From Kota to Curio: A Vahani Scholar’s Story

“Videsh ki konsi company tumse kaam karwaygi?” (Which foreign company would ever hire you?)*

This is what Kaushal heard from his neighbors when he started working at a UK-based e-commerce company.

Kaushal Verma grew up in Kota, Rajasthan, a city known for producing engineering and medical candidates. He attended a school that had little focus on anything beyond academics. Like many students in underserved areas, his career options felt limited. However, everything began to change once he became a Vahani Scholar.

Kaushal during his early school years (in maroon sweater)

Kaushal, a scholar of the  2020 batch at Vahani, pursued a B.Sc. in Computer Science from Delhi University. More importantly, he gained exposure to professional experiences that ignited a spark to find his true passion. With the right mentorship and support, he found a world of possibilities beyond the usual paths. During his time at college, Kaushal interned with organizations that allowed him to explore videography and photography, two creative tools that truly resonated with him. Through this experience, he discovered his love for marketing, visual storytelling, and design.

Talking about his background, Kaushal shares, “My father was a small vegetable seller in local mandies. Now he doesn't work anymore. My mother is a housewife but works in a namkeen factory to support the family financially. She still works there, she is comfortable with that.”

Today, Kaushal works at Curio, a UK-based e-commerce company. He combines his technical background with his creative instincts to create engaging digital content. He operates in a field that once felt out of reach, not due to a lack of skills, but because he had never been shown the way. He shared with us - “I was told no one from my background gets to work with such companies.” going on to add  “Now I realize the only real barrier was belief.”

Kaushal with his grandparents

Kaushal’s story is truly inspiring, yet in India, it is more of an exception than the norm. Although the country has the world’s largest youth population, significant disparities exist in educational access and retention. Only 65% of students reach the senior secondary level, and the gross enrollment ratio in higher education is just 33%. Even more concerning is that nearly 30% of students drop out of higher education, with this figure exceeding 40% in many rural areas. Among those who continue, 59% consider leaving due to financial pressure. The issue does not lie in talent; it’s about access.

Kaushal with Ms. Shalini Misra, Founder of Curio

This is the gap that Vahani has endeavored to fill over the past 10 years and in the future. More than just a scholarship, Vahani offers a support system that includes mentorship, internships, soft skills training, and a strong network for scholars like Kaushal. His journey from a classroom in Kota to an international workplace shows what is possible when untapped potential meets meaningful opportunity. In his quiet confidence and creative breakthrough, Kaushal embodies not just one success story but the power of a movement to transform lives.