India’s growth story is driven by resilience, learning and ambition: Piyush Goyal
During an interaction at the India Global Forum’s UK-India Week 2026 in London, Goyal said such interactions provide valuable opportunities to learn from one another and strengthen partnerships.
Reflecting on his early academic journey, the minister recalled his days as a chartered accountancy student, describing a period of disappointment after securing unexpectedly low marks in law despite having earlier secured the second rank in law at Bombay University.
Goyal said he was deeply unhappy with the results and even travelled to Delhi to seek a review of his examination marks. He recalled spending an entire day with former Institute president K.G. Somani, who convinced him that rankings and examination results do not define a person's future.
According to Goyal, Somani advised him that success in life does not depend on standing first or second in an examination and that his future path was unlikely to be determined by those rankings. The minister said he eventually realised that the setback carried an important lesson and helped shape his outlook toward life and success.
He noted that youthful ambitions often place excessive importance on rankings and achievements, but life gradually teaches individuals to accept challenges and move forward. Goyal said experiences, setbacks and interactions with people from diverse backgrounds contribute significantly to personal growth.
Drawing parallels with everyday experiences, he remarked that some things in life cannot always be planned or controlled, just as traffic conditions in cities such as London and Bengaluru remain unpredictable.
The minister said that the experiences of friends, colleagues and fellow participants provide valuable lessons and serve as a source of energy and inspiration. He added that continuous learning and openness to feedback are essential ingredients for both personal development and national progress.
