Common Extraordinaire : Tulsi Shah

"I am brought up with a set of principles...Even if I  run out of money and the criminal comes with a heavy pay check I won't defend him"

Being a lawyer is a no mean task. Law tests your perseverance. It also poses some serious questions to your morality. And sometimes it all gets very serious. Tulsi Shah though enjoys every minute of being a lawyer. Not just law, there are other facets of this young lady. Along with law she devotes her time to an NGO "The Candle Project" where she dons the role of a teacher. Environment is also something which is close to her heart. Dynamic and witty, Tulsi is absolutely proud of what she has achieved and has no regrets.In the following interview she talks in length about her philanthropic life, why she chose law, challenges she faces, books and cartoons. Yeah! She loves Cartoons.     

Q1. What made you to volunteer for The Candle Project?

TS: TCP happened at a time when I was exploring the compassionate side of myself. I applied to many NGOs. There are certain causes for which I care very deeply. Education and environment top the list. Moreover, the idea of being a part of a young team of volunteers with shared passion excited me.

Being Compassionate!

Q2. Apart from this you have also talked a lot about being cautious about environment. Why?

TS: Because I want my grandchildren to have a better future *laughs*.

On a serious note, what you do to the environment is ultimately what you do to yourself. In the words of Darryl Cherney ‘I am not an environmentalist, I am an earth warrior” *laughs*. What we don’t understand is that what we do with nature is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations. I have visited places which define overwhelming beauty, if such a term exists, but the fact that it is a rarity has moved me to a degree that it pains me. It’s about time we take responsibility..

Also when I see a tap running or I see water being wasted there is an indescribable feeling within me. The sound keeps irritating me and I am not even exaggerating. So, it could be the reason.

Earth Warrior!

Q3. Since you are so careful about environment could you tell 3 ways in which we can protect our environment?  

TS: The three R’s. Reuse, Recycle and Reduce. It’s the least we can do.

Q4. Coming to your profession, why law?

TS: I’ll tell you when I know *laughs*. Actually law happened by chance. I still don’t know what prompted me to take up law. 

It is stimulating to your brain. You are just not going to your office and putting in numbers and coming back. Every case is different. Thankfully I have an aptitude for the profession.

A dedicated student of law

Q5. A day in the life of a lawyer?

TS: Ummn.. a typical day would include appearing in the Court, reading, researching, drafting, phone calls and meetings. I know what you are thinking but believe me it’s not as boring as it sounds. I am hoping I will have spectacles in a year or two now. 

Q6. What it takes to be a good lawyer?

TS: Well the recipe is a simple but a long one with a lot of ingredients. Perseverance is the main ingredient. Sprinkle it with research and a dash of creativity. Top it with great oratory and logical thinking and good networking. Serve it with a side dish of quick wit and humor. There, you have a great lawyer! *pauses* ok it’s not a simple recipe but lawyers are called super humans for a reason.

Super humans???

Q7. Your first memory of being in a court room. Jittery?

TS: Oh absolutely! But that was also the first time it sunk in that I belong to the profession.

Q8. Are court rooms as dramatic as shown in our films and TV shows?

TS: *laughs out loud* absolutely not! Let me break it to you, the judge does not bang the hammer to silence the audience (I know I was disappointed as well) and witnesses do not miraculously enter at the time of climax. Hindi movies have kind of ruined it. 

Q9. Any recent high profile case that interested you. Why?

TS:None.

Q10. What is morality for you? Would you ever defend a person you know is a criminal? Would you ever get your hands dirty to achieve success? It happens a lot in your field.

TS:Ah! That is a tough one. I belong to a profession where you might have to make the choice very often. However, I am brought up with a set of principles and I hope to hold on to them. So the answer is in negative. Even if I have run out of money and the criminal comes with a heavy pay check I won't defend him.

Q11. Someone from your field you look up to. Why?

TS:Nobody yet! But I do have an image in my head. An image of myself 20 years older!Thoda zyada ho Gaya nai?

Q12. If not a lawyer, then what?

TS: Well it’s a tie between journalism and archeology.

Q13. One cartoon character that you resonate with a lot or a cartoon character that you would love to be 

TS:ONE? *exclaims shockingly*. I am a 90’s baby. I was born during the golden age of cartoon, how can I possible choose one. Swat Cats taught me you can make a huge difference in your own little ways. Power Puff Girls taught me that girls are as powerful and strong as boys, Scooby Doo taught me that with good friends around there is no mystery or problem that you can’t solve. Captain Planet taught me how important it is to be environmentally conscious and responsible. I learnt that a sworn enemy can turn out to be a friend in the end, just like Tom and Jerry. Dexter taught me that it’s cool to be geeky. Sylvester, tweety and road runner taught me that bad guys never win. Scrooge Mc Duck taught me that greed will take you nowhere. Flintstones taught me that you can lead a happy and fulfilling life without technology. Courage the cowardly dog taught me that it is ok to be afraid. The Adams family taught me that you are not weird, you are just different. Winnie the Pooh taught me to be proud of my flaws and 10 other cartoons taught me 100 other things. These cartoons define my entire childhood. These cartoons were way ahead of their time. I cannot just choose one, I just can’t!  *gets caught in a reverie*

Cartoons way ahead of their time

Q14. Are cartoons good way to improve a child’s imagination or they do more harm than good?

