Malda, July 4: Solid state physics and semiconductors may be Greek to his parents but they mean the world for Abdul Qader. The boy from a village in Malda’s Manikchak will pursue his dreams at Mumbai’s Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

Qader’s father is a daily-wager and mother a gamchha weaver. The little that the weaving fetched went into Qader’s studies till he completed MSc in physics with 72 per cent from Jadavpur University last year.

He has been awarded a full scholarship — Rs 8,000 a month — for research. “I will send half the money home so that my parents get to live a bit more comfortably,” Qader said.

His father, Rohul Islam, 62, is proud. “I am feeling 20 years younger,” he said.

Qader first showed his mettle when he cleared the Madhyamik examination with 745 marks and followed it up with 791 in the higher secondary. “I did not appear for the joint entrance as studying medicine or engineering is expensive,” he said. Qader leaves for Mumbai tomorrow.