know the caste and creed of the students they share their rooms with. What is important is that the families also enjoy this emancipation in the midst of a society where caste and creed often become determining factors."

Dubai's Higher Colleges of Technology is organising the conference from March 28-31.

Other prominent speakers at the conference include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Nobel laureate Albert Fert, UNSECO head Irina Bokova and Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga.