IITian Baba at Mahakumbh: Abhey Singh used to work in Canada, earned ₹36 LPA | Trending

Abhey Singh, the IIT-educated ascetic who gave up science for spirituality, has revealed new details about his extraordinary journey. Singh became the subject of intense speculation after he was interviewed CNN News18 at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj earlier this week. Abhey Singh has earned the moniker of IITian Baba Internet users who saw the interview were stunned to realise that the ascetic had studied aerospace engineering at IIT Bombay, India’s top engineering college. Most found it hard to reconcile his dreadlocked hair and ragged clothes with the image of an IIT-educated, modern youngster. His viral interview earned him the moniker of IITian Baba. (Also read: IITian Baba at Mahakumbh: He studied aerospace engineering at IIT Bombay, then turned to spirituality) IITian Baba worked in CanadaIn a recent interview with Headlines India, Haryana-born Abhey Singh opened up about his past. He revealed that lived in Canada for three years, earning ₹3 lakh per month or ₹36 lakh per annum. Singh went to Canada in 2019. He quit his promising career when he began to pursue spirituality. “In terms of INR, I was earning ₹3 lakh per month in Canada. However, the expenses there are proportionate [to your salary],” he said. “Your expenses rise accordingly. An apple here will cost ₹50. There it will sell for ₹200,” he explained in Hindi. He revealed that in Canada, he struggled with depression. His mental health issues made him want to search for meaning in life and question the role of the mind. On his past lifeSingh also said that he had a girlfriend in India, whom he dated for four years. However, witnessing the marital discord between his own parents made him lose faith in the institution of marriage. He never got married. “Shaadi se mujhe darr lagta tha. Mere ghar pe parents ladaai karte the (I was scared of marriage. My parents used to fight),” Singh revealed. “Jab tumne example hi kharab dekha ho, tumne sahi example dekha hi nahi hai, ki rishton ko kaise nibhana hai, toh uski vajah se… girlfriend toh thi chaar saal tak, par vo vahin pe atak gaya. Mujhe samajh hi nahi aaya ki aage kaise karun (When you have only seen bad examples, you have no idea how a good relationship actually works. So I did have a girlfriend for four year, but the relationship was stuck. I never understood how to take it forward),” he said. In another part of the interview, Singh was asked what he did before becoming an ascetic. “I did what any other boy does. I drank, I smoked cigarettes and beedis. But I had a hankering to search for the truth,” he replied. The IITian Baba, as he has come to be known, was asked whether he is still in touch with his family or thinks of them. He replied in the negative. “Nahi. Ab toh sirf Mahadev hai (No, now it’s just Mahadev),” he told Headlines India.