Challenges in life are inevitable,

To be defeated by them is optional.

An epitome of  beauty, confidence and courage…her charm is irresistible, she carries herself with utmost elegance and poise. She instils her positivity in every individual who comes across her. Now the big question – How often do you come across a 75 year young lady who gets you to ponder when it comes to living your life to the fullest. So this time, I have the privilege to unfurl the story extraordinaire of this charming lady –  Kusum Puri, whom people refer to as Maharani Gayatri Devi and Indira Gandhi.

Life was never a bed of roses for Kusum. Born in the pre independence era, on 30th March, in Dehradun, she had a happy childhood .Her father used to work with the Britishers, thus giving her a very modern upbringing. An exceptionally talented child – good at dance, playing musical instruments, athletics alongside being an excellent NCC cadet. Her childhood was no less than a fairy tale. She got married at an early age and her life thereafter took a 360 degree turn.

As destiny would have willed, she had to face lots of turbulances in her life. Making her own identity to sustain herself was now her necessity  and so, she decided to learn the art of makeup for her living. There were not enough options in those days where one could master this art  So, she decided to go to Delhi for the course. Now rose the  biggest challenge, to arrange for her course fee. And having a not give up attitude, she decided to sell her jewellery for the same. Reminiscing her days in Delhi then, she laments sharing a small room with another roommate and eating just guavas for  breakfast, lunch and dinner. She would be back to Ajmer on weekends to manage her kids ensuring all their needs were very well taken care of.

She whole heartedly pursued her training and launched Rajasthan’s first beauty parlour – Mod Mona Lisa on 4th March 1977. She left no stone unturned to have  her business attain great heights and raising her children in the best possible way. This had her sons acquire academic excellence from Manchester and Paris, which just proves her mettle in giving them her best under unfavourable circumstances. She lived her life on her terms and paved her way to success. Life gave her stumbling blocks and she turned them into stepping stones. “I just had a couple of suits to wear, so I decided to wear everything in white, so that nobody could make out my repeated clothes. Today it has become my style statement”, she says.

But this was not all. More trying times lay ahead, but she overcame them all only to come out victorious every time She was diagnosed with breast cancer. But being a fighter, she fought this battle too with  full might. She underwent numerous surgeries aftr that. She  defeated the disease and was soon declared cancer free. “Your friends, your relatives will leave you one day or the other, but these ailments are going to stay forever, so let’s embrace them. This will make life easier to lead.” says she.

A roller coaster life, her experiences have been such that she learnt to take charge of everything that happened to her. For the marriage of her two sons, she literally had them tie the nuptial knot taking just “sava rupaiyaa”, from the bride’s parents. Her life speaks volumes about her brevity and courage, setting an example for each one of us. Hurdles are bound to come, but how we face them, makes all the difference. Today at 75 while striding down her past, she feels indebted to all the pitfalls that made her stumble, and carved her into a super strong woman that she is. She feels proud of her sons Vikramjeet  Dhamija who is running two successful educational institutes(OPTION) in Dubai along with his wife and Vish Dhamija who is a well known Author and writes thrillers,and lives in London. His recent novel “MOGUL” claimd best crime thriller 2019 award,at Gurgaon Literature Festival. Despite all, she loves her independence and stays in Ajmer, with her adopted daughter, Reena, whom she adores. She considers daughters precious and thus she filled that void of not having a daughter by adopting one. Now she spends her time doing everything she loves – cooking, listening to Jagjit Singh ghazals and motivating everyone she meets. She is Strength and Positivity personified. Often she keeps on reciting a couplet that describes her completely.

“ख़़ुदी को कर बुलंद इतना के हर तकदीर से पहले ,

खुदा बन्दे से खुद पूछे बता तेरी रज़ा क्या है ।”

She is both, hellfire and holy water. And the flavor you taste depends on how you treat her.

Whenever we meet new people, they influence us in some or the other way. Some have a pleasing personality, some have gab of tongue, and some have explicit fashion sense. But rarely do we meet such people who inspire us to be like them. They motivate us, we get a different view point altogether after  meeting them, their experiences, their wisdom all inspire us and we wish to be like them.

Such was the impact of Miss Priyanka, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ajmer. She is a rare combination of a fierce soul, a brave heart and a strong mind. Born on 10^th of July in Jaipur, she is the second female child to her parents, out of the three siblings. Back in those times it was considered a bane to have two daughters; her grand mom was no different. But later an uncle of hers told her father not to worry about this daughter of theirs; he said, “She is going to be like Indira Gandhi one day”. Today she is in a spot where every action of hers is a befitting reply to all those pointed fingers which were raised back then, when she was born.

