Banti Vadiva achieved a remarkable feat on Kaun Banega Crorepati 16 despite his humble beginnings. The KBC 16 contestant has reached the ₹1 crore question. Banti comes from the Adivasi community in Asadi village, located in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. He is a BCA graduate and is currently preparing for a Grade 3 position under the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission.

In an exclusive interaction with HT, Banti speaks about his experience of meeting Amitabh Bachchan, his passion for knowledge and aspirations to be a role model. 

Banti Vadiva on his humble beginnings

Banti, when asked about his inspiration behind gaining knowledge and education despite no support and guidance, says, “My parents are not well-educated. They noticed that only a few people in our village are working as professionals. They realized that those who are working have a different lifestyle and are self-sufficient. If someone from a family is working as a professional, it is beneficial for future generations as well. My parents never compromised when it came to my education. They always supported me as there was nobody to guide me.”

Always wanted to participate in KBC

On being questioned about his preparation for the reality game show and whether he had any initial nervousness, Banti says, “I have been preparing for competitive exams since 2017, and I have also been a fan of KBC since then. I used to watch old KBC episodes on YouTube because they do not share the new ones directly. This helped me brush up my knowledge of the show's criteria and questions. It also boosted my confidence while preparing for other exams.

“During my interview at KBC, the interviewers were impressed by my answers, especially when I mentioned that I wanted to be the first Adivasi contestant to be seen on the hotseat. They were also impressed to learn about my journey since 2017. It has been my dream to feature on KBC, to gain respect, and recognition. I have always wanted to be a role model for future generations. With the help of KBC, I have been able to achieve more than I had ever wished for.”

On Amitabh Bachchan's humble persona

On being quizzed about his experience of interacting with KBC host Amitabh Bachchan, the KBC 16 contestant states that, “Before I appeared on KBC, half of my village didn't even know who I was. But now, even those who didn't know me can recognize me. KBC's platform gave me a wonderful experience. While interacting with Amitabh Bachchan Saab, it felt as if I was talking to a family member. He is very frank while speaking. Sometimes there are mistakes while answering questions due to fear, but that thought did not occur to me as Amitabh Bachchan was speaking so nicely. When you achieve success after a long time, then this fear goes away on its own. There was no doubt or fear in my case.”

Wants to inspire youngsters from his village

While reflecting on his dreams and aspirations, Banti points out, “I was able to fulfil my biggest dream through the KBC platform. Now, I will be able to achieve my other life goals as well. Reaching the KBC platform is a huge achievement for anyone, and I believe that my journey will inspire a lot of people. Many individuals from the Adivasi background still lack knowledge about KBC. Most of them think that it requires special knowledge to participate in the show. However, after watching older episodes of KBC, I realized that many people from humble beginnings also participated in the show. This made me determined to build my knowledge and self-confidence. I firmly believe that with determination, we can achieve anything we set our minds to. I had decided that I would achieve this goal, and my journey will inspire many youngsters from my village to strive for higher education and to prepare for competitive exams.”

When asked about his role models, the KBC 16 contestant proudly says, “My role models have always been my parents because if they had not supported my education I wouldn't be in the KBC platform. KBC has also been a source of inspiration and learning experience for me.”

Read Also: Jennifer Lopez looks to reinvent her image amid divorce from Ben Affleck