Bengaluru woman repays ₹43 lakh education loan after 8 years, takes 3-year-old son to witness 'milestone'

Arpitha Rao opened up about the hardships she had faced since her college days and how lack of financial support from her father made her struggles more challenging.

A Bengaluru-based consultant took her three-year-old son along with her to the bank to repay her education loan of ₹43 lakh, which had been pending for over eight years. Rao said she wanted to share the "milestone" with him so that he would understand the value of financial independence and aspire to stand on his own feet.

In a detailed LinkedIn post, Arpitha Rao opened up about the hardships she had faced since her college days and how lack of financial support from her father made her struggles more challenging.

‘Had a very different starting point’

"I took my 3.5 yr old son along with me to close the loan. I wanted him to be there. For some of my ISB MBA classmates, paying off their education loans took 2-4 years.

They had family support, financial cushions, and the privilege of not being the sole breadwinner in their families. I had a very different starting point," Rao wrote on LinkedIn.

Rao shared that her father stopped supporting her financially when she was 18 and that she had achieved financial independence by the age of 22. A turning point in her life came after she got married and was expecting a child. She was left with zero income following a pay cut.

Rao alleged that the startup she was working for did not pay her six months' worth of maternity benefits. "I stopped earning; that was the biggest hit," Rao was quoted as saying by Moneycontrol.

How Rao continued repaying her ₹43 lakh education loan

Despite the challenges, Rao did not let the setbacks stop her. She continued repaying her loan, which had grown from ₹26 lakh to ₹43 lakh.

While pursuing her career, she continued making loan repayments and worked with impact consulting firms such as Sattva, Intellecap and Sagana. Her work involved projects related to education, gender, climate and energy transition.

"Today, I am debt free," Rao exclaimed, as she entered an entirely new chapter of professional and personal independence.

Why did Rao take her son along to the bank?

Calling her decision to take her son along to the bank "intentional," Rao wrote: "I hope he grows up understanding the value of earning, financial independence and having the courage to build your own life."

However, her son seems to have come away with a different impression of the outing.

"For him the highlight of the entire trip was getting to touch the real gun carried by the bank's security guard," Rao laughed.

People on the internet flooded the comments section, with several calling her journey inspirational, while others shared details of their own debt journeys.

About the Author

Kanishka Singharia is a Senior Content Producer at Mint with a passion for news, trends, and the stories shaping the digital world. She specialises in spotting viral narratives by constantly tracking social media platforms and turning them into engaging, reader-friendly stories. Her work ranges from fast-paced breaking updates to sensitive human-interest features, blending speed with clarity. <br><br> With over four years of experience in news and trend reporting, Kanishka has worked with leading organisations such as Hindustan Times and Times Now. She moves seamlessly between profiling business leaders and telling the stories of everyday people, covering national developments just as effortlessly as the memes and conversations that dominate online culture. <br><br> She also reports on real estate developments and civic challenges in major urban hubs like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Gurugram. Her coverage frequently explores the struggles of startup founders, inspiring journeys of CEOs, and the experiences of candidates dealing with the complexities of visa processes. <br><br> Kanishka holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Delhi University and a diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Rarely offline, she spends much of her time scrolling through X, LinkedIn, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook in search of the next big story. When she finally logs off, she enjoys binge-watching shows and exploring cafes in pursuit of good food and better conversations.