The elder Takhti passed away when Gholamreza was very young, leaving his wife (pictured) and five children -- three sons and two daughters, Gholamreza the youngest of the five -- in relative poverty. This had a deep effect on Takhti, and years later he used his fame to help poor Iranians. Takhti graduated from Hakim Nezami Elementary School and went to Manouchehri High School. Due to his family's financial difficulties, he was able to attend only through the ninth grade before he had to drop out. He first worked for the National Iranian Oil Company in Masjed Soleiman, in oil-rich Khuzestan province. After returning to Tehran, he was drafted into the army in 1948, and was also employed by Iran's national railroad.
