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The meet was attended by a number of college professors, heads of the departments, and over 100 students from Patna and Magadh University.

The meeting provided an opportunity to all the students to have direct interactions with the NRIs and NRB and industrialists settled outside Bihar.

Among those who took part in the meeting included the CEO of IGEMS Inc, USA, Rakesh Kumar, noted Bihar prodigy Tathagat Awatar Tulsi, Patna Science College principal Dr. S. N. Guha, Dr. Mridula Singh, College of Commerce Hindi professor; Indrajeet Kumar Singh, CEO, Genesys Software, UK, and Ranjeet Kumar of Amercian Express.

Guests offered advises to the students on career building and how could they contribute towards the development of Bihar.

A government school teacher, Vishwakarma has been holding classes in trains for 11 years and has no intention to stop. “It has worked. And above all, it gives me immense pleasure,” he says, pointing to a group of enthusiastic learners.

Vishwakarma is a familiar face on the Gaya-Kiul passenger train, especially among his students. To his credit, many of them have gone on to clear the matriculation examination privately. “It is not a pastime but a mission — to empower the downtrodden and neglected through education,” Vishwakarma says. “I got the idea while commuting between Nawada and Gaya. The sight of these children begging and sell ing to eke out a living firmed up my resolve to teach them,” he adds.

Vishwakarma utilises the two-hour journey be tween Gaya and Nawada to the full, teaching Hindi, English and Mathematics to a dozen children while they also do their vending. He goes about his work qui etly, which is why the Rail ways has not even heard of him. “We have no knowledge of such a person but would like to help him within the ambit of law,” says an East Central Railway official.

The 67-year old business tycoon said the Commission was committed to extend all help to Bihar which was showing remarkable sign of progress under the NDA government.

"Bihar certainly deserves a second chance and I will personally see that more and more industrialists are coming to Bihar with concrete plans to invest in the state," Tata said after holding a four-hour meeting with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, other businessmen and state officials.

"Upon my return to New Delhi, I will meet with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and submit my report on Bihar to him.

Stopping short of making any commitment, Tata said it would take some time for Bihar to recover and start attracting investment. "Even India as a nation had to struggle for almost a decade before any sign of foreign investment was noticed. Bihar is going through a similar phase but with strong commitment on the part of the government and help from investor, there is no reason why Bihar cannot become one of the most developed state in the country," the industrialist said.

Tata also held meetings with the members of Bihar Industries Association and the Bihar Chamber of Commerce and sought their opinion on taking the state forward.