They say there can be no gain without some pain, and 24-year-old Advait Thakur would identify whole-heartedly with this sentiment. While his batchmates have nearly reached the end of their Engineering studies, Advait is back in first year, gearing up to start from scratch.

BACK WITH A BANG: After the pain forced him to stay away from college for four years, Advait has re-enrolled for Chemical Engineering

An infection from a minor abscess in his lower back is responsible for this discrepancy, compelling Advait to undergo two surgeries in 2010.

A few days after the second procedure, he started suffering from severe pain and stiffness in his back and legs — pain that would force his studies to take a backseat for the next four years.