She spent a happy childhood, but discipline was a part of her life since then. Her parents made sure that their children realized the fact that nothing can ever be achieved without having a disciplined life. She remembers that for everything they had a fixed time , be it games ,studies and even eating time  was always fixed and each one in the family had to abide by the set norms. She was hugely influenced by her mother during her early childhood days. Though her mother was educated till 10^th only, she made it sure her children learn and explore , whatever she had missed in her own life. This laid the foundation of Priyanka’s multifaceted personality. She adds “none of my school vacations would go in vain; we had to learn something or the other during those two months”. As a result today she is a trained Kathak dancer, talented painter and has won Governor’s award for her paintings. She also happens to be an exceptional orator and has won National level debate competitions. She also adds that they were raised in such a way that all three of them could survive in any circumstance. Be it a modern urban setup or a rural backdrop. Her mother always laid stress on teaching them all the household chores, so that they could survive in any given situation. This is why she believes that no matter how successful one gets in life, doing one’s own work is never a burden, rather its basic life skill which is a must for every individual to learn.

As a student she was a topper and won gold medal in her masters(Zoology). At a very young age she cleared NET and SLAT, and went on to become a lecturer in ICG, Jaipur. Soon she was the head of the zoology department in the same institute. Life was going smooth for her when her IAS father expressed his desire to see her in administrative service. As a dutiful daughter she appeared for RAS exam in 2007 for the first time, but could only make it up for the post of tehsildar. Her father knew she had a better caliber, so he inspired her to give it another try. It was in 2012 ,that she got selected for RPS .Though it was a tough call for the whole family as this job was very challenging and demanding, both on physical as well as professional front. Here again it was her mother who convinced her father to let her go and face the challenges. After being in the field of education for around 8-9 years, challenges were extreme for her. A year long training, which every officer has to undergo before being posted, was quite tough for her. Often she broke while those training days. But it was her mother who motivated her and instilled that fire in her to rise up to the occasion, whenever she found herself standing at a dead end.

After successfully completing her training and probation period, her first posting was in Alwar which is supposed to be the crime capital of Rajasthan. Witnessing all the violence and bloodshed was not at all a pleasant sight for a new officer in her very first posting. But as the saying goes “Rise above the storm and you will see sunshine”, Priyanka did the same. Her will to prove herself in this male dominating profession drove her to do her best. She was honored with Alwar Ratna  and Zee Award for her exceptional work during her tenure in Alwar. Currently she is posted as Deputy Superintendent of Police in Ajmer.

With her head held high, Priyanka has her feet grounded in the roots of her humility and simplicity. She says “I have learnt from my father that people know you because of the chair that you are seated upon, and it is bound to go one day. People remember you for the work that you do, not for the post that you have held”. When asked about gender equality in her department, she adds that no profession is gender based. It’s just that one needs to prove his/her mettle, to gain respect .No one can hide behind the veil of feminism, and shy away from their responsibilities. Rather she thinks that women are the best people when it comes to compassion, patience, and good public dealing skills, which is a must in her profession.

She goes on to say that in present times the responsibility of police officers has increased since now it has become their duty to teach morality to people, which was not the case 20 years back. Boys would know that if they indulge in eve teasing, their own people would teach them a lesson before any policeman comes into picture. But these days moral values have gone down and thus now police has to deal with these cases as well. Teaching moral values should always begin from one’s home. Also she believes that people have a pre conceived notion about policemen. They are often considered corrupt and brutal, which is not at all true. She thinks it’s important to treat them with compassion and respect that they deserve.

Priyanka is a trained cook and loves cooking, and calling over her friends whenever she gets some free time for her busy schedule. She is a perfect blend of modern independent woman, who is successful, yet grounded. She believes it’s not necessary to do extraordinary things in life; rather it’s wiser to do small things in an extraordinary way to leave a mark. Her life and her head work remind me of famous Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s poem, which says…

“Asafalta ek chunauti hai ,sweekar karo

 Kya kami reh gayi,dekho aur sudhar karo

Jab tak na safal ho,neend chain ko tyago tum

Sangharsh ka maidan chod mat bhago tum

Kuch kiye bina hi jai jaikar nahin hoti

Koshish karne walon ki haar nahin hoti”

Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.

