Howsoever I may keep the pretext of not being a dreamer, I
have realised that anybody and everybody, even though may look like downright
practical freaks (oops that’s just me I guess), have their purposes shaped from
dreams. The little girl, who my mother described to be independent to the
extent of eating from her own tiny hands and refusing assistance from her,
is proud to state that she has finally come of age in her quest of standing up
for herself! She is now a CARGILL GLOBAL SCHOLAR!
The day I laboriously (hear hear IIE :P ) managed to
complete my application process, I was more than relieved to be done. I did
have some hunch of this being good, but good would now be too small an
adjective to describe the experience that has defined a new level of good that
can happen to anyone. Reading the first two lines of the mail I received in
response to my application seemed like a no. But a closer scrutiny shouted a
big yes, and I was more than happy to embark on this journey. Facing my first
professional interview panel, was outright scary and no mincing of words here. You
keep reflecting back on things that could have been or that I wasn’t smart
enough to say something better. In the end, there is no better pretending that
you did all things right and made through. And yes also read your name on the IIE’s
site for confirmation!
The excited anticipation almost reached a crescendo on the
flight to Delhi for our award ceremony and workshop and made my air-sickness
even worse! But the smooth ride to Teri gram and the sheer tranquil beauty of
the campus calmed my agitated nerves and set the mood right for a dive into our
deeper selves that was yet to come. When like minds get together, an instant
connection forges sans any effort. Right from the start, all the scholars
shared a great rapport. Outlandish as everyone was in speaking, spontaneous
debates and arguments did ensue at times. But these helped us to learn and grow
as a cohort of future leaders. For a leader is after all that ideal blackbody
that absorbs criticism equally with praise and must reflect back everything
positive.
Pravah, a Delhi-based NGO that transforms youth for social
change, took the onus of conducting our leadership workshop. And I feel that
nobody could have done it better than them. It was like back to the classroom,
only that it was anything but that. The activities were so simple in their
outlook and yet every exercise made us discover new facets of ourselves and
foster the leader within us.
The trust fall taught us that sometimes in life, you just
need to let go and take the leap of faith. Plus the mid-air adrenaline rush is
un-matchable! Facing our deep-buried fears and tackling them with our fellows
and facilitators as the best support group anybody could find. Enacting out
apparently crazy stuff and later realising that something as simple as an echolocation
and playing batman can teach us how to evolve into better people. The case
studies and exploring questionnaires prepared by the “pravah” team, though
quite exhaustive to get through, imparted rational wisdom in ways we couldn’t
have fathomed. It was like a looking glass had been handed over to us and we discovered
a new world in ourselves as wonderful as Alice’s wonderland!
Cargill, I happily discovered, despite being a trading
giant, is among the very few insightful corporate houses that takes part in all
its initiatives from the forefront. An institute which has actually initiated
the food security concept in our country way before the government should have.
We had a visit to “Prayas” an NGO and rescued girls’ centre, one of the feeding
partners of Cargill. This helped gain insight into the challenging part of the
community that we as leaders are supposed to build and work with. Interaction with the top Cargill brass and the
rendition of the stories of real-life leaders was enriching beyond measure. Also
I have discovered a guide and friend in my mentor from Cargill who I know will
be a sheet-anchor for me throughout our association.
Finally we were upon that proud moment of actually becoming recipients
of the Cargill global scholarship award. And yes in the Taj! The award ceremony
was picture perfect, and our last-minute skit surprisingly went well and was
applauded. What followed was a volley of camera shots, documentaries and
interviews and with it the metamorphosis of the scholars into celebrities. Only
we know that instead of a red carpet we will build our own carpet of progress and revolution.
Never before had the taste of hard work been so sweet. A fabulous
stay at the most exclusive retreats, took the experience to an overwhelming high.
I cannot thank my lucky stars enough, (if they exist!) for making me a part of
the colourful global tapestry of individuals who believe in being the change
they want to see around them. I’ve taken back a new, insightful version of mine
who is now capable of bravely facing her fears, challenging herself and
believes in her capability of shaping a better and secure future for the world.
This is the dream that has become corporeal, it is here and
it is now!!
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