SUCCESS THROUGH FAILURE
Mohan Singh Oberoi was born on August 10, 1900, in a village in Jhelum. His father was a contractor in Peshawar, but when Oberoi was just six months old, his father died. With limited resources, he was able to complete his matriculation in Sargodha and his intermediate studies in Lahore. However, financial difficulties forced him to give up further education.
Looking back, Oberoi recalled that this was a moment of deep anxiety. He realized that with such limited qualifications, he could not secure a job: “This was a moment of anxiety in my life as I realised that my qualifications would not get me a job.”
Excluded from government employment, he turned to business. In 1924, he started in a small role at a hotel. By 1939, when World War II began, he had already opened his own hotel in Calcutta. From that point, his ventures continued to grow steadily.
Over time, Oberoi built a hotel empire. Today, hotels bearing his name are present in almost every major Indian city and many abroad—in Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Gulf, Egypt, and Africa.
Denied a spot in one field, he made an even greater impact in another. One of the biggest secrets of success is that real achievement goes to those who can get up again after falling. If you don’t find an opportunity in one field, start working in another that allows you to fulfill the hopes you had for the first.
Dr. Salim Ali (1896–1987) achieved remarkable distinction in the field of ornithology. India awarded him the Padma Bhushan. Britain presented him with a Gold Medal. Holland honoured him with the Golden Ark. The World Wildlife Fund gave him a prize of $50,000. Three Indian universities awarded him honourary doctorates. He was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha, among many other honours.
Yet this remarkable success started with a setback. Born in the busy Bombay neighbourhood of Khetwadi, Ali finished his B.A. and looked for work. But, in his words, “every institution and every office seemed to have a board hung up saying No vacancy.”
That disappointment opened a new path. One day, he caught a small bird and noticed an unusual feature: its yellow neck. Curious, he began to research. He read extensively about birds; his interest deepened, and soon he acquired a simple pair of binoculars. Observing birds and recording notes became his daily routine.
Over time, he mastered ornithology so well that he expanded the field into new areas. Two of his books became classics: one describes 1,200 bird species of the Indian subcontinent, and another, The Book of Indian Birds, has been reprinted eleven times and read worldwide.
Though denied ordinary employment, he discovered a higher calling. Rejected by institutions on the grounds, he achieved international recognition by studying the skies.
