Siddhant Hole: A Journey of Resilience and Triumph

Siddhant Hole, a young man whose journey from adversity to achievement is nothing short of inspiring, comes from a family struggling to make ends meet. His father worked odd jobs - as a daily wage laborer, driving a truck, and working in a hospital. His mother runs a small business from home.

Despite the financial challenges, Siddhant excelled in his studies and aspired to pursue a B.Tech in Computer Science. He diligently prepared for the entrance exams and scored a remarkable 99.1 percentile in the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test. However, the high course fees were preventing him from pursuing his dreams.

A local NGO in Pune referred his name to the Cadence Scholarship Program. Eventually selected as one of the beneficiaries, Siddhant received financial support to pursue a B.Tech degree in Computer Science from the Pune Institute of Computer Technology. Due to his difficult financial situation, Siddhant was provided with board and lodging support, besides funding for his college fees.

Mentorship is an essential aspect of the Cadence Scholarship Program. Siddhant’s mentor from Cadence was Mr. Omkar Dhaigude. Siddhant speaks highly of his mentor, saying, “Omkar Sir has played a crucial role in my journey. Being from a technical background, he not only guided me in a few subjects but also prepared me for campus placements. He has consistently motivated me whenever I feel low.”

Unfortunately, during the final exams of the third year, Siddhant was shattered by a personal tragedy. During this challenging time, a counselor from Joining Hands (Cadence's NGO partner) counseled him regularly until Siddhant regained his confidence.

Finally, with the unwavering support of his mentor and the NGO partner, and through his efforts and hard work, Siddhant, now in the final year of his course, has not only maintained an overall 8.62 CGPA but also had a successful interview with a leading bank during his campus placement session. He will be joining the bank as a software engineer in August 2024.

Cadence Scholarship Program

Introduced seven years ago in India, the Cadence Scholarship Program aims to address the issue of retaining students from underprivileged backgrounds in the academic cycle through funding and support to undertake graduation and professional courses for livelihood. Over the years, it has benefited more than 500 students across Delhi/NCR, Bangalore, Pune, and Ahmedabad.

The execution and administration of the program are managed by our NGO partners Concern India Foundation (CIF) and Joining Hands. The students are selected through a rigorous process of due diligence carried out by Joining Hands. Concern India Foundation oversees the student’s performance throughout their coursework. Cadence employees in each of these locations volunteer as mentors to help them with their studies, develop their personalities, and improve their communication and employability skills.