Tejaram is a 20-year-old college-going student who sounds wise beyond his years. This wisdom is probably the result of various experiences, the most painful one being the death of his father. Tejaram's father, a laborer at a local textile factory and the only earning member in the family back then, passed away in 2012 after struggling to recover from an accident for almost a year. With 3 daughters and a son, Tejaram's single mother has led a life of immense struggle since then. While the schooling of the children somehow continued with the help of relatives, Tejaram, being the eldest son in the family, felt particularly responsible. Education, for him, was the only possibility for growth.

Hence, in the grimmest of circumstances, Tejaram passed Class 12th with 75.8% marks, a feat no one in his family had achieved. He took admission to Government College Pali and started working part-time at a local hardware shop to support his education and family. Around the same time, a close relative informed Tejaram about the Keep India Smiling Foundational Scholarship Programme which supports meritorious, underprivileged students pursue their dreams. Along with financial support, the programme also focuses on providing mentorship and career guidance to the beneficiaries, as and when required. Tejaram applied for the scholarship, and much to his delight ended up winning it! The scholarship worth Rs. 90,000 would be provided to him in 3 equal installments. With the first installment of Rs. 30,000, Tejaram paid for his college expenses. "I have saved the rest for books, further education, and my IAS preparation," he told us.

When asked how this scholarship made a difference to his life, he said, "It's made my mother believe in the power of education. It has also made my resolve to study and become a part of the Indian Administrative Services stronger. Colgate-Palmolive Ltd. has changed a lot of lives with their scholarship programme and we're ought to make them proud"