![Stories Of 13 Inspired Young Indians Who Chose Their Dreams Over Stability [Vol. VI]](http://media.assettype.com/homegrown%2Fimport%2Ffacebook-44325-1-.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
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“My own heroes are the dreamers, those men and women who tried to make the world a better place than when they found it, whether in small ways or great ones. Some succeeded, some failed, most had mixed results…but it is the effort that’s heroic, as I see it.”
George R. R. Martin
We believe you’re familiar with our fascination for those who lead double lives professionally, which we explored through the lives of different individuals across India.
These are the guys burning the candle at both ends and doing a fine job at it. Then, there are those who choose to go off the deep end and vouch completely and irrevocably for their dreams (and no, they don’t get much sleep either). For these dreamers, we have another kind of respect, albeit an equally special one.
It takes immense courage—and a healthy dose of madness—to put an end to what is potentially a financially stable life to pursue your real calling. So we scoured the space for individuals who have, at different points in their lives, taken a step back and re-evaluated what their dreams meant to them before deciding to throw their entire weight behind them. Here are 13 individuals who’ve truly followed their hearts, and won us over while at it.
I. Aamir Jariwala | Curious. Persistent. Neophile.
From wall street to e-waste management.
Who:
"Dreams are what you must dare to see with your eyes open."
On his passion for waste management:
The biggest challenge:
One line that motivates him:
II. Aniketh Nair | Ambitious. Courageous. Reliable.
From corporate manager to sports enabler.
Who:
Aniketh Nair
"Dreams are good, especially the ones that are larger than life."
On his passion for sports:
The biggest challenge:
One line that motivates him:
III. Devika Srimal | Energetic. Optimistic. Determined.
From finance to footwear.
Who: 28-year-old Devika Srimal began her own footwear brand, Kanabis, after spending four and a half years working in financial services with Ernst & Young in London while simultaneously qualifying as a chartered accountant. “I was on the crossroads looking for another challenge. I always had the urge to start my own venture, so I finally took the plunge. I quit my job and moved back to the motherland,” she shares.
"Dreams are the best when you see them come true."
On her passion for the footwear industry:
The biggest challenge:
One line that inspires her:
IV. Ginny Kohli | Passionate. Go-getter. Multi-faceted.
From design engineering to wedding connections.
Who:
"Dreams are the best when you see them come true."
On her passion for the wedding industry:
The biggest challenge:
One line that motivates her:
V. Hetal Ajmera and Bianca D’sa | Focused. Involved. Excited.
From advertising to design studio ownership.
Who:
"Dreams are to be experienced."
On their passion for design:
The biggest challenge:
One line that inspires them:
VI. Nihal Pradeep Shetty | Dreamer. Lover. Passionate.
From market research to independent music.
Who:
"Dreams are a visual sneak peek into what you could/should be doing."
On his passion for music:
The biggest challenge:
One line that motivates him:
VII. Pavandeep Singh | Sincere. Positive. Loving.
From automobile dealership to culinary innovation.
Who:
"Dreams come true, if you are willing to take that first scary step and then follow it through."
On his passion for food:
The biggest challenge:
One line that motivates him:
VIII. Sandhya Parthasarathy | Passionate. Dreamer. Creative.
From software engineering to cake baking.
Who:
"Dreams are the building blocks of your vision"
On her passion for baking:
The biggest challenge:
One line that inspires her:
Follow Sandhya’s work with Cake My Heart on Facebook and Instagram.
IX. Stuthi Raghavan | Risk-taker. Feisty. Nomad. Zany.
From TV production to yoga instruction.
Who:
"Dreams are a leap of faith. Take the leap and build your wings on the way down."
On her passion for yoga:
The Biggest Challenge:
One line that motivates her:
X. Tejas Jhaveri | Perseverance. Humility. Opportunist.
From recruitments to e-commerce solutions.
Who: 23-year-old Tejas Jhaveri likes to describe himself as tech-geek. He is the founder of Flintstop, an e-commerce platform that provides innovative and quirky products. He also works as an e-commerce professor at Goodlife Education.
"Dreams are like stars. You may never touch them, but if you follow them, they will lead you to your destiny."
On his passion for e-commerce:
The biggest challenge:
One line that inspires him:
XI. Ujaala Chaudhuri | Enterprising. Professional. Happy.
From advertising production to independent consultancy.
Who:
"Dreams are what tomorrow brings."
On her passion for content creation:
The biggest challenge:
One line that motivates her:
XII. Vaishnav Praveen | Raw. Go-getter. Positive.
From investment banking to independent photography.
Who:
"Dreams are glimpses of your future. Make sure you live it."
On his passion for photography:
The biggest challenge:
One line that inspires him:
Compiled by Krupa Joseph, Diva Garg & Raj Rege
