New Delhi, July 17 -- Atul Kumar, who carried pilgrims on horses and mules along the steep tracks of Kedarnath Dham to support his family, has cleared the IIT-Joint Admission Test for Master's (JAM) 2025 and got selected for IIT Madras.

Kumar, son of a horse handler, narrated his inspiring journey from a small village in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, to the prestigious technology institute.

He said his only motivation was to move ahead in life and do something better for himself and his family.

"I am from a small village in Rudraprayag... I did not know much till the 12th standard. There is not much awareness in hilly areas. I did not know that something like IITs even exists," Kumar told ANI.

" I did not take the entrance exam after comp...