Super 30 movie connected well with the masses: Anand

Mathematics wizard and the founder of Super 30, Anand Kumar on Monday said he was happy with the way the Hrithik Roshan-starrer film inspired by his life connected with the masses and brought to the centrestage issues like education in the rural areas.

Kumar, who was in the city to adress a 'Beti Padhao Abhiyaan' programme by a corporate group, answered the questions from audience on the biopic, his academy that provides free fooding, lodging and coaching to students from the deprived class and also about him.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee attended the function.

Asked about the reason behind naming his coaching initiative as "Super 30", he said, "we did not had resources to take more than 30 students... we did not take donations and that is how it is till this date."

Replying to an another question, he said while there are "no plans to expand" the Super 30, they are planning to open a centre for children from class six to twelve for children to make them ready not only for IIT but for medical and also sports fields.

 

The movie directed by Vikas Bahl and starring Roshan as Kumar, hit the screens all over the country and abroad on July 12.

Kumar recalled that one taxi driver's son, having enrolled in Super 30, is now studying at IIT Kharagpur.

Replying to a question, Kumar said the interest in maths stems from the curiosity about "how and why - children should know the reason."

Asked why maths became his favourite subject, Kumar said, "in the film you saw my father used to sort letter, he used to travel between Patna and Kolkata. He used to give me biographies of scientists like Srinivasa Ramanujan. And I then started believing maths should be my subject."

The 46-year old Kumar began his initiative in Bihar in 2002. Discovery Channel showcased his work in a documentary.

So far naearly 500 students of his academy have made to different IITs since its inception.

Kumar, who has also spoken at MIT and Harvard about his programmes for students from the underprivileged sections, said to a 14-year old girl, his biggest reward will be to hear from her that she has realised her dream in life, ten years from now.