TS:Definitely! One episode of Shin Chan will get a child’s imagination soaring. So don’t be surprised if he comes up with different tricks and pranks to trouble you *laughs* (Just off record, I love Shin Chan but I totally support the ban). However, more than watching I suppose creating a cartoon would get a child’s imagination soaring as it involves storytelling and expressing creativity which is very well the cornerstone of imaginative development.

BIG SHIN CHAN FAN 

Q15. You are an avid reader as well. What does reading mean to you? Kind of books you read.

TS: I don’t seek any inspiration from books. I don’t read to better myself or be a better version of myself. For me books are an escape route from reality. For me it is imperative for a book to tell a story and to resonate with the characters. Anything related to politics, philosophy, drama or tragedy is sure to interest me.

I was about 16 when I read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and fell in love with the book.. so much so that I carried it with me wherever I went for over a year..

A must read

Q16.What is hope for you?

TS:Hope…. Hmnnn…hope is waiting for those extra five minutes for the bus before taking the taxi. *laughs*

Q17. What for you is success and failure?

TS:Well success for me would be…*thinks* I actually don’t know. I really really don’t know. I suppose the definition for success keeps evolving and changing with every passing moment and with every situation. At this moment success would be getting myself to start exercising *covers her face*. On the contrary I have always had a definition for failure. Failure for me would be taking the decision of not getting up when life knocks you down.

Q18. An advice you would give to your younger self.

TS:No advice. My mistakes and decisions have shaped me into the person I am today and I am proud of it! But if time machine were a reality I would go back in time and tell my younger self “trust me, you do not want to grow up! But don’t worry, you will be just fine!”

Growing up..everything will be just fine

Q19. A message that you want to send out to world.

TS:Keeping in mind the recent developments around the world, an old saying that every person knows but few put into practice: LIVE and LET LIVE. 

"The greatest success we'll know is helping 

others succeed and grow " ~ Gregory Scott Reid 

Common Extraordinaire : Sheetal Bhanushali

                                                  “ No shame in being a dropout”

Dropping out from a professional course is often considered a matter of shame in our society.  A chance gone begging future starts looking bleak. The one who has dropped out is given a tag of a failure. All this is more significant when the professional course in “Engineering”.  Engineering promises money and a secured future in most cases, agreed, but not in all. There are a few individuals who even after dropping out of engineering have made a decent life for themselves. They are now living a life of their dreams and are happy in what they are doing. It is all about knowing where your interests lie, exploring your talents and believing in yourself. There are many such examples. And a certain Sheetal Bhanushali is one of them. A freelancer, she does everything from being a speech and drama teacher to script writing. In the following interview she discusses everything from freelancing to her take on NGOs to significance of dance in her life.

Q1. “A medieval mercenary.” Is what Google threw one of the definitions of freelancing. What is your take on freelancing? Are you a mercenary as well?

SB: Freelancing, according to me, is something that gives you the power to do things at your own pace. The way you want things. You get to pick and choose your battles.

Q2. How did you get into freelancing? What all do you do as a freelancer?

SB: I have never liked the idea of 9 to 5 jobs. The offices and corporate world make me feel trapped. And I always knew I wouldn’t be at peace if I followed what others around me were doing. This is why I chose to be a freelancer. Currently, I am a freelance speech and drama teacher, script writer and translator. I used to be a freelance dance teacher as well.

Q3. What is the most exciting aspect of being a teacher?

SB: There are a lot of aspects about being a teacher that give you immense joy. The first and most important being children. I have always liked the company of children and I believe children like my company as well. That is why I get a good response from them. The energy that they pass on to you is beyond words. I am never gloomy when I’m around a child. That is the most beautiful part.

Being a teacher is also a great responsibility. In some way or the other, you get to shape lives which are going to shape the future of a huge nation. I am not saying that I impact each and every child that I teach, but even if one or two out of a 100 that I teach go and create an impact, that is more than enough for me. It is a successful day for me if at least one child gets to learn something new or something different because of me in a class.

Being a teacher

Q4. Kids are an integral part of your work. How does it feel like working with kids? Do you yourself become a kid at times?

