64-year-old man completes MTech, finishes in top 10, now eyes IIM Lucknow

Nearly 1,000 km of weekly travel, a demanding government role and the age of 64 could have been reasons to stop. Instead, this Uttar Pradesh official completed his MTech among the top 10 students in his class. Now, he has set his sights on IIM Lucknow.64-year-old man completes MTech, finishes in top 10, now eyes IIM Lucknow (Representative image)At 64, he did what many people struggle to do even at 24: make time to learn while managing a demanding career. The Uttar Pradesh government official completed his MTech last month, securing a top-10 spot in his class despite travelling nearly 1,000 km every week for work.His son, Shashank Srivastava, shared his father’s journey on X, highlighting the determination that kept him learning long after most people might have stepped away from the classroom.A CLASSMATE TO STUDENTS HALF HIS AGEThe 64-year-old completed his MTech last month and secured a place among the top 10 students in his class, where most students were around half his age. For him, however, the challenge wasn't simply returning to a classroom. His studies had to fit around an already demanding professional routine.His son explained that the achievement did not come from having plenty of free time after retirement. His father retired in 2022 but later returned to professional life as Deputy CEO of the regulatory body overseeing municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh. The role requires him to regularly travel to different districts to evaluate work on the ground.1,000 KM ON THE ROAD, YET STILL STUDYINGHis professional responsibilities mean spending long hours travelling. Even with nearly 1,000 km of weekly travel, he continued preparing for his degree. According to Shashank, his father used the time between journeys to make notes, revise and prepare for examinations. "Somewhere between those journeys, he made his notes, studied them, and walked into exams better prepared than students born after his first promotion," he wrote on X.That consistency ultimately helped him finish among the top 10 students in a class filled largely with people decades younger than him.LEARNING NEVER BECAME OPTIONALFor Shashank, his father's achievement represents more than an academic qualification. It reflects a mindset that can easily get lost as professional and personal responsibilities accumulate."I have seen too many people go the other way. Jeevan ki aapa dhapi mein, staying relevant quietly slips down the priority list," Shashank wrote.His father, he said, never allowed that gap to grow. Despite his age, workload and professional responsibilities, he continued to make learning a priority.The story resonated with social media users, with several people sharing their own experiences of returning to education or learning new skills later in life. One user, for instance, said they had enrolled in a BSc Computer Science programme at 50 but found it difficult to balance their studies with running a business.THE NEXT GOAL: IIM LUCKNOWCompleting an MTech at 64 might seem like a natural point to pause. For him, it appears to be just another milestone. Shashank revealed that his father is now applying for an Executive Education programme at IIM Lucknow."At an age when most people are done setting goals, he is filling out application forms," he wrote. The next chapter of his learning journey is already taking shape.A LESSON HIS SON CARRIES FORWARDWatching his father's approach to learning has also influenced Shashank himself. Reflecting on what he has witnessed, he wrote: "As for me, it is a strangely comforting feeling. With his genes in me, motivation to upskill is one thing I will never have to go looking for."His father's journey challenges the idea that education, ambition and professional growth belong only to the early stages of life.At 64, he didn't simply return to the classroom. He made learning fit around a demanding career, completed an MTech, finished among the top 10 in his class and set his sights on another programme.For him, the degree may be complete. The learning clearly isn't.- EndsPublished By: Apoorva AnandPublished On: Aug 21, 2026 09:43 IST