For many students, failing an exam can feel like the end of their dreams. However, the life of entrepreneur PC Musthafa shows that one setback does not determine a person's future. Musthafa went from dropping out of school after failing Class 6 to graduating from NIT Calicut, studying at IIM Bangalore and building one of India's most successful food brands.
Today, he is the CEO and co-founder of iD Fresh Food, a company reportedly valued at more than Rs 4,000 crore, with its products sold across India and several international markets.
The teacher who changed his life
Born in Chennalode village in Kerala's Wayanad district, Musthafa grew up in a family struggling with poverty. His father worked as a daily-wage labourer on a ginger farm, earning barely enough to support the household.
As reported by TOI, Musthafa failed Class 6 and dropped out of school, joining his father as a labourer instead of attending classes.
Everything changed when his mathematics teacher noticed his absence and went looking for him. The teacher reportedly found him working in the fields and asked him a question that would stay with him for life.
"Do you want to spend your life doing the same hard labour as your father, or do you want education to change your future?"
The words inspired Musthafa to return to school with renewed determination.
From school dropout to IIM Bangalore
According to TOI, Musthafa transformed his academic performance after returning to school. After failing one year, he went on to top Class 7, performed well in Class 10 and secured a free seat along with free meals during college.
He later achieved Rank 63 in the Kerala engineering entrance examination, graduated in Computer Science Engineering from NIT Calicut, and subsequently earned a management degree from IIM Bangalore.
His remarkable turnaround demonstrated that academic setbacks need not define a student's future.
Leaving a high-paying job to build a business
After completing his studies, Musthafa worked with multinational companies in the Middle East and the United States, earning a lucrative salary.
However, he decided to leave his corporate career behind to pursue entrepreneurship.
As reported by TOI, in 2005, he returned to Bengaluru and, along with his cousins, invested their savings to launch a small food business from a modest 50-square-foot kitchen.
The idea was simple: prepare fresh idli and dosa batter without added preservatives and supply it to local grocery stores.
In the early days, Musthafa personally delivered packets of batter on his scooter before sunrise because the business could not afford delivery vehicles.
Building a Rs 4,000-crore brand
What began as a tiny kitchen has grown into one of India's leading fresh food companies.
According to TOI, iD Fresh Food now produces more than 50,000 kilograms of fresh batter every day. The company sells idli and dosa batter, parotas, chutneys and other fresh food products across major Indian cities as well as international markets, including the UAE, the US and Oman.
The company reportedly employs thousands of people and is valued at over Rs 4,000 crore.
A lesson beyond examination results
Musthafa's journey challenges the common belief that only school toppers achieve success.
He failed Class 6, dropped out of school, struggled with English and grew up in a family that often found it difficult to afford daily meals. Yet he went on to study at NIT Calicut and IIM Bangalore, leave a successful corporate career and build a nationally recognised company.
For students disappointed by examination results, his story offers an important reminder: a failed exam may alter your path, but it does not have to determine your future. Sometimes, the encouragement of a teacher and the determination to begin again can make all the difference.
Inputs from agencies
