From among the hundreds of questions, I seem to be unlocking few important ones today.
From the time I passed my 10th standard (10th grade) I guess I have been soul-searching.. seeking answers to same question - what is my purpose in life... purpose of my existence and my being.
I strongly believed in the best career or perhaps best-purpose that we are all gifted to fulfil in life. Yes, sure, we can all settle for the first few jobs we land in life.. but what if we are destined to be greater than our firsts.. greater than what we ought to receive.
After securing 100/100 in Social Sciences, my favourite and naturally inclined subject, my strongest desire of my life was to pursue Arts/Social sciences in under-graduate level. I sincerely dreamed of being the face-of-the-nation as India's top news anchor. There was a weird level of confidence, sense of achievement, inspiration from the then anchors Barkha Dutt, Vasanthi Hariprakash, my teachers Mrs. Subhadra who's english grammer and diction always awestruck me. I drew learnings, inspiration from her flawless formal speeches.
But much before all this happened... something had happened to me right during my childhood days. I had given a speech of more than 7mins to an audience of 4000+ adults at my school's Annual day event - Parent's day, just when I was hardly 7years old studying 1st standard (Grade 1)..delivering speech in red and black blazers. Hahaha technically my first blazers, first big speech. It wasn't my first with the mike. I had already done many stage performances like fancy dresses (and even won 1st place at my pre-nursery as a Brahmin Bodammajji, whose script I still remember, which teacher I still cherish and visit often). I had perhaps began my stage appearance at the age of 3yrs by singing "Thande Neenu- Thayi Neenu" kavana/ poem by Basavanna.
After that event, I was never new to the mike, I was never new to an audience of large crowd. Larger the crowd, I seem to be at ease. Another turning point which I failed to give adequate importance was the moment that I won the first prize for an inter-school debate competition. I stood first among best speakers from most of Bangalore's schools. This was when I was in 6th standard (Grade 6), 1998. It was at the St.Joseph's Indian High School, Museum road, Bangalore. The topic for the debate was "Can computers replace teachers..." and you guessed it right... I was speaking for something I strongly believe in personally, even today. The answer is never. Computers can never replace humans, especially teachers. The third best speech moment in my life was in my 8th standard (Grade 8). It was Kribco (Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd) sponsored event, held at our school. The topic here was much relevant and rampant : Corruption. I knew I had killed it at the speech just 3seconds into the stage just as I began the opening lines "Corruption", "Corruption", "Corruption" this is the word we hear and see everywhere today. I recall how everyone in audience and me myself had a thunder-jolt after those lines. I surely had more advantage in the umpteen speeches I had given as the school's Head girl at Nirmla Rani High School, my Alma-Mater that I am proud of every single day. My teachers, principals (Sr. Laurencia and Mother Dominic particularly) who nurtured me, owned me, groomed me and making me worthy of today.
College life at Mount Carmel was not just a platform for my speeches as the Commerce Secretary but was also receptive to my experimentations with social causes, entrepreneurship causes with NEN and E-cell. As I grew closer to the causes, I grew stronger inside myself. Working for causes like "Save the girl child", "Sexuality education for girls of the underprivileged", working extensively for Family Planning Association of India, Government of India recognised NGO. I had done as much as I could..and even got recognised by my college as the "Most Socially Responsible Student - Batch of 2008" from among all three combined courses of Arts, Sciences and Commerce, nearly 4000+ students. This prestigious award of my life (so-far) was awarded by Dr. Nirupama Rao, then-in in office, India's ambassador to USA. I tried my best to stay lively and live a life of bubbling enthusiastic teenager/ college-goer. I learnt a lot in this process, I met a lot of interesting people of all backgrounds possible in India.
Goldman Sachs happened as I was campus hired. I am ever thankful and honoured to have worked with Siame Sebako, a VP then, an Oxford graduate in Law. She was impeccably remarkable leader, my mentor even to this day. She was the sounding board to me. My cubicle faced another positive person - Lisa Donelly. Lisa once told at her speech that her husband always told her "It is better to work for Arsenal and sit on the bench than play for Manu". These women, were able to articulate themselves, nurture and guide everyone so selflessly that I began getting inspired.
At post-graduation, Christ College, they boasted of world-class infrastructure (typically what the new-age colleges offer). I was glad that I got to represent, again from among 2000+ students to be hand-picked by our then Director of MBA program - Fr. TV Thomas as the speaker/host to the world renowned Motivational Speaker Deepak Chopra. Yes! I've met him and Dalai Lama at this university personally.
Next step was to take this skill of a speaker to an international forum - this happened too, in October 2008. At the 5th Asia Pacific conference on Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights, Beijing 2008 - Working for Universal Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights: Building on the ICPD PoA and the MDGs. The conference (18-20 October) was preceded by a youth forum (October 17). I was the top 3 speakers chosen to present my initiatives, work at FPAI, Bangalore branch. Speaking for the underprivileged, adolescent girls and women in our communities. The conference was organised in collaboration with China Family Planning Association, IPPF East & South East Asia and Oceania Region, and China Population Association, and sponsored by UNFPA, partners in population and Development and National Population and Family Planning Commission of China.
Then came MTR, Apple and Google yet again... attending town hall of Deidre, meeting some interesting Googlers.
The soul-searching had awakened me day and night, made me seek help with professional career counsellors including Dr. Ali Khwaja, QUEST, since I graduated my 10th grade. A deep-thought brain-storming session with a friend only made me realise what is the one thing that I love doing effortlessly. Today I found the answer: Standing in front of an audience and delivering a speech. The purpose of seeking to find my true strength and passion began when I watched "Tamasha" movie by Imtiaz Ali which aimed to bring a creative soul out of his claustrophobic corporate life. I realised, I had been soul-searching, nearly 10years of soul-searching to only realise today, after watching yet another decently powerful Hindi movie "Chichore" with my husband. This movie made me realise one thing - we are worth as much as we try our best. Be it our failures or our wins, we own them, we define them. Living the life to fullest is the sole purpose of life.
Our struggles are ours alone. Our goals are ours alone. Our limits are ours alone.
I shall now begin to find new limits to my life. To Newness! 🍷
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