A Hut, A Buffalo, An Oil Lamp, and My Mother's Will: The Promise I Made to Myself | Ajeet Yadav's Story

“Before I begin, I want to acknowledge the Children of AJEET ASHRAM, who inspired me to write this. If sharing this can offer even a glimmer of hope and positivity to future generations at AJEET ASHRAM or those connected with me, then it will have served its purpose.”

I grew up in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, living with my mother and three sisters in a joint family. My father worked at a tabela in Mumbai and later as a labor, unloaded cement sacks from trucks. Due to severe back pain, he couldn’t continue at cement trucks, and without other skills, he took on odd jobs here and there. Many months would pass without any work, and as a result, he couldn’t send money regularly to the joint family. This led to constant quarrels, torment, several days when we went without food.

1. The Hut of Hope: Life's First Teacher

I grew up in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, living with my mother and three sisters in a joint family. My father worked at a tabela in Mumbai and later as a labor, unloaded cement sacks from trucks. Due to severe back pain, he couldn’t continue at cement trucks, and without other skills, he took on odd jobs here and there. Many months would pass without any work, and as a result, he couldn’t send money regularly to the joint family. This led to constant quarrels, torment, several days when we went without food.

2. A Mother’s Will and a Buffalo’s Blessing

Life was difficult, but she never gave up. A kind person from my mother’s village (nanihal) gave us a buffalo, promising my mother to pay later. That buffalo became our lifeline. My mother and I took care of it together— She collected grass with a khurpi from the fields and grazed the buffalo 4 hours in the morning, and after I came back from school, I grazed for another 4 hours in evening.

Mother sold milk, which helped us survive. Later, with borrowing money, she rented a small piece of agriculture land and started growing crops. My younger sisters helped by cooking while my mother worked in the fields and cared for the buffalo. But life wasn’t easy. She faced constant torment, quarrels with my uncles, the Patidars, and some villagers who made our life difficult. Society and our system mostly exploit the weaker and only help based on what materialistically you own. Mother had nothing material to offer anyone, so she received no help or mercy from people. The pain of those times is something I can’t fully describe, but it was in these struggles that I learned the meaning of hard work, kindness, and perseverance. My mother became my greatest inspiration.

3. Lessons in the Dark: The Self-Study

Education for us wasn’t easy either. We studied in Hindi-medium government schools of UP Board, where education was just a formality. Teachers rarely completed more than 35% of the syllabus. I couldn't afford extra coaching. The fire within me to do better in my studies pushed me to study the syllabus from the book on my own. This habit of self-study became my strength. Despite having no electricity in our hut until I finished 12th grade, I studied by the light of an oil lamp, driven by my passion for learning.

After completing my 12th grade, I decided to prepare for the IIT entrance exam. With only one attempt left, I pushed my mother to borrow money for coaching, but I soon realized that everything was taught in English. Having studied in a Hindi-medium school, I could barely understand anything. This experience forced me to further develop my self-study habits and begin learning English, which became the foundation for my growth. Later it helped me work in call center and study courses on internet platforms like Swayam, Coursera and edX.

4. The 4 Tasks: A Promise to Myself

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it into the entrance exams. I had to suffer the consequences of the careless attitude of teachers in government schools. The pressure of the debt my mother had taken on for coaching and her declining health led me to make a most important life-changing decision. I had to choose between continuing my education or taking care of: 1) my sisters' education, 2) their marriages, 3) my parents' health, and 4) building a home.

I dreamed of going to University, but the future of my loved ones was at stake. I thought sacrificing my studies could improve the lives of my parents and sisters. Eventually, at that time, my understanding was that the true purpose of education is to improve the lives of our loved ones and others. That's why we study and work — to give meaning to our lives.

I believed in my self-study abilities and thought a graduate degree wouldn't be a barrier to finding a good job and achieving my dreams. (However, with no one to guide me, I knew little about the realities of the outside world. It later became an issue, as no one offered a good-paying job to a 12th-grade graduate. Later this motivated me to pursue entrepreneurship.)

5. Chasing the Promise I Made: Lost in an Unknown City

So I left my studies behind, I knew that no one—relatives included—would help when you’re down, without money, you become a burden, and so I came to Noida to search for a job alone. I had no one here, so I slept at the Ghaziabad station for several days before eventually finding a job as a labor in an export house and later at a domestic call center. Strangers, whom I could never meet later, extended their kindness to me get those jobs. Their generosity would later inspire me to start AJEET ASHRAM in their memory.

In a rented room in Noida city

6. From a Labor to Entrepreneurship: Ajeet Leap

From then on, I never looked back. I transitioned to an international call center, serving clients from all over the world—USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, South Africa.

