“Occasionally, life is known to bring in occurrences that can unexpectedly blossom into something life-changing. I experienced this firsthand, in the form of ‘Thuvakkam’- the NGO I work with today. What began as a simple newspaper call seeking volunteers to join their community. caught my attention and subsequently became the launching pad for many changes since!

My first-ever event was a plantation drive where I was intrigued to find out that the whole initiative was spearheaded by a bunch of college students, who strongly wanted to create an impact. Now while it’s one thing to volunteer for a social cause, it’s a completely different game, to start out on one’s own, and that enthusiasm appealed to me! What was even more fascinating was understanding how the whole thing had stemmed from just a casual canteen-side conversation. Their drive and commitment to the cause sparked something within me and made me truly witness the power of an idea.

With all this in place, I saw my love for volunteering growing manifolds- to the extent that I eventually quit my well-paying job in Kuwait and opted to join in as a full-time employee. This step was, of course, huge, but one that felt right, especially with the freedom to experiment and bring in the educational sector that I truly cared for. So starting there, it’s been a little over three years today, working as a teacher-mentor whilst contributing to other areas of importance too!

Now, having been raised in the small town of Karaikudi, this shift did come as a complete shocker to my parents whose expectations was for me to have a comfortable life and slowly unleash achievements on the career front. But I’ve gone to realize that the true happiness of life lies in following what stirs your soul. And even at work, my dedication saw me winning the best volunteer award in 2018, adding the right fuel further to my fire!

Since then, I take life step by step, witnessing the miracles of small wins along the way. So whether it’s seeing a seed I sowed sprout into a tree or just the genuine smile of a child I teach, it’s the little things that bring in a lot of happiness in me and make me believe that my parents will eventually come around one day, seeing my work!”