SB: Of course, people have told me that I should “adult up” a little. I, honestly, don’t give a damn! Yes, kids kind of pass on that energy to you. It is warm and happy and joyful. So, you tend to become an easy going person, in general, when you have been around kids for a long time. All my work revolves around children, be it scripts or teaching. So yes, you do become a child, and I am that way most of the times.

Grow -up! Absolutely not! 

Q5.You are passionate about dance. How many types of dance forms do you know? Which is your favorite?

SB: I have learnt quite a few dance forms. Modern contemporary is an all-time favorite. Indian classical dances, especially Bharatanatyam, is equally special. Other than these, I have learnt classical ballet martial arts dance forms like Kalripayattu, a little bit of belly dancing, jazz, hip hop. Dancing gives me freedom of expression. I can say I find my happy place when I am dancing.

Q6. Things that dance teaches us.

SB: Dance can actually completely change you as a person. You learn to be disciplined when you are dancing because classical dance forms require rigorous practice and following the set rules. Then, again, there are dance forms which give you the freedom of movement. That’s when you learn to express yourself through your body. Music gets incorporated. Life kind of gets a rhythm because you start to think about things and look at them more creatively. You learn to trust yourself and others when you do repertoires that involve partner work. So yeah... creativity, rhythm, discipline, trust…is what you learn. Also, you learn to create things on your own and plan them well. Planning is one big lesson that dance has taught me.

Dance is her way of leading life

Q7. “Engineering Dropout”. You wear this as a badge of honor. How did this happen?

SB: Engineering happened, I would say, just because I got 147 marks in math out of 150 in my board exams. “Good marks in Maths! Tumhe toh engineer banna chahiye”. So it was, basically, the “follow the herd” mentality that led me to try engineering.

In the first month itself I realized it was not for me. Often, I would reach the college gate, wait and look up, and think about going back home. There was nothing dynamic that was happening in my mind when I went to that place. Anyway, I continued. I failed the exams. I thought never mind, I’ll try. But trying comes when you are passionate about something. And I was not. So I never tried and never cleared my exams. I decided then that I needed to quit this and do something more satisfying. I have no shame in being a dropout. It was just a learning experience so I can write a book on what not to do (in engineering). *winks*

No shame in being a dropout

Q8. After dropping out from Engineering, you studied Psychology. Why? How did it help in your career?

SB: I have always been interested in this subject (Psychology) but never took it very seriously, thinking again, about the subject’s scope in India. But when I decided to drop out of college, I thought why not! This could be a chance to learn something that has always intrigued me. That’s how I enrolled myself for this course. I chose it because I love it.

It is children that I deal with. And all of them come from families with varied backgrounds. Psychology helps me to understand their behavior and needs, and design my sessions accordingly.

Also, it is an unfortunate thing to see that schools and parents these days hardly focus on the emotional development of the child. I believe emotional intelligence and values like empathy need to be developed in each and every child because that is what shapes their character and can make them better citizens of the world.

Student of Psychology-Looks affirms the facts 

Q9.For a year you volunteered for an NGO “The Candle Project”. Could you summarize your experience?

SB: The Candle Project has been a very special part of my life and I have cherished every visit. Summarizing entire experience would be very difficult because there are a lot of things that I have learnt, there are things that I have shared with other volunteers and children, and there are things that they have taught me as well.

Q10. Could you be specific about what the children and volunteers have taught you?

SB:  Children majorly teach you patience and understanding. And sometimes, when the kids start sharing their problems and life stories, you get attached to them. When that happens at a personal level, you kind of help them open up and understand themselves better. And in that process, you get to learn new things about yourself and also to value what you have. So, it was a give and take relation that I had with the children at TCP.

With the volunteers, they come from various walks of life. Entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, bankers. You have them all. It’s interesting to see how different professionals think and behave when they come together for the same cause. It would not be possible for one person to do all this on his or her own. Be it curriculum or how to get the classes working or organizing trips for the children, those minds come out with unimaginable solutions every time. It was one dynamic room full of ideas where we’d have our discussions post class.

Volunteering : A life changing experience 

Q11. How important are NGOs in developing our societies and our nation at large? Or have they become a money minting business?

SB: I think NGOs, if they do their jobs well, can bring massive change to the place. Of course we do have NGOs those who are just trying to mint money or doing their CSR work. But you cannot put each NGO into that frame. There are people who are really striving hard to bring in that difference and you can’t take them lightly. Finding the genuine ones and working with them and for them is something we need to do as a nation to bring about the desired change.

Q12. Reading is also something you do religiously. What role does a book play in your life? What kind of books you read?

SB:  I was not an avid reader when I was a kid, reading happened to me as years passed by and that is when I realized that reading gives you a different space to be someone else or experience someone else’s life through your imagination. Each book will be read differently by different people. So, reading gives you an opportunity to explore without limits. That is exactly how I developed my passion for reading.

