Super 30 founder to meet James Cameron

Anand Kumar, who founded Bihar's free coaching centre Super 30 and helped many students enter the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), will share his experience with Hollywood producer and director James Cameron next month.

"I will share the platform with James Cameron during the INK Conference next month," Anand Kumar told IANS Sunday.

The conference is held in association with Technology, Entertainment, Design ( TED), a global set of conferences aimed at promoting innovation in diverse fields.

This year's edition will be held in the city of Lavasa in Maharashtra Dec 10-12.

Anand Kumar said it was a matter of great pride that a teacher like him was given an opportunity to speak before such distinguished personalities.

"It is an honour for my state also, where I grew up and started my institute," he said.

The entry fee for the international conference will be Rs.1 lakh, event organiser Deepti Nair said.

"There is going to be a large number of people from all over the world, who are coming to see and hear these great personalities," she said.

According to her, James Cameron would be the star attraction of the programme.

"He has made many films such as 'Titanic', 'Avatar' and 'The Terminator' and has won many awards, including the Oscars," she said.

Nair also said that Anand Kumar is seen as a hero, not only in India, but also abroad.

"He is viewed as a person who, despite not being able to go to Cambridge due to financial constraints, did not give up and instead, became a ray of hope for the talented students from poor sections of the society. He is bringing about a social change," she said.

In the last three years, all 30 students of Super 30 have made it to the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) conducted by IITs. Since 2003, 212 students have made it to the IITs.

Anand Kumar, who himself missed a chance to study at Cambridge University because he didn't have enough money, gives full scholarships to every annual batch of 30 students.

They have to pass a competitive test to get into Super 30 and then commit themselves to a year of 16-hour study each day.

Anand Kumar, who started the Ramanujam School of Mathematics in 1992, founded the Super 30 in 2002.