An imperative feature of the Indian Society is that it poses great emphasis on an individual’s academics while judging his personality. Any comparison is incomplete if high school, graduation, and post-graduation marks aren’t duly looked upon. Most of the Indian parents are obsessed with getting their kids a government job or making them a doctor, an engineer, etc. In this backdrop, imagine a child failing in the 8th standard, skipping the 9th and completing high school through correspondence. Most of the people would write him off completely at this point. But did he write himself off too? No, for he knew that his passion didn’t lie in books but computers. He is Trishneet Arora, an entrepreneur who found, and is the CEO of, ‘TAC Security Solutions’ that helps prevent and investigate cybercrimes. He is an ethical hacker and an author too with a fascinating journey.

Unconventional Love

Born in 1993 in Ludhiana, Punjab, Trishneet Arora wasn’t interested in studies, he was startled by technology. He would open up his gadgets and toys to try and find how they worked in a specific manner. Like any other kid, he also hated studying Geography and History. Course books were just not his cup of tea, be it school or tuitions, nothing worked. Trishneet’s obsession with technology only grew further when his father bought a computer and soon, he started to spend more of his time playing games and understanding the hardware of the system. He was just 11 but his knowledge about gadgets was growing at a very quick pace. His father, noticing him ‘wasting’ a lot of time on the computer, tried to lock it with a password but such was the ability of the young child that within hours he was able to decrypt the computer and access it. This increased the worries of his father since he was now left with no options to keep him away from the system and push him towards studies.

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. –Wayne Gretzky

The Tech Master

Every technical system is prone to glitches and Trishneet wanted to learn how to resolve them. So, whenever his dad used to take the computer to a hardware shop to get it fixed, the child would accompany him. He would closely observe the operations that the technician performed to make the system work again and in this way, he learned about the hardware of a computer. Soon, if his neighbours had a problem with any of their machines, they would bring it to Trishneet and in no time, he would fix the issues and return it to them. All this just at the age of 11-12!

Lustreless Results

Having been occupied with machines and gadgets most of the time, Trishneet had a severe anti-study routine and this, quite presumably, affected his results. Somehow he managed to get through the seventh standard but due to a consistent lack of interest, failed miserably in the 8th standard. It was uncommon to fail at such a lower level, and that too, not in a certain subject but an entire academic year. His parents were shocked at the dismal performance of their kid, and the fact that he had to repeat a year of his student life worried them a lot. Added to the personal disappointment was the societal discomfort in telling relatives about the unsatisfactory performance. A bleak future awaited their child, they thought.

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. –John Lennon

Parents As Pillars

When Trishneet failed, his parents were disappointed but they never forced their views on him. After the discouraging results, when they returned from a meeting in school, they took him to a park and had a conversation with him. They tried to find the deeper reason why their kid failed rather than directing him to study harder the next time. That was a moment of reckoning for the child and he told his parents about his love for computers, that it wasn’t just about playing games and passing time, it was more than that. He conveyed to them that it was just the software and hardware that intrigued him and nothing else, not the school, not even studies. He didn’t dream of becoming a doctor or an engineer, he just wanted to learn more and more about computers and technology. After listening to his side, Trishneet’s parents made a bold decision and allowed him to drop out of school and finish studies through correspondence so that he could give more time to his dream of learning about computers. A new chapter of his life had begun.

Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is. –Vince Lombardi

Self-made Entrepreneur

His parents showed confidence in him and he didn’t disappoint either. Trishneet spent more and more time reading and learning about machines, technology, and computers. His focus increased three-fold! Soon, he started taking small projects of fixing computers and cleaning up software. His work was appreciated by his clients and he received his first cheque of Rs. 60000 at the age of 19. New ideas were hitting the mind of the young man regularly, he wanted to expand his work, reach, and contribute to society. Therefore, he decided to start his own company- TAC Security Solutions, and invested all his savings in it thereby, taking a huge risk.

Ethics in Hacking

Hacking is usually seen as a negative term but there lies a difference between a hacker and an ethical hacker, Trishneet proudly identifies himself as the latter. He would breach the security walls of companies and people’s computer systems to let them know about the areas they need to strengthen. His company would offer security solutions to them and help in getting more secured to prevent any data breach. In the 21st century, when it is all about the internet taking over other modes of communication, it is important to be fully aware of the kind of risks that can harm you and TAC Security solutions does exactly that.

You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. –Christopher Columbus

Pushing The Limits

Trishneet’s company is not only limited to offering help to private companies but it also assists government agencies. He has worked with the CBI, the Crime Branch and has also been the IT adviser to the state of Punjab. To curb cybercrimes is turning out to be a challenging opportunity for security agencies and in this scenario, it becomes all the more important to have talents like Trishneet Arora who dreams of building a billion-dollar Cyber Security company.  Since inception, TAC Security Solutions has grown a lot to have its offices in four Indian cities and also one in Dubai.

Conclusion

No result is final and it’s your passion that takes you ahead in life. Trishneet Arora is a proven example of this saying. He failed, went down, took risks, and stood up to the challenges of life without fearing consequences. Throughout the journey, his parents stood as pillars of strength and gave wings to the dreams of their child. They believed in Trishneet and his abilities and never forced the societal conventions upon him. His story tells us that every failed person has a compartment of success in him that is waiting to be explored.