He failed class 11, fought illness, and still cracked IIT: Thane pani puri seller’s son Harsh Gupta’s story goes viral

Harsh Gupta, a 19-year-old from Kalyan in Maharashtra, has made headlines by gaining admission into IIT Roorkee after clearing the JEE Advanced exam on his second attempt. According to multiple reports, his achievement is not just about academic excellence, it’s also a reflection of persistence, hardship, and determination in the face of poverty and illness.

Harsh comes from a financially struggling background. His father, Santosh Gupta, sells pani puri on the roadside to support the family, who live in a small two-room chawl in Thane district. Harsh shares this space with his parents, grandmother, and two younger siblings. As reported, the family’s limited income meant little exposure to top engineering institutes like the IITs. In fact, Harsh only became aware of IITs after completing his Class 10 during the Covid-19 lockdown.

His path to success was far from easy. Harsh failed Class 11, which brought harsh criticism from relatives and triggered self-doubt. However, he did not let this setback define him. After reappearing for Class 11 and clearing his Class 12 exams with excellent marks, he appeared for JEE Main and scored 98.9 percentile. He then qualified for JEE Advanced and earned a seat at IIT Roorkee.


As reported by India Today, Harsh received crucial support from Motion Education, a coaching institute based in Kota. The institute offered him structured academic help and emotional support, which played a key role in his turnaround.

His journey also included health challenges. Harsh was diagnosed with rectal prolapse, a painful and recurring condition that often disrupted his studies due to frequent hospital visits. In addition, he experienced personal loss during important exam periods, including the deaths of close family members, which added emotional strain.

Despite these setbacks, Harsh remained focused. Motivated by his father’s efforts and his family’s sacrifices, he studied for long hours, up to 12 hours a day, and even worked part-time to help support his younger brothers’ education.

Inputs from agencies