Her destiny was taking her into a direction, which she had never ever thought of. Mrs. Ritu Bansal, owner Saanchi Boutique, has become a synonym of boutique culture in Ajmer.

Born on 25^th August in Ajmer, to a typically orthodox Marwari family. Her father was pro girl child education and independence; she did her schooling and college from Sophia school and then Sophia College respectively. She wanted to make her carrier in the field of education, but as it happens in most of the Indian households, she got married to Mr. Rajesh Bansal in 1997, a businessman from Ajmer. Her new family believed in the concept of “humare ghar ki bahu ,bahar kaam karne nahi jayegi”…and thus, she settled herself within the realm of her family. It was in 1999 that her daughter, Archana, came into her life .

Life has its own way of taking you to your destination. Her husband faced heavy loss in his business and had to wind up everything in Ajmer .They both moved to Ichalkaranji, to start afresh .Their  he started dealing in yarns , but only to return back to Ajmer, since even this business was not yielding ,enough profits to them. Situation now was going from bad to worse. Something had to be done to earn a living, but with limited recourses left in hand, they were not left with many options. They had to start earning but also had to invest wisely into a new venture, so that this time they do not lose whatever they were left with.

In the year 2000, Mr. Rajesh Bansal started a boutique by the name of “Suruchi”. The whole concept of boutique was quite new in those days, in a small town like Ajmer. Things went well this time…but Ritu ji was still not allowed to join in .Since they were doing well and now wanted to expand and reach a larger section of people, they shifted their store and opened a new outlet in a posh locality. Suruchi was now renamed as “Saanchi Boutique”. Now they wanted a qualified designer. Ritu ji was now sure that this is the right time and opportunity for her to grab. She went to Delhi along with her daughter to do a diploma course in designing, for a year from International Institute Of Fashion Technology(IIFT).She joined her husband soon  after completing her diploma .Since then there has been no looking back for her.

Along with the boutique she took a franchise of IIft, and started her designing school in Ajmer .She served as the MD of this institute for ten long years. Her day and nights were all spent in making Sanchi ,what it is today. She used to bring her daughter along to the boutique, so that she could keep an eye on her little prankster. It is under her creative guidance only that Saanchi today not only has pan India clientele but also caters to the needs of its clients in the US and  Middle Eastern countries. Saanchi has designed dresses for some of the top models and actors of the entertainment industry. She also organizes fashion shows to showcase her dresses and also the upcoming talent of her students. She has not only won hearts of Ajmerites but has won best dress designing award by Grihshobha magazine for three consecutive years.

All women have their children as the centre of their gravity…Ritu ji feels that she stole a lot of her child’s time and gave it to her work. But I think we have to stop being apologetic for being successful. We all need to learn to enjoy and take credit for our hard earned success. She at times feels her daughter felt neglected. If asked today, I am sure her daughter, Archana must be proud of her mother’s achievements.

Life was not yet done with her trials. It was in 2016 that fire broke out in her store, on the Diwali night. Her years of hard work, crumbled down in front of her eyes. This was a major blow for her professionally. Personally also she had to face tough times when her husband was diagnosed with a clot in his brain , the same year. He lost his memory and was also partially paralyzed. As said “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”. She took this challenge up with a brave heart. She managed all her finances and her personal turbulences with great dignity and courage. With God’s grace Mr. Bansal is now all hail and hardy after undergoing a major brain surgery. Ritu ji again with her hard work and perseverance has managed to bring back her boutique on the track of success…and I wish she succeeds way beyond her prior success. She has recently started her events business as well by the name of “Saanchi Events”..

Today when she looks back, and analyses her journey, she feels contended and says that she nurtured her boutique like her second baby. It was because of her being busy in her work, that she never planned a second child. But she has no regrets. She is a creative genius but works equally hard to match it up with her sweat and blood. She leaves no stone unturned to make sure her client gets what they want.

I am sure today she must be proud of herself. Her journey inspires others to rise again and again after being pulled down by life. Her grit to bounce back is what we all need to learn from her.

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or  usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset sky”

She remembered who she was and the game changed

We have all heard that famous dialogue of a famous Shahrukh khan movie which says “don’t underestimate the power of a common man” In this story it would be apt to say that don’t underestimate the power of a common woman.

Listening to her story I went on a full roller coaster ride,just like while   we watch a movie, we go through an emotional journey along with the protagonist. Her life story is just the same…it has it all love, family, tragedy, tough times and finally a heroic conquest over life’s turmoil to come out as a winner.

