Editor's note: This is the first post for “Passionate People,” a series of blog entries that University of Michigan junior Ellora Gupta plans to write over the summer. Her goal is to inspire other people. Her column will cover uplifting stories about Ann Arbor locals who are striving to achieve their goals and passions. "I am consistently amazed at how much people can accomplish," Gupta explained. "It is my hope that readers will also be similarly inspired and amazed by their stories."

The rejection letter was the catalyst.

Even though Alexander O’Dell didn’t get accepted to the University of Michigan’s study abroad program in India, he couldn’t stop thinking about traveling to the country anyway. Somehow, there had to be a way. India and Indian culture are two of his passions. At a young age, O’Dell’s aunt had given his family an Indian painting. This sparked the initial interest in India, an appeal that has not yet faded.

“I’ve been trying to get to India for eight months now and nothing really felt right. Nothing was really working,” said O’Dell, a junior at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Policy.

So with the option of heading to India for school off the table, O’Dell decided to trek overseas anyhow, bearing in mind, “No one can decide your future for you.” He asked his friends Jonathan Kumar, a senior at the university studying economics and informatics and Colin Packard, a recent graduate of the film school to accompany him on the journey.

The three would film a documentary, O’Dell decided. They would need to raise $6,000 dollars by the end of June for their two month journey across India.

“When I saw the three of us together, it became reality,” O’Dell said.

The plans are lofty: O’Dell is determined to backpack across India, camera in hand, and film a documentary about development and social entrepreneurship in India. He especially wants to highlight the motivated and innovative people who are behind this great change.

Among the people and companies O’Dell hopes to meet include the world’s youngest schoolmaster, who resides in the West Bengal region, Husk Corn Systems and a garden sculptor. All embody his definition of being a social entrepreneur.

O’Dell is cautious to approach filming from a unique angle - that of a traveling college student. He admits that there have been numerous documentaries about Indian social entrepreneurs made by big names like BBC or PBS. But do these sorts of viewpoints really appeal to college students?

“We’re not looking to film a boring documentary,” O’Dell said. “It’s a college road trip. There are going to be shenanigans.”

As of now, O’Dell and the crew are not sure what to expect from the trip. They are currently trying to track down some of the social entrepreneurs they’d like to meet, but are also open to meeting other people, who aren’t necessarily entrepreneurs, to give views a taste of India personified.

“We are open to thinking that the people who may not be influencing the world directly are the rickshaw drivers, the street vendors, essentially the average citizens,” O’Dell said.

O’Dell, a music enthusiast, also plans to write the soundtrack for the documentary. Although he has already written and compiled 14 songs, he wants to wait until he returns from the trip to begin recording.

“I want to see how the trip will shape the music and I want to see how it is reflected in the music,” O’Dell said, noting that his experience will likely influence, and even alter, the music he has written.

“I want my mind blown!” O’Dell said. “I just want to open the playing field of what I think is possible because the more experiences you have the more people you meet, the wider your perception of the world gets and the more things you can do to change it.”

Ellora Gupta is a junior at the University of Michigan with a strong interest in passionate people. If you want to share your passions or the passions of others, please contact her at egupta@umich.edu.