About Founder


Against All Odds: My Journey into the Brigade of Gurkhas

In 2002, I stood among 26,000 candidates (start to finish) from all around the country, all competing for one of the 230 coveted spots in the Brigade of Gurkhas. The selection process was relentless with physical endurance, mental resilience, intelligence, and sheer determination tested to their limits. I had tried in 2001 but was outperformed. That failure didn’t break me; instead fuelled me. This time, I was ready.

One of the most popular and the defining challenges was the

DOKO race, a brutal 5.8-kilometer uphill sprint carrying a 35-kilogram (77-pound) in a wicker basket strapped to my back and head. The terrain was unforgiving, the weight crushing, and the competition severe. Every breath burned, every step tested my will. But I refused to quit. I had trained for this moment, pushing my body beyond exhaustion, conditioning my mind to endure. When I crossed the finish line, I knew, I had given everything.

Beyond the race, we faced many intelligence tests, psychological evaluations, our endurance, our mental toughness, and even our character. Only those who proved unbreakable would earn the right to join the Brigade.

I had conquered the odds, persevered through failure, and
emerged stronger. This journey was never about being better than others, it was about being better than the person I was yesterday. This race remains a legendary test of resilience until to this day and you can find in google or in you tube easily but distance and weight limit may vary nowadays.


A Brush with Death: Frontline in Afghanistan

One Highlight - October 2009, Afghanistan, OP Herrick 11,
Lashkar Gah, the sun blazed down on the battlefield, illuminating the chaos unfolding in front of me. I was serving under the command of 11 BRF, as a recce soldier on the front lines. In one particular event, insurgents were so close that I could see them with my naked eyes, their sharp movements and deliberate actions. After around 1 hr of recce, suddenly, the air crackled with gunfire from both sides, the relentless roar of war filling my ears.

Then, it happened.

A 7.62mm round from an AK-47 tore through the air and struck my right shoulder. The force of the impact is brutal, the pain is instant and searing. The bullet carving a path near my right scapula but, by some miracle, it didn’t ricochet through my body, missing body armour plate at the back. I am still in the fight, but my body is failing me, losing a lot of blood.

Inside my Jackal military vehicle, everything is in
disarray. The binoculars and IR light shattering, broking into pieces landing at my feet. Bullets zipping past my head, whistling death in the air. The enemy’s armour-piercing rounds slamming into the Jackal’s body, their aggression unrelenting. Survival depending on movement and fight back, I am doing using only my left hand as right arm is in unbearable pain and disabling right there and then.

With blood pouring from my wound, strength fading, and no
time to swap drivers, I am now taking the wheel myself along with other 2 gunners at the top and a commander. The casualty recovery vehicle is broken down on my left, and there is no room for hesitation. The Emergency Helicopter Landing Site (EHLS) is my next destination through uncertain route. Each second behind the wheel is feeling like an eternity through uneven hard dried ground surface and the painful journey. My vision blurring, my body weakening, but I keep pushing forward.

I am now reaching the EHLS, blood is draining nearly everything from me. My grip loosening, exhaustion swallowing me whole, and I am almost drifting into unconsciousness and my friends are keeping me awake by talking. I am now recovering by US Pedro. But I had made it and against the odds, I had pushed myself refusing morphine until I get to the Camp Bastian.

War is unforgiving. It strips you down to your rawest form. All those moments of night patrol, many 50/50 moment of survivals and uncertainties, which are not just about skill, it’s about will and mindset.

''Lastly, expressing my thoughts and feelings through these pages, remembering in the memory of those dearest friends who gave their lives for our future.''


Battlefield to Builder: A Legacy of Resilience and Inspiration

Today, completing 24 years of service, I am committed to a new mission: building the future of enthusiastic, relentless individuals. Through Smart Age Education, I bring the lessons of grit, resilience, and determination to the next generation. Teenagers have immense potential, but they need the right guidance to develop into leaders who embrace challenges rather than fear them. My goal is to install the ethos of persistence and mental toughness that shaped my own journey.

Smart Age Education unlocks transformative benefits across the key areas of personal development, discipline, and well-being. Here are four powerful results learners can achieve.

1. Enhanced Self-Discipline: Learners develop structured routines that foster consistency and goal-setting. They gain the ability to manage distractions effectively and stay focused on meaningful tasks. The discipline cultivated translates into personal and professional success, improving productivity and resilience.

2. Balanced Digital Habits: Members learn practical strategies to avoid digital overload and reclaim time for personal growth. They develop healthier relationships with technology, ensuring screen time enhances rather than diminishes mental well-being. The program instals a mindful approach to online engagement, prioritizing purposeful learning over mindless scrolling.

3. A Strong Growth Mindset: Learners embrace continuous improvement, seeing challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. They develop a positive perspective on failure, using setbacks to fuel progress. The growth mindset nurtured at Smart Age Education leads to greater confidence, adaptability, and a lifelong love for learning.

4. Peace of Mind for Parents: Parents experience relief knowing their children are developing essential life skills alongside academics. The structured approach helps families strengthen bonds by fostering meaningful conversations and value-based education. Children become more self-reliant, disciplined, and equipped to handle real-world challenges, reducing parental stress. Smart Age Education isn’t just about learning, it’s about empowerment, balance, and long-term success.

At Smart Age Education, your teen will not only learn critical skills, but also develop the mindset to run past barriers, face adversity with confidence, and excel in life. Because at the end, true success is earned, not given.