Once No Support For Own Passion, Aqib Khan Now Fulfils Family's Dreams

Aqib Khan's life story is no less than a Bollywood drama. Think Farhan Qureshi from 3 Idiots, the rebel wrapped in a cool demeanour, who fights his family's doubts and gives up engineering to pursue photography full-time. Similarly, Aqib Khan dropped out of engineering school in 2014 to capture the intricacies of life through a lens. At first, Khan lacked the support to follow his dreams and delved into a garments business to make ends meet. However, he suffered a loss and was left in a blanket of uncertainty about his future. However, believing in his remarkable photography skills, he decided to take a chance and pursue it as a career. He secured a job as a cinematographer and photographer, and soon made it big.

Khan soon earned enough to make a comfortable living for himself and his family. Now, he is on a journey to fulfilling his family's dreams. He recently bought a gold jewellery set for his mother-- a gesture his family was not able to achieve due to financial struggles. In a tear-jerking video posted to Instagram, Khan's mother's pride in seeing her son's success was infectious.

Struggling For Support To Supporting Family: Aqib Khan's Story

It was 2014 when I decided to drop out of college without any idea about the future. I had a passion for photography forever but had no means to support it, So I started a retail business in ready-made garments in partnership with my friend. But somehow it didn't go well and ended up on bad terms with a huge loss.

It was then I realized that I am only good at photography and have to follow my passion for living. So I started with a video editor job at my friend’s studio for ₹600 a day. But then I wanted a camera too which was not possible with my earnings. So I asked my dad for financial help to buy a camera, to which he disagreed considering my past experiences.

Then one fine day he agreed to pay the downpayment for a camera, on the condition that I have to repay him with my earnings. I agreed instantly without a second thought. My journey began with flying colours. Not only did I manage to pay back my father but also managed to pay monthly EMIs of ₹11,000 per month. My passion became my source of earning.

After a few months, the conversation about my brother's wedding began. My mom wished to wear a piece of gold jewellery for his wedding, which was not easy to afford for a middle-class family like ours. But that day, I decided to work hard to make her dream come true.

I saved for an entire year to get her dream gold neckpiece. That smile on her face is priceless and etched deep in my heart forever. My message for the youth out there is that keep dreaming, keep failing, and keep achieving. Always love your parents because there is no relation like them that we will ever make in this lifetime.

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