Eventually, I started my own sole proprietorship firm, where I handled everything on my own working around the clock to manage sales for a few international clients. These experiences gave me the confidence to start a business and handle things independently. In tough times, especially when you're financially weak, you'll often find yourself standing alone. Later, this inspired my mission to help others create independent businesses with minimal resources. I started KITOFE.

7. Completing the 4 Tasks: A Promise Fulfilled

Along the way, I made sure to fulfill the promise I had made to myself…

First, I prioritized my sisters' education, ensuring they received the best possible education. Today, they are educated, independent, and strong women, able to stand on their own feet.

Second, I made sure to arrange for two of my three sisters’ marriages. The third, now living with me, is working on her own startup. She’s a fashion designer, chef, yoga instructor, and an expert in accounting, which is her core field.

Third, my parents, and sometimes my sisters, faced multiple health challenges. If I hadn’t had the money, half of them might not have survived. Health and education have always been my top priorities because I believe there’s nothing more important than these two.

Fourth, after all those struggles, I finally built our home. While I have fond memories of the small hut we lived in, my parents and sisters wanted a proper house, so I made it happen.

However things don’t always shape as we want them to. Life doesn’t always unfold as we imagine. Sometimes it falls short, and sometimes it surpasses our expectations. For me, things shaped close to what I envisioned—not perfect, but close enough. New challenges arise daily. I hope we understand the fragility of human life and help each other navigate a world full of uncertainty, and Stay humble, spread positivity!

With Sister's Sons

8. The Return: Reclaiming Education and Purpose

So, what was next for me? After 10 years of leaving my studies behind, I went back to Studies. I graduated. Also, I studied at LBS National Sanskrit University, fulfilling my dream of going to university Driven by a deep hunger for knowledge, I completed over 50 courses and gained more than 20 new skills in just a few years. I needed these for the other startups I plan to launch in the future.

Now, I’m focused on creating a fairer world, where talent, character, and hard work shine, not background or material possessions. I’m working on several startups and want to align people with their core values, helping talents who are held back by a lack of resources or opportunities. Fair competition, equal resources—this is the future I’m striving for.

9. Life’s Shapes and Shadows: A Story Unfinished

You might assume that my struggles would have made me bitter or filled with hatred for people, society and system. At one point, yes, I felt that way. But now, absolutely not! The struggles and negative people around me did fuel my anger, hatred and frustration in me. There were moments when I felt completely alone, broken-hearted, and as though I was falling apart. When you’re helpless, alone and weak, you're in a vulnerable situation where you could easily be exploited, emotionally unstable, and confused. You might be forced into wrong choices, but despite it all, I did my best to stay true to the right path. I also made mistakes, which later helped me understand my own behavior. I realized something was wrong happening within me.

10. Yoga: The Light in My Darkest Moments

Maybe it was mercy of universe that somehow led me to yoga. I studied it at LBS National Sanskrit University fulfilling my dream of living a life of university and practiced yoga regularly, and it helped me heal. It was like a magic. I found myself again. Yoga helped me reconnect with myself, physically, mentally, and emotionally. After self-realization, I let go of that anger and hate. Later, it inspired me to become a yoga teacher and founded AJEET YOGA. I also studied astrology, which helped me understand what causes life to take shape in certain directions. While there is skepticism around astrology, but yoga and astrology are somehow interlinked. I am strongly working in the fields of yoga and astrology, which helps me connect with people who are truly in need and solve their problems using my own life experiences.

11. The Wisdom of Struggles: How I Found My True Self

I’ve come to believe that everything happens for a reason. Every event shapes your purpose in life, and every situation is a chance to learn. Struggles are the universe’s way of signaling you to understand your purpose.

Never grow bitter or hate anyone, it consumes you. We receive what we deserve—good and bad—from our past actions (life), this life, and the choices we make now, which will shape the next. My focus is on fulfilling the purpose of this life, and I strive to perform as much good Karma as I can.

12. My Vision of a Fair World: Empowered Individualism

The future of a fair world lies in empowering individuals to thrive independently. True progress happens when people are equipped to achieve their goals on their own.

I believe in a world where people are empowered to act independently, reducing the reliance on seeking approval or waiting for resources. This reduces manipulative behavior and power struggles, fostering true decentralization of power. While independence drives a world of pure talent and merit, collaboration and mutual respect remain essential for tackling complex challenges that require collective effort. Together, these values can create a fair and thriving world.

With Little Sister / Diwali 2024

I’ve tried to summarize everything briefly, but the journey has been filled with many highs and lows that are too deep to explain in just a few words. The full weight of these experiences can’t truly be captured here, so for now, I’ll leave it at that

The story doesn’t end here — it’s just another beginning.

AJEET YADAV

Entrepreneur & Yoga Teacher
Mental Health and Diet & Nutrition Educator
Email: ajeet@ajeetleap.com

[www.ajeetashram.com]
[www.ajeetyoga.com] [www.kitofe.com]