I am talking about Mrs. Kishori Sharma. She is a successful entrepreneur today but life has not been easy on her always. Born on 9^th August, 1968 in a famous business family of Ajmer (Choyal World Class Grinding Solutions). They are four sisters and two brothers. She was  very close to her uncle, and lived with him in Nava, a small village near Kuchaman, since they had no children. She did her schooling from there till 3^rdstandard, and later was sent back to Ajmer. This shift from a completely rural backdrop to an urban society was never going to be easy for her. She was sent to Sophia school where the rest of her sisters used to study. Since she had been living in a small village, she could only communicate in Marwari, and here she was sitting amidst a class which was expected to talk only in English. Going to school was turning into a nightmare for her. She soon started acting out to avoid her school and esp. her English classes. Sister Rohini ,who was a teacher in Sophia, noticed her awkwardness in school. She soon found out the problem and started teaching her personally. With her hard work and determination to prove her peers wrong, who used to make fun of her,…she soon started topping her class and went on to become school president later in class 10^th.She did masters in political science.

Right after her PG Kishori ji tied knots with Mr. Sitaram Sharma, of Jaipur on 21^st June, 1991.He was a businessman and operated his marble business from Kankroli, near Udaipur. Her happiness knew no bounds when her children Anirudh and Ayushi came into her life. She had everything a loving husband, two lovely kids and a loving family. This was all she could ask for in her life.

Uncertainty of life was soon going to hit her hard, right into her face. Once when she was travelling from Jaipur to Kankroli , her bus met with an accident. Seeing people soiled in blood and dying made a strong impact on her mind and she suffered from mild depression, but only to recover quite soon. Exactly after a year, she witnessed a similar accident; it was like a sense of déjà vu for her. Depression bounced back, this time she took a little longer to come to terms with reality. She was on regular medication. Life had no plans to stop here, it was adamant to put her into tougher situations. Her husband who was her biggest support system while battling depression, was diagnosed with a rare form of brain tumor in 2001.Though he was operated upon soon after his diagnosis, his left body became paralyzed. He was now completely on bed .Seeing her husband in this condition came as a shock to her. Still, she gathered her courage, devoted all her time and energy in serving her husband. It was now her turn to reciprocate all the love and affection that he had given her in her bad times. She as a dutiful wife took great care of her ailing husband. Her absence made him restless, so she confined herself to their room for the next six years to come. Finally the day came, when they both had to bid adieu to each other. Mr. Sharma died in 2006.

She could just not come to terms with this great loss. She failed to gather herself yet again to continue her life with normalcy. This time her loss was far too gross. Depression now reanimated itself like a monster, and engulfed her to such an extent that doctors suggested to admit her to an asylum. Her parents brought her back to Ajmer for medical reasons. She started dreading everything around her. Repeated convulsions on seeing even a leaf fall would leave her unconscious and would aggravate her condition even more. This phase went on for over a year. She has a very vague memory of that one year span. With proper medical assistance and unending love and care of her family, she started showing some signs of improvement. Even doctors were surprised to see her heading towards a normal life, after such mammoth depression, for them it was no less than a medical miracle. It was now very important to keep her away from any negative shadows of her past. So, only to keep her occupied her brothers suggested her to get back to embroidery, which was her hobby once. She had even won a national level embroidery competition. She started designing and selling her hand embroided bed sheets .This not only kept her occupied but also gave her a sense of independence.

She once was taking an embroidery class, in a summer camp organized for the less privileged women of her community. Here she noticed the amount of talent that these ladies had, but they were not properly trained to become financially independent. As it is rightly said that strong women build each other up, instead of tearing each other. She laid the foundation of Shri Vishvakarma Mahila Udyog(SVMU)on 22^nd October,2012.Her sole motive was to make  women  financially independent. Nothing ever happened to her with ease. Opening and running this center was also not going to be a cake walk. She succeeded on the heels of failure. Now her biggest challenge was to convince those women to join her. She used to go door to door expecting them to join her centre. All her efforts seem to be going in vain. She would  sit all alone in her centre expecting someone to join her in her endeavors. One fine day an old lady was moved to the core when she saw her sitting all alone in the scorching heat of June , expecting someone to join her. This is how she managed to find her first colleague. Slowly others followed. kishori ji appointed a professional tailor to train these ladies. They initially started with stitching petticoats, which they used to pick and drop for 2 rupees per piece. It is from the darkest trials, that one earns success. Now SVMU caters to all the stitching needs of its customers. Be it a designer dress or a potli bag, a sofa cover or a sanitary pad pouch, they stitch it all. She has been showcasing her products in several leading exhibitions. Her centre is like her second home and all the ladies who work there is now her family. She finds solace, in solving problems of each member of her family, be it emotional or financial. And when we bring happiness in others life, we are bound to receive it in return. It’s a matter of pride for her that after going through such severe medical condition, she has now touched the zenith, and doesn’t take a single pill now for depression.

