Passion To Profession — These Women Prove That Nothing Is Impossible If You Have Talent And Determination!

Written By: Sonali
December 27, 2020 |
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When I decided to quit my MNC career, people were more worried about me than I was worried about myself. And no, the reason was not only their generous concern but doubt that how a 20-something girl like me would survive without a cushy job!

People always underestimate talent — particularly women I’d say. But as they say, nothing can really stop you if you are determined and passionate about something.

Here are five such women’s stories that we covered earlier, which reminds that nothing is impossible if you have talent and determination!

Ekta Kapoor

An MBA graduate, an Internationally certified personal trainer, Internationally certified kettlebell trainer, National Champion in powerlifting, Strongest Woman of India 2018, and the co-founder of Mountstrong Personal Fitness Studio, Ekta Kapoor is an inspiring woman from Nainital.

How This Nainital Entrepreneur Defied Societal Rules To Follow Her Dreams!
Founder of Mountstrong Personal Fitness Studio

Being a victim of depression, anxiety, marital rape, and a broken marriage, she never really gave up and did all she could to fulfil her dreams. Read her entire story here.

Visha Khandelwal

Visha Khandelwal is a Chartered Accountant turned YouTuber, traveller, and vlogger. She always found herself a misfit in her previous corporate domain and decided not to settle until finding her true calling — something which she could love with all her heart and could also provide value while doing it.

YouTuber, Traveller, & Vlogger

Visha explored every single interest of her after completing CA — right from hand lettering, event management, to studying for MBA and travelling. During that series of experiments, she gained immense interest in video making, travelling and documenting her journey in the form of films, and hence started running a YouTube channel and organising various treks and trips. After running it for almost seven months along with her job, she took the leap of faith and quit her CA job. Read her entire story here.

The Mishra Sisters

Noopur Mishra & Neha Mishra are two lovely sisters who defied conventional societal rules and said ‘no’ to cushy jobs and started what they truly love.

Noopur Mishra: Founder of Drapes & Thoughts

Noopur Mishra, a NIFT Chennai graduate, is the founder of Drapes & Thoughts which deals into digital art while her sister, Neha Mishra, is an emotive craft maker and the founder of Atrang Art which specialises in sustainable and customised gifting.

Neha Mishra: Founder of Atrang Art

The duo believes that the biggest challenge for artists these days is recognition. People don’t really value handmade products and find the costings too high — they fail to see the hard work and precision behind it. But despite all, they encourage to do that really makes you happy from within. Read their entire story here.

Kusum C Bala

Kusum C Bala is a self-made event & wedding planner, mental health coach and social media expert, and strongly believes that the things you fight for come with an incomparable satisfaction and happiness. A computer engineer by education and a social media associate by profession, she is also a passionate event manager.

Event Planner, Mental Health Coach & Social Media Expert

While some try to build a brand in the form of a venture/ startup, Kusum is making her name a brand. From complexion equality to body positivity, she proved that talent and will power matters more than anything. Read her entire story here.

Kanisha Malhotra

Kanisha Malhotra is a renowned actress and passionate filmmaker. Kanisha owns two ventures — Designerwala Lab Productions and Goal Digger — the former being her production house started in 2016, and the latter is a recently started customised gifting & merchandise store. 

Founder of Designerwala Lab Productions & Goal Digger

Kanisha’s intention behind starting Designerwala Lab Productions is to make a social difference with it. Stories impact humans in a different way, and as a filmmaker, she is trying to create better stories for the world to see and get inspired. Read her entire story here.

Write your #PassionToProfession story to us and let the world get inspired by your wonderful journey and stay tuned for such more inspirational stories!

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Sonali

A 'non-9-5 desk job' ambivert geek who chooses her own audience, Sonali loves sharing stories and finding the corners where humanity still exists! She believes that every individual's story is unique and special. She loves writing about the untouched and unspoken segments of society. When not writing, you can find her listening to someone's stories or playing with dogs. Sonali values mental health and encourages people to speak their heart out! Check her thoughts at www.theobstinategirl.com

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Shantha Ragunathan: The Woman Who Lifted An Entire Village By Uplifting Its Women!

