2 fathers, 2 struggles, 1 dream: Better life for their sons

This Father’s Day, the stories of two humble fathers from Ludhiana—Rashpal Singh and Amarjeet Singh—are shining examples of how silent sacrifices can shape extraordinary futures. With limited means but limitless determination, both men stood like unshakable pillars behind their sons, Mehtab Singh and Arshpreet Singh, to help them defy the odds and clear India’s toughest engineering exams—JEE Mains and JEE Advanced.

Farmer’s son with IIT dream

Mehtab Singh of Nurpur Bet village is a shining star of the 2023–25 batch of Meritorious School. Son of Rashpal Singh, a small-scale farmer and Sarbjit Kaur, a homemaker, Mehtab’s journey was far from easy. With an annual family income of less than Rs 1 lakh, even meeting daily household expenses was a challenge, but the talented student took it upon himself to make his mark. He credits his success in JEE Mains and Advanced to his teachers and parents, who supported him unconditionally despite their own struggles.

Rashpal Singh would toil in his fields, under the scorching sun, to ensure not a single one of Mehtab’s need went unmet. While other children attended expensive coaching classes, Mehtab relied on the Punjab Government’s summer camp in Mohali for JEE Advanced coaching—and he made it count!

Arshpreet fixed his fate

In a modest corner of Ludhiana, Amarjeet Singh spends his days repairing tyres at his roadside puncture shop—a job that brings home just Rs 90,000 annually. But on Father’s Day, his heart swells with pride, knowing that his son Arshpreet Singh scored 90.85 percentile in JEE Mains —without attending any private coaching classes.

The family’s support system is Arshpreet’s father’s worn hands and his mother’s silent strength. He has a younger brother, too, who is a students of Class XI.

“He would return from the shop, tired, hands blackened with grease, but never let me feel down or low,” said Arshpreet about his father. “He always said — keep studying, I’ll handle the rest,” added Arshpreet.

A salute to fathers

This Father’s Day, Ludhiana bows in respect to the fathers who don’t wear capes, but carry the weight of their family’s dreams on their shoulders. Whether in the fields of Nurpur Bet or at a tyre shop in Ludhiana, the love and labour of fathers like Rashpal and Amarjeet reminds us that behind every child’s success is a man who silently fights a thousand battles.

For Mehtab and Arshpreet, success is not just about clearing an exam — it’s about honouring the sacrifices that made it possible.

Ludhiana