Her office when I entered was full of acclaims in the form of awards and certificates. But when asked, she very humbly said that she feels awkward talking about those awards. The list of these awards is as follows:

• Jyotsna Sanskar  Award
•  Award by Manav Adhikar Samiti.
• Ajmer Ratna Award
• Prithviraj Foundation Award.

.Award from Nari Shakti Sangathan.

And the list is quite long…(but I could manage to pull out some names)

Her life now revolves around her centre and her family. She feels blessed to have such wonderful brothers, such supportive sisters in law..Such loving kids who were by her side during her darkest phase. “I am Devki to my son, but my bhabhis are Yashoda to him”, she adds, as he was born on Krishna Janamashtami. Her son has now completed his graduation and her daughter has done her graduation from LSR(Lady Shri Ram College for Women).

Kishori ji’s dream is to take her centre to great heights. She doesn’t take a penny from the earnings of this centre, rather the electricity, water and other expenses are taken care of by the trust which is run by her family. She also feels for those who suffer from depression. Infact she got ready to share her story with me only to spread awareness about this monster, which is nowadays becoming an epidemic. She feels that along with proper medical assistance, family plays a key role in combating depression.

She has set an example for all those who cry over petty things; over injustice that life has done with them. She epitomizes the fact that no matter how difficult a situation is, it is our job to rise above those difficulties and keep on walking towards a better tomorrow. She is fierce, strong willed and yet so subtle….a rare combination to find .Isn’t it?

“ Hazaron uljhanein  rahon mein aur, Koshishein behisaab.

 Isi ka naam hai zindagi, chalet rahiye janaab.”

Disability is the inability to see ability in others…

I recently visited “Apna Ghar” School, which is a school for differently abled children, with flying birds team.It was during this visit that a thought struck my mind…why at all do we call them differently abled? Are they different from “us”? “Us” here refers to those who think they are physically perfect.Is there anyone on the face of this planet who is perfect. For instance, if we call a child who cannot speak, “mute”, then what would you refer to a person who doesn’t stand for his rights? Or anyone who cannot see is termed “blind”, then what about those who hurt and kill others knowingly. Aren’t they also blind and deaf towards others’ suffering?

Nobody is born perfect. None of us are same.We are all uniquely different from one another.So in what way are these children “different”? Infact, we all

are different and have qualities which set us poles apart.

God never takes away anything from us without replacing it with something better. Am now referring to the abilities and talent that these children possess.As it is said “Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision”, these children have it all…talent, grit, determination and passion. All they demand from us is an equal and fair chance. If provided with an appropriate opportunity, they will surely come out with flying colours, as beautiful singers, amazing painters, graceful dancers, confident performers and what not.

It’s high time that we as a societylearn to accept them as part of us.In a country where approx 2.6  crore people suffer with some or the other disability,we cannot go too far leaving them behind. We need to build an all inclusive society – A society which walks hand in hand with all its fellow men.Applauding a movie like “TaareZameen Par” and then coming back home only to pity or discriminate  such children does not justify our behavior. Lets enable them to live a life of equality with their heads held high.

If at all we need to categorize people, then let it be on the basis of their merit, their compassion and their love for every little soul around them. We, as a nation, should thrive for building up a society that embraces all…after all we have been taught and brought up with the concept of “वसुधैव कुटुंबकम् ”. So let’s reach out and hold every single hand in need, take them along towards a better life, a bright tomorrow as William Shakespeare said, “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”

Know that you can start late,

Look different,

Be uncertain, And Still Succeed…….

Today, I am glad to introduce you to a woman who is a super successful entrepreneur and has broken all the conventional norms set by the society for women who choose their family and kids over their careers.

It is none other than Nisha Jalori who is a perfect blend of modern sophistication with traditional values. Born on the 6^th of May in Ajmer,she has two elder brothers and a younger sister. She did her schooling from St. Mary’s Convent,and thereafter her graduation from Sophia College, Ajmer. She considers herself lucky to have had progressive parents,who never pulled her back from doing anything that she excelled at.Not only an all-rounder and an excellent student all through her academic years,she was also a great orator, writer and an actor as well –  a confident young girl who was always on stage, either performing in a skit,dance or delivering her views in a debate.

