What does it take to build an e-bike?

Money? Resources? A fancy engineering degree?

What if I told you that a 14-year-old boy from a small village in Kutch built one with no formal training, no expensive tools, and barely any resources?

Meet Rizwan, an 8th-grade student from Bhadreshwar, Kutch, whose passion for innovation turned his simple bicycle into a self-made e-bike.

A boy who had every reason to say, “I can’t,” but instead chose to ask, “How can I?”

This is the story of skill development in Kutch, where young minds turn curiosity into innovation. This is Rizwan’s story.

A Childhood of Struggles, But a Mind That Never Stopped Dreaming

Rizwan’s life was never easy.

His single mother, who worked as a domestic help, spent her days washing dishes in different houses in Bhadreshwar to make ends meet. Money was tight.

There were days when affording a meal was difficult—owning an electric bike? That was a dream too big to even think about.

But Rizwan was not an ordinary child.

While most kids were busy playing, he was busy fixing things.

• He would open up old radios to see how they worked.
• He would play with broken appliances, trying to bring them back to life.
• He would ask questions nobody around him had answers to—How do motors work? What makes a car move? Can I build something on my own?

His mind was always searching, always hungry to learn. But where would he find the knowledge? Who would teach him? Well, YouTube! 

When most kids are all about cartoons, anime and games, Rizwan used youtube to learn about building things like e-bikes, drones, etc.

After learning about motors and technical stuff individually, now was the time to study digital skills in a collaborative environment and shine. That’s when an opportunity came as a blessing in disguise-Yusuf Mehrally Centre!

A Life-Changing Opportunity: Discovering the Power of Community Learning

Rizwan’s friend, Parth, who had won the Best Student award a year ago, introduced him to the Yusuf Meherally Centre—a place that provided free computer education and digital skills to students like him in a community learning environment

Excited, Rizwan enrolled.

Thanks to Apni Pathshala’s sponsorship of personal computers, Rizwan got access to something he had never touched before—a computer. 

At first, he explored Microsoft Office, becoming an expert in Excel and Word. But his heart was in something bigger—he wanted to create something with his own hands.

That’s when he decided:

“I will build my own electric bicycle.”

The Birth of an Idea

Most kids dream of owning a fancy cycle. Rizwan? He wanted to build one.

His inspiration came from a simple thought:

“Why should I pedal every day when I can make my cycle run on its own?”

He had seen electric vehicles in cities, but in his village, they were rare. If he could build one, it could change the way people commuted.

The idea was exciting. But how do you build something without money, training, or proper tools?

The Struggle: Failures and Unstoppable Determination

Coming from a household with financial issues. Living in a village with few resources. Surrounded by people with little technical expertise. Of course, building an e-bike wasn’t easy.

Problem #1: No Guidance

There was no one in his village who could teach him about electric bikes. Even at the community learning center, they taught about advanced “digital skills” and not mechanical engineering stuff.

So, what did he do?

YouTube became his teacher.

He watched video after video, studying how motors work, how batteries store energy, and how wiring is done. His self-taught journey highlights the importance of accessible learning and structured skill development in Kutch to nurture young talent.

Problem #2: No Money for Parts

Motors, batteries, controllers—these were really expensive.

But Rizwan didn’t let money stop him.

He started collecting old electronic parts, picking up whatever he could find. Slowly, he gathered:

• A motor from an old scooter
• Wires and switches from broken appliances
• A rechargeable battery from a discarded inverter

Problem #3: Trial and Error

The first time he assembled everything, it didn’t work.

He rechecked the wiring—still nothing. He tested the battery—dead. For weeks, he kept failing. 

Again and again.

Any other kid would have given up. But not Rizwan.“I knew it would work. I just had to find the mistake.”

And then, one fine evening—it happened!

The wheels finally moved on their own.

Rizwan had done it.

“Whose E-Bike Is This?”

One morning, as the coordinator of the Yusuf Meherally Centre walked into the centre, he saw an electric bicycle parked outside.

Curious, he asked, “Whose e-bike is this?” 

“Sir, it’s mine,” Rizwan answered.

At first, nobody believed him. I mean, I don’t blame them- How could an 8th grader build an e-bike?

But when he explained the entire process–how he sourced the parts, assembled them, and fixed every issue on his own, everyone was left speechless.

Rizwan had not just built an e-bike, he had built a future for himself.

What’s Next? 

Rizwan isn’t stopping here.

They are not wrong when they say that you just need to taste success once, you’ll get addicted. Now that he has built his own e-bike, his mind is racing with bigger ideas:

• Improving the battery system to make the e-bike run longer.
• Finding a way to make it charge with solar power.
• Making other big projects like drones.

And his ultimate goal?

To become an engineer and build solutions that help people.

“I don’t just want to build things for myself. I want to create things that can make life easier for others.”

May it be working on building drones or making sensors that help prevent accidents, this is just the beginning of his journey.

His success story showcases how early exposure to skill development in Kutch can transform dreams into reality.

Why Does Rizwan’s Story Matter?

Rizwan’s story is not just about building an e-bike.

It’s about proving that talent is everywhere—but opportunity is not.

• How many more kids like Rizwan are waiting for a chance to learn?
• How many brilliant minds go undiscovered because they lack resources?
• How many dreams never take off simply because no one believes in them?

At Apni Pathshala and Yusuf Meherally Centre, we believe in giving every child a chance to dream, learn, and create in a community learning setup. We believe in promoting skill development to every part of the country- From Kashmir to Kanyakumari. From Assam to Kutch.

And if Rizwan’s journey has inspired you, here’s how you can help more kids like him:

• Donate – Support free education for underprivileged children.
• Volunteer – Teach, mentor, and guide young innovators.
• Spread the Word – Share this story and inspire others. 

Contact the team at ApniPathshala!

Because when we invest in a child’s future, we don’t just change one life, we change generations. And who knows? The next big innovator might just be a kid waiting for one chance. Let’s give them that chance!