Written By: Sonali
October 17, 2020 | 09:00 PM |
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When Shantha took up a volunteer job at a local government office in the village of Kodapattinam, situated in Tamil Nadu’s Kancheepuram district, she had no idea that her life would change forever — and not only her life, but that she would inspire, empower and transform several other lives!

Shantha (who, like many women where she lives, doesn’t use her last name) was born amidst extreme poverty, had lost her parents at the age of six and was married in an extremely poorer family. Life was hard — but it became harder after her children were born — she was unable to make ends meet and support her two kids.

The idea of volunteering at the government office was to get some exposure to a wider world beyond her immediate family and community. The job gave her nothing except for reimbursing her bus fares, but she did get an experience of working in an office and networking with government workers and business people — and that’s what she was looking for.

It was during her tenure at that office when she heard of self-help groups (SHGs) — the idea was based on the model of microfinance — and Shantha believed that this could alleviate her poverty. The prerequisite was that each individual from the group had to contribute an equal amount of money to avail a matched amount of loan by the bank with subsidised interest rates.

Source

The process was then followed by the submission of business ideas by the group, and if approved, the loan could be used to get their business going, and part of their revenues could be used to repay the loan over time.

All Shantha wished was a minimum of 20 women willing to contribute INR 10 each to start the group. But her fate wanted to test her — and it took her more than two years to find those 20 women. This would be enough to picturise the poverty level and poor condition of that village I assume!

Shantha never gave up. She went from door to door — tried several times to convince those women — gave them ideas to save that INR 10, which we randomly spend on chocolate or cigarettes! And she did it. 

The bank, initially, was not ready to believe her plans, because she was a woman, but this gritty lady did not give up even then. After six months, she was able to convince the bank, and in her words, she learnt to deal with such issues herself. And as of today, the bank trusts them more than they trust most men in her village.

Source

Shantha’s self-help groups (SHGs) AKA microfinance group started with buying cows and selling their milk. In 2009, she came in contact with a Chennai-based bag manufacturer which was looking to outsource the packaging part of its business. Keeping the financial well-being of the women of her village, she immediately agreed to the deal.

It took her some time to find a space for this job and to convince more women to join it, but eventually, it kicked off, and she employed more women over the years. You can guess the profit by the fact that they managed to manufacture more than 5,000 bags per week with a strength of 26 women in the group. These are the women whose lives were drastically transformed by employment. They became more self-independent, empowered and self-sufficient.

Shantha’s self-help groups (SHGs) also serve as a model for women in other villages. She helps other women to begin from scratch, and she continues to inspire others to move forward in their life.

As for herself and her kids — her son is the first graduate and an engineer from her family to work at a reputed company — she owns a concrete house, a television, a fan, a bed, a stove and a dignified life which each of us work hard to live.

Source

“I was the only one excited about it. But I knew I should start it in my village. Today, we have a great track record…with the bank. The women recognise the fact that there are several of us…and we are all responsible for each other, so everyone pays on time. Looking at how well we managed (it), the bank called us and asked us to help start groups in surrounding villages. After I started about two groups, I trained people to start their own groups. I’m living happily and peacefully,” Shantha told the BBC.

October 17 is observed as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty throughout the world. As per the United Nations, high poverty rates are often found in small, fragile and conflict-affected countries, and as of 2018, 55% of the world’s population have no access to at least one social protection cash benefit.

The theme for the Day this year addresses the challenge of achieving social and environmental justice for all. Individuals like Shantha, who thinks of others upliftment along with theirs, are much needed for this society right now, and Infano intends to be one of them — by empowering more women, bringing more such stories to you with a hope to bring a light of change. #EndPoverty #InfanoWomen

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Sonali

A 'non-9-5 desk job' ambivert geek who chooses her own audience, Sonali loves sharing stories and finding the corners where humanity still exists! She believes that every individual's story is unique and special. She loves writing about the untouched and unspoken segments of society. When not writing, you can find her listening to someone's stories or playing with dogs. Sonali values mental health and encourages people to speak their heart out! Check her thoughts at www.theobstinategirl.com

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