Kind of books I prefer to read these days are biographies and memoirs but there is no specific genre that I prefer. I like to keep my plate too full when it comes to books.

Q13. How do you define “Creativity”?

SB:  Creativity cannot be defined as such. Google is going to give you definition of course. But it means different to different people. For me, it is trying to do something that is never done before, coming up with new ideas, trying to do things differently.

Q14. Is creativity an innate thing or can it be groomed in kids as well. What does your experience with kids tell you?

SB: At an early age, children are still learning from their environment. They are like soft clay, waiting to get molded. Yes, creativity can be groomed into children. There are creative geniuses who don’t need all that grooming. It comes to them naturally. But I have also seen children, who are very shy, blossom beautifully. And in a year or two they start giving out speeches, earning medals and awards. With time, they tend to become more creative and confident of their work. So, grooming can change a child. It does help.

Yes she is creative

Q15. How do you define “Passion”?

SB: My definition of Passion would be something that drives you to do things irrespective of how tired you are, how drained you are, or how lost you feel. You would still want to keep going at it anyway.

Q16. An advice that you would give to your younger self?

SB: I have an anxious mind. So, I would ask my younger self to relax a little. Everything is going to be alright and things are not as complex as you think of them to be. Most importantly, make your decisions wisely and seek help if you need it. Believe in yourself. “Slow and steady wins the race” holds true in my case.

Q17. A message that you want to send out to the world.    

SB: Have faith in your dreams and work hard towards achieving them. You will eventually get there. Hard work has the power to achieve things that even genius cannot.

 

Dreaming hard and believing! 

Being Teacher 

My mother is a teacher. Although, she is now leading a retired life but the art of teaching still has not abated her.  Doing household chores is mundane for her and she still plans to pursue her lifelong passion of teaching. “A mother is a child’s first teacher”, it is said. So, in my case this stands doubly true. Having a few “teaching” genes and seeing life of a teacher at close quarters, I have developed immense respect for teachers. All teachers, kindergarten to college professors, deserve a pat on the back. For me, they have picked up the noblest of professions.  In being a teacher they enlighten a life. In being a teacher they bridge the gap between dreams and reality. In being a teacher they are an inspiration to someone.

A teacher can do worlds of good to his student.  A student can rise from nothingness and achieve great heights of success if he is blessed with a great teacher.  From learning the basics of a subject to starting to construct his future, teacher plays a pivotal role in every stage of his student’s life. As Philip Wylie rightly says “One good teacher in a lifetime may sometimes change delinquent into a solid citizen”.

I have been a teacher for some time now. Being a volunteer at an NGO “The Candle Project” I am expected to teach English to some of the less fortunate kids of our society. I may not be a teacher by profession but the students of my class make me feel no less than a college professor. The respect my pupils has for me is reflected in their mannerism. Obeying my instructions, mutual respect for classmates, and a desire to learn is now drilled in their persona. On my part, I always enter my class with a sense of responsibility. Never in the past 20 months have I felt that responsibility as a burden. I enjoy my class. Those 4 hours are probably the most beautiful hours of my week. That feeling when I am able to solve a problem for someone from my class can just not be put in words. Right form teaching my kids niche of English grammar to explaining the mysteries of extra-terrestrial life,everything is discussed.  It is the heart to heart connection between me and my students that makes me wait for my class all through the week.

I treat my class as a social laboratory .Each week there is a different experiment to be performed. My students and I being the subjects. At times the experiment is about how to communicate well, while at other times it is about how well silence can be maintained within the four walls of the classroom. At the end,it is not only the kids who learn  but I too benefit  from the process by learning something new each time.

Like every other teacher I  want my students to learn their subjects well and have good grades. But I expect something else from my students as well. I want them to develop the ability to make good use of the space between the ears. I want them to grow into individuals who can think. Ability to think rationally takes you distance. We might have had a proper schooling, but if we are not rational we haven’t achieved much in life.  I want them to learn how to handle the small keys of life. The keys that open big doors of opportunity. Being a passionate about sports, “Never say die” is part of my psyche and I want my pupils to follow the suit. I want my kids to learn to stand for themselves and to have faith in their dreams. Also I want them to never stop learning, because the day you stop learning is the day to stop to grow.

In achieving my desired goals I try all sorts of things. I try to be soft. I try to be strict.  I sometimes be funny, I sometimes become all serious.  I am still learning the algebra of being a perfect teacher. I still don’t know what the exact formula of being a good teacher is. 1+1=2, is what I have learnt so far as I pursue to master dx/dt.

At the end of it all,if a kid remembers me  for the  grammar I taught  her, if a kid remembers me for the time I consoled him when he was all in tears , kid remembers me for the time I made them laugh and they remember me  for time we spent together in the class,I will then believe then that I did my part. I would be a happy and content man that day.

Prakhar Sachdeo