The Indian Tribal
New Delhi/Bhopal
Living in a ramshackle hut, his illiterate father and mother toiled in their agricultural farm and even did additional chores to make ends meet and more importantly, ensure he and his two siblings get educated. Notably, his parents never once complained about his educational expenses, like his Rs 11,000 coaching fee which was a big ask for them.
Their sacrifices and resolve haven’t gone waste. In fact, they have yielded fruits like how. Son, Banti Vadiva, not only became the first tribal contestant to participate in the Amitabh Bachchan-hosted quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati, popular as KBC, but also won a prize money of a whopping Rs 50 lakh, exhibiting his hard-earned knowledge and skillful handling of the game.
The “bahut bada risk” he took by using the ‘double-dip’ paid off as he answered the 14th question worth Rs 50 lakh correctly.
Banti, who learned about KBC through a phone call in 2016 and had since dreamed of participating in the show, chose not to take the risk of answering the Rs 1-crore question and quit the game with Rs 50 lakh firmly in his pocket. Banti said, “It takes 50 years for people to earn Rs 50 lakh.”
The two-part episodes featuring him were aired on September 4 and 5. And Amitabh Bachchan aptly put it, “On Teacher’s Day, there could not be a better example of what education can give you. Knowledge knows no religion or stature.”
A Bachelor’s in Computer Applications, Banti has been aiming for a Grade 3 position under the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission. A government job, according to him, helps “improve the financial condition of generations of a family”. “I could not crack the MPSC examinations in three attempts and thought I didn’t have enough knowledge. However, after my performance here in KBC, I feel I do have knowledge,” Banti, the Gond tribal, from Asadi village in Betul district in Madhya Pradesh, told host Amitabh Bachchan.
“Out monthly income is roughly about Rs 8,000-9,000 but my parents never compromised on our education. They noticed that only a few people in our village are working as professionals and that those who are working have a different lifestyle and are self-sufficient. They made it a point that their children will not become daily wagers,” he said.
He won the hearts of many when he won Rs 80,000 and gave an assuring look back at his father sitting in the audience. The reason he did so, he revealed, was because his father has a loan of Rs 80,000 for installing a borewell. “This loan has been taken care of now,” he said beamingly.
Once he won Rs 1.60 lakh, Banti revealed he had just Rs 260 in his bank account but today he has become a “lakhpati”, drawing a big applause from the audience and the superstar host.
He lamented there was no one to guide him properly to take the right decisions but asserted he wished to become a role model for people from his village and community. He also sent out a message to those who think KBC-like shows are not meant for them. “I want to tell them that there is no such thing. You need to have the belief and knowledge,” he asserted.
The 27-year-old tribal youth’s role model and inspiration are his parents. As for himself: “I have always wanted to be a role model for future generations. With the help of KBC, I have been able to achieve more than I had ever wished for.”
On his preparations for the show, he said, he had been preparing for competitive exams since 2016-17. “I have also been a fan of KBC since then. Since I didn’t have a TV at home, I used to go to other’s house and watch the show. Some six years ago I managed to buy a mobile and used to watch old KBC episodes on YouTube because the new ones have a delayed release. But this helped me brush up my knowledge about the show’s criteria and its questions even as it helped me prepare for other exams,” he said.
Narrating his experience of interacting with KBC host Amitabh Bachchan, he said it felt as if I was talking to a family member. Visibly moved by Banti’s story, Bachchan praised his father for all he did for his children.
Banti plans to build a house and take care of responsibilities of the studies and marriage of his brother and sister.
