We examine all details about IIT Bombay aerospace engineering alumnus Abhay Singh, who decided to pursue spirituality after his studies
Abhay Singh, popularly known as IITian Baba, has been making headlines for his remarkable decision to leave behind the logical realm of science in favor of a spiritual life. Once a student at the prestigious IIT Bombay, Abhay has now fully embraced the path of devotion, dedicating himself to Lord Shiva. His transformation from a promising engineer to a passionate spiritual seeker is resonating with many, sparking widespread attention online.
Who is Abhay Singh aka Baba Masani Gorakh as IIT Bombay Aerospace engineer goes viral at Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, biography, education, hometown birth place and career
Abhay Singh Grewal aka babaji in his IIT days
Credit: his FB profile pic.twitter.com/Y2xmnbWCc8
— Zeenu ✌🏾 (@xyznu) January 14, 2025
Identified as Abhay Singh, now known as Masani Gorakh, he has done his Aerospace Engineering from IIT-Bombay, along with a master’s in design and Singh said that he was teaching in a coaching class before trying his hands on photography, product design, visual communication, animation and arts.
Born in Haryana, Abhay Singh started teaching at a coaching centre to earn money and pursue his passion for photography and later he decided to become a monk. He is also the founder of GreyWall photography.
“I lived in Bombay for four years. Later, I switched to photography and arts, just like 3 idiots. I taught at a coaching centre after graduation for one year. Meanwhile, I prepared for an entrance exam in photography,” he said in the viral video.
He said that he wanted to find ‘meaning of life’ even while he was pursuing engineering.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, held once every 12 years in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is widely regarded as the world’s largest religious gathering, attracting millions of devotees from around the world. Among those who attended the 2025 edition was Abhay Singh, an aerospace engineer from IIT Bombay, who had made the bold choice to leave behind a promising career in science to pursue spirituality.
Abhay Singh, originally from Haryana, had completed his engineering degree at the prestigious IIT Bombay. During his time there, he developed a deep interest in philosophy, immersing himself in the works of renowned thinkers like Plato and Socrates, while also exploring Postmodernism. Although he excelled academically and went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Design, Singh’s increasing curiosity about the deeper aspects of life led him to embrace his creative side through photography.
This looks like the Abhay Singh from our very own 2008-12 batch at IIT Bombay. Hope this gets the attention of podcasters so that we can hear more from him about yogic knowledge and experience through the lens of a solid modern engineering education.https://t.co/De7ldj2pWK
— Pritish Chakravarty (@prit_chak) January 14, 2025
Despite his academic and artistic achievements, Singh eventually realized that his true calling lay not in engineering, but in spirituality. Driven by an intense inner search for meaning, he decided to make a life-altering choice to leave his scientific career behind and become a monk. At the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, Singh, now known as Masani Gorakh, shared the details of his transformative journey with the world.
In a conversation with Network 18, he revealed that embracing spirituality had been the most fulfilling decision of his life, describing the stage he was at as “the best stage.” His story struck a deep chord with many, and a video of his reflections during the Mela quickly went viral, inspiring countless others. Abhay Singh’s journey from a successful engineer to a monk stands as a powerful testament to the universal pursuit of meaning and fulfillment, showing that true happiness often transcends material success.