‘I cried when I graduated because college felt like home’

Some alumni look back on their college years fondly. Sarabjeet Singh cried on the day he completed his degree. Not out of relief, but because he genuinely didn’t want to leave. This is indeed a rare kind of attachment for an institution. 

Today, Sarabjeet runs a thriving mobile-repair and technical training business out of Jalandhar. He built this business entirely on his own, and trained international students in a specialised skill. But his journey there wasn’t linear, and it began, by his own account, in the classrooms of Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar. 

Why did you trust Apeejay with a crucial phase of your career?

I knew the education here was better than what other colleges offered. The teachers back then had a way of teaching that genuinely felt like home. I was literally in tears when I completed my integrated course. I went and personally thanked every single teacher, and sought their blessings. It really was a wonderful experience. I spent five years there, and in all that time, I never once faced a problem.

In Apeejay College of Fine Arts, I first completed my Bachelor of Computer Applications, followed by an M.Sc. in IT. 

Do any particular college memories or projects stand out to you?

I was the first student to develop an Android application in Punjabi for Guru Nanak Dev University. I also built a quadcopter — with help from my teachers — that could be operated from a mobile phone or laptop. This was the first device of its kind at the university, and at the Punjab level. Neither of these would have been possible without the support of my teachers.

How would you describe the overall teaching style and pattern at Apeejay?

It was genuinely good. I never had a single complaint. The teachers knew exactly when to be firm and when to be gentle, and that balance made all the difference. I thoroughly enjoyed every function and every activity during those five years. If anyone ever asks me about my favourite phase of life, it’s without question those five years at Apeejay.

After masters, you secured a government job. What made you so eager for entrepreneurship? 

After finishing college, I secured a government job in the clerical department at Punjab Sports. And after two and a half years, I rose to the position of IT Officer in Chandigarh. But something didn’t sit right with me.

My heart just wasn’t in it. I wanted to do something more technical with my life. So I moved to China for two months to pursue further technical skills. And after returning, I started my own business.

That business MIS (Makkar I Solutions) has grown into a specialised operation. Through my technical knowledge, I deal specifically in microprocessor repair. 

Along with repairing, I currently work with students from New Zealand, Canada, UK, and Germany. I offer them month-long, entirely hands-on technical certification courses. This is a natural extension of the teaching values I first experienced at Apeejay. Having set up a team also, so far I have taught 30 international students. 

With such memories from college are you connected with your faculty?

I have never lost touch with the people who shaped me. I am in regular contact with my professors and have visited the college more than once since graduating, including once with my wife.

What advice would you give to BCA students exploring the field?

I’d genuinely recommend pursuing AI development, after BCA. It’s advancing at an incredible pace. Anyone who commits to building expertise will not need to look elsewhere for opportunities.