We invited Prakash Sutradhar, Co-Founder of JC Maxwell Science Institute and Wideling Technologies for an interview with Most Popular Stories to know more about his entrepreneurial journey.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey as an entrepreneur.
FAILED, STOOD AGAIN, FAILED, AND STOOD AGAIN. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to work for myself, innovate & grow. It all started when I met a group of ambitious, intelligent, and like-minded friends in IIT Bombay, the idea of starting something of your own & doing business started to develop.
For me, entrepreneurship is providing a solution to an unsolved problem or providing easier, better solutions to the existing solution for the benefit of society.
I remember my first startup story. During my school days, I used to provide private tuition to school kids to help me financially. During my sophomore year in 2005 in IIT Bombay, when entrepreneurship was just a dictionary term for me, I started a website where students from other colleges could upload their assignments/doubts. I and my friends did doubt clearance sessions and in this way, we earned our pocket money. You can say, this was the online education system I had thought in 2005 and which is a big reality now.
2. Why did you choose entrepreneurship?
“An entrepreneur sees opportunities where normal people see problems”
Whenever I used to visit my hometown during my vacations from IIT, I used to hear some junior or some cousin has gone to Kota for the preparation of entrance exams. Though the parents were not financially sound enough, then also they used to put their savings and bear the pain of separation from their children so that they could fulfill their son/daughter’s aspiration of being a doctor or engineer. It used to pain me to see them leave their home towns as such quality education was not available here.
I had a campus placement. After starting my job, the first thought I had was to do something for my state. A few like-minded of us joined the team & started our science institute whereby we can provide quality education without the hassle of leaving the comfort of their home.
3. Tell us more about JC Maxwell Science Institute
JC Maxwell Science Institute was founded in 2017 by a few IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Roorkee alumni. We started and established it keeping in mind the extensive demand of a quality higher secondary school in the North-Eastern region in India which can produce not only highly meritorious students that can compete for various level of competitive exam in the field of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, and Biology but also willing to be an Engineer, Data Scientist, Doctor, Entrepreneur, Research scientist as their career prospects with the right guidance.Â
We do not believe in private tuition or any kind of coaching for any kind of exam. At MSI, per day only 6 hours of regular classes are sufficient for Board exams as well as competitive exams like IIT-JEE, NEET, AIIMS, BSAT, BMAT, etc.
As of now, we are located in two different places in Assam in Guwahati and in Barpeta Road under AHSEC. Therefore, SAY NO TO PRIVATE TUITION/COACHING and join MSI to get trained by highly skilled and young IITians and chose your own career.
4. Tell Us More about Wideling Technologies?
It was founded in 2019. It provides Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to different products. At present, it is in its starting phase, product development phase. Soon, it will roll out its products.
As you know, AI and AI-based solutions are the future. Keeping this in mind, I started Wideling as one of the first AI technology-based companies in the northeast to cater to the needs of the local people.
5. What difficulties which you have faced or you are facing?
Challenges make life fascinating and valuable. As the famous saying goes, challenges make you feel the exhilaration of victory at the end. My philosophy of life resonates with this meaningful quote by George S. Patton, an American army officer. According to me, stumbling blocks or obstacles on the way make the journey all the more exciting.
I feel I am very dedicated to both my work and passion. Whenever I get free time from my job, I work on these projects and look for any problems faced by my colleges. We have a dedicated team in our institute who look after them in my absence.
6. How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
“Manage stress”, yes, there will always be stress when you chose the path of entrepreneurship. There will be up & down, excessive stress, emotional dichotomy, and more importantly, financial pressure. The path of entrepreneurship is not easy. You need to be surrounded by good people and you need to learn to manage all the problems. Managing things is a skill like any other skills and you learn it gradually.
Moreover, I have other hobbies which help me in relaxing. I do blogging which helps me express my thoughts & ideas. Spending time with family & friends makes me happy.’
7. What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a
person/startup?
I think challenges in any work motivate me. This keeps my work harder. It is not like that I will always win a race or able to fulfill every task given. The main point is to sustain ourselves even if we lose. I believe failure is the key to learn something more valuable. I never feel any kind of fear of failure by trying new things in my life. It is my immense zeal to keep myself busy with new and exciting work and being a newly emerged entrepreneur I feel these qualities helped me a lot.
To learn from my setbacks and never lose hope.
8. How your company is helping India to grow?
We are providing quality and alternate education. We are generating employment for the talented youth of North East India who has to travel to other parts of India in search of better jobs and opportunities.
9. In your opinion what are the keys to success?
We should not be confused with success with materialist achievement. One needs to be successful in their professional life as well as personal life. Learning to have a clear balance between them will define real success.
Perseverance and Motivation are the two pillars of success. It can turn any person into a successful person. One should have Never give-up attitude in life as well as in work. A person with a clear goal with the right strategic plans can achieve anything he would desire for. Never lose hope in any situation just keep on trying then obviously one day you will taste the joy of success.
10. How are your institutes dealing with COVID-19 situation?
COVID-19 situation is very hard to time for every individual as well as for all the businesses. We have started our online education platform. Our faculties are making excellent video lectures for our students. Next week we are rolling out Mobile Application for e-Learning.
COVID-19 Pandemic is very unpleasant for all of us but it forced us to find alternate solutions. Post COVID-19 pandemic, our e-Learning platform will continue to persist along with the conventional educational system. We will use the full benefits of Artificial Technology in providing education in the North East of India.
11. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring
entrepreneur?
One should not take the help of excuses to justify not doing anything. It is your life, your ambition, do whatever it takes to achieve it. No one is coming to fulfill your dream. Only you can fulfil your dream. Learn from your failures. In an entrepreneur’s life, there are many setbacks but he/she must never give up until they have achieved their vision or goal. It just needs a desire and a warrior inside you to become a successful entrepreneur.
To Visit JC Maxwell Science Institute, Click Here!
To Visit JC Maxwell Wideling Technologies, Click here!
You can also check out other articles like,
Interview with Liza Pavlakos | Speaker & Business Mentor
Interview with Ankit Bansal | Managing Director at Bansal Foods