Achieving your childhood dreams...

I wanted to make sure that they know who is speaking? I am a different person. I have my own set of rules, theories and beliefs, hence it was very important to me that they should know who am I? I said, “Before saying anything, I wanted you to know that who is talking, who am I actually? I am grateful to teachers for the wonderful introduction, but there is much more to that. I believe, in life you cannot be successful by following steps of most successful person but rather you should meet the person who failed many many times in their life. It’s very important to meet the people who failed in their life, so that you will be aware of the mistakes that person made and you can avoid those mistakes in your life. Atleast you will be aware of what kind of mistakes a person can make. I am a person who made so many mistakes in my life. I am here to share my life, my mistakes, my dreams. There are two things I want you guys to remember, one is 'who was I' and second is 'who am I now?'. I was just like one of you. I used to come to the very same school, just like you do. I was a kid, playing games, bunking the class, getting punished for my naughty acts, getting rewarded for my good acts, I was just like you. And now who am I? Right now, I am a person, who had many dreams in my life. I am a person who worked really hard to achieve those dreams and still working hard to achieve the dreams I had. I am just like you. I am a person who dared to imagined and worked hard to turn those imagination into reality. That's what I want you to remember." That was my self-introduction to future India and its true.

I was pretty excited to go on my six week vacation. It was a long time since I had been to India so thought this is an opportunity to meet some of friends and some members of my family. I decided to keep this visit a low profile (sounds like I am celeb but I am not) in order to give surprise of lifetime to some people. In the end it turned to be surprised on lifetime for some people, even to me when I just knocked their doors. One of the thing I thing I wanted to do was to visit my school. It is a school where I spend childhood enjoying my childhood activities. I was thinking to visit it much before but never got an proper opportunity. I always think that now I know a little bit about the world, I have travelled a little bit, I met few people, now its time I should share my experience with the new generation.

It was Friday morning. I reached Gadchiroli (FYI, Gadchiroli is very very small place in Maharashtra which is still very undeveloped, away from the world and stuff like that) to my uncle’s house. I showed my desire to visit school and requested uncle to arrange for small get together with the kids from the school. My uncle played biggest role in making me what I am, so I could share my desire with him. He became happy as he explained me that school teachers also wanted to have a small session with kids so that I guide them for better future wrt to education. That's not what I wanted to talk since I know very little about vast opportunities in this world but I promised to tell to kids, something which will be helpful to them in their future life. So within 2 hours session was organised with kids from grade 9th and 10th (which is considered to be very important in Indian education system). I did not have any speech, any power point slides, no videos nothing, only I had was my experience of life which I wanted to share with kids. I reached around 11.30am as session was from 12.00noon. I had a little chat with Principal of school as I wanted to know about the teachers from my time, how much time I have to interact with students. Principal was generous to tell me that I can as much time I want.

It was 12.00noon, I walked into the old corridor of public municipal school where I had time of my lifetime. There were no less than 200 kinds, in age group of 13-16, but I was happy to see girls were majority. After formal welcoming and giving my little bit introduction, it was my time to speak. I did not had any material but I know what I want to share with the kids. I wanted this interaction to be very informal so that I can connect with kids. So rather than using mic and dais, I decided to just stand with the support of wall and started my interaction. My topic was “how to achieve your childhood dreams?”, inspired from late prof. Randy Pausch from Carnegie Menon University. I wish I could record my interaction. Anyway I am sure I will get another time to do so. There were many important things for me during my talk. I wanted to make sure that they truely know who am I, who is speaking, what kind of image I want to potrait? After a brief introduction by one of my teacher, I gave my best shot to introduce myself.

Next one hour I was interacting with the kids, telling tell each and every secrete of my life, being very honest with them, telling them which are the things changed my life, goals, dreams, everything I could share with them. It was unforgettable experience. I told them how and why I became rebel to society, to family to everyone? I told them how I don’t believe in some things which were taught when I was kids? I shared with them my every failure, in personal and in professional life. I shared with them how I learned by hard way. I was just like a story telling to kids, this time all the stories were real. It was amazing. Since that was the first time I was having interaction with the kids, I wasn't very sure if they are interested in listening to me or thinking, like this all is crap. I never told them what to became professionally but my aim was to tell them who to become personally. I wanted to know them that being a good human being leads to becoming a good professional irrespective of profession. After an hour or so, I finish my small (??) interaction. Then suddenly there was a sound, an urge, an enthusiasm from the kids, enthusiasm I was hoping to see, a willingness to know more and more. That was the time I realise that yes, me being here is worthwhile. Kids requested me to speak more and more. It was so touching. So rather me speaking, I wanted kids to ask me, so next hour we spend in question and answer session before officially ending the program. I requested principal if I can have the interaction with kids more informally. She was more than happy to agree with that.

So my initial one hour interaction went for two hours, then four hours and finally it was for eight straight hours. It was amazing. After the formal interaction, we went to terrace, where I was surrounded by kids, asking many many questions. Some were really tough. Suddenly, there was a girl, who came to me for my autograph. I said, “I am no celeb, no hero to give autograph. I just like you”. On reply she said, “why, only celeb, hero can be our idol? Why can’t someone like you be our ideal. You are hero to me. I need your autograph.”. It was touching. So gave my autograph happily. One autograph leads to some and some to many. In next 3 hours I signed some 400 odd autographs, for the kids, for their friend, for their family. It was one of most amazing thing I have ever done in my life. It was a sign that kids loved me.

Its very hard for me write here everything, but I can write only one thing. It was amazing. I felt that I had greatest 8 hours of my life. I thought what I can do better for the kids? Hence I promise them to set a brand new computer lab with internet access, so that they will come to know about this very world, they can be in touch with me. Also, I have decided of complete renovation of school. I am grateful to all my friends who are willing to spend some time from their busy life in order to make someone’s life better.


Below are some spanshots from the event. I feel good whenever I go through it.