In a world where challenges often define limits, Pratish Datta’s story breaks every barrier. Visually impaired since childhood, Pratish didn’t let his disability hold him back. In fact, he transformed his adversity into strength — securing All India Rank 2 in the GATE 2012 Mathematics exam, and later earning a prestigious award from the President of India.
Pratish suffered from retinoschisis since he was six months old, a condition that gradually robbed him of his sight. During graduation, he lost his vision completely. But he chose not to give up. With his mother by his side, who would read out his lessons tirelessly, he pursued his studies with extraordinary dedication. He memorized complex concepts by listening and practicing mentally — particularly in a subject like mathematics, which heavily relies on visual understanding.
A student of IIT Kharagpur, Pratish completed his MSc in Mathematics and was awarded the Professor Jagadish Chandra Bose Memorial Gold Medal for best academic performance among the 2012 MSc batch. His passion for learning didn’t stop there — he went on to pursue a PhD in cryptology and network technology at IIT.
In an interview, Pratish credited his parents and friends, especially his classmate Fauzal Atik, for being his pillars of support. He said, “My parents never let me feel that I was different. I had no choice but to do Maths mentally, but practice made me perfect. Even Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler was blind for the last 17 years of his life — but he kept going. My mind is my eye now.”
His story is not just about academic success. It’s about courage, resilience, and belief — showing that even in darkness, one can shine the brightest.