She topped the Rajasthan state boards and won “The National Award for  Academic Excellence”.Later she also bagged the “Purushottam Award” for topping the Rajasthan University.

She was 20 when her parents had her nuptial knot tied to Er. Sunil Jalori,a very well read and knowledgeable businessman from Ajmer.As it happens,she happily settled herself into the role of a dutiful daughter in law and a loving wife.Later,when her two sons tip – toed into her life,she very organically slipped into the role of a caring mother.She takes immense pride in saying that she has raised her sons into two diligent young men.

Her elder son Saurabh Jalori,and his wife Namitha, are settled in the US,after doing their double PG from MIT(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Columbia University respectively. Saurabh is an environmental designer and has now turned into a real estate developer. Namitha is an urban designer who has also now ventured into real estate development.

Her younger son,Kshitij Jalori,who did textile designing from NIFT, Delhi,now owns his eponymous label. Prior to his label launch, he had an opportunity to work with some of the stalwarts of the fashion industry… naming Sabyasachi, Rita Kapoor Chishty,Pero,Fab India,Dastkar, Shades of India etc. and now, has not only Bollywood celebs but also Oprah Winfrey feature in his designed ensemble. He is now married to Bhavika,who also happens to be a textile designer and is presently working with Satya Paul.

Up until now, her story seems like that of a common housewife,who dedicates her entire energy and time to her family.But destiny had some other plans for her.Soon after her children left home at an early age to pursue their studies, she was left totally shattered and broken with almost nothing to do.Had it been without engaging herself in social events,she would have easily slipped into depression.Her husband sensed this and started engaging her in cultural events,which he was entrusted to organise. Later she joined Kala Ankur, an NGO,that promotes fine and performing arts.Here she worked as the General Secretary, President and is currently an advisor to this organization. She is also Patron to the Ajmer Ladies Club. Being in Kala Ankur, she mastered the craft of managing artists and gained experience of organizing cultural events. Her work slowly got recognition. Gradually her family and friends started approaching  her to organize similar events in their family functions.

It is very rightly said that one must always stay curious; your passion might just become your new career.And she was no exception.Her passion slowly turned  into her career and she then started doing “Artist Management”. Her passion for music and dance,her hard work and a little bit of her magical touch made her climb the ladder of success.

Today she has her client base all over the world. Some of her biggest events are not only for big fat weddings, but also others to her credit include –

• First Call to Action Global Summit, New Delhi.
• WHO Conference.
• Lakme Fashion Week.
• Rajasthan Diwas , Jaipur.
• Kumbhalgarh Fest.
• Pushkar Festival.
• Event organized to celebrate the completion of two year tenure of Vasundhara Raje government.
• Odyssey dance show and workshop at Osaka, Japan.
• Product launch at Kathmandu ,Nepal.
• Yamaha launch.
• Pepsico Conference.
• INS Shivaji, Lonavala.

• Samsonite event, Nashik

She has had the privilege of working with some of the bigwigs of the event industry  in the country. Some of them are-

• Devika  Narain
• Ferns and Petals, Delhi.
• Dreams Kraft.
• Showbiz, Mumbai
• Go Bananas, Ahmedabad.
• Event Tokree, Ravmek Events, Lagan Mandap, P5Creations, Jaipur.
• Raghvendra Rathore.

The list thus goes on and on, not forgetting to mention her show for an event company from London, Fait Accompli.

Her desire to work and excel has reached another level, as she has now ventured into Wedding Planning and has officially launched her event  company by the name of “Nisha Jalori Events.” Kshitij looks after the aesthetic part of the Wedding, be it card design, space design, wedding giveaways etc. while she is in charge of the entertainment ,management and co-ordination.

 Mrs Nisha Jalori is a wonderful example for all those who think, that if your career doesn’t happen till a particular age, the doors of success would probably remain closed for you for the rest of your life.

She is a gem of a person, and believe me, when I say that, I am not at all exaggerating in any way. She while talking about her success said something which would always resonate in my mind. “All my four children and my husband, are my biggest pillars of strength”, she said. By saying so, she was referring to her two sons and her two daughters (daughter in laws, as she refuses to address them by this name). How many of us have come across such wonderful mothers (mother in law; as now I refuse to  address her thus).This statement, however simple it may sound, reflects how close this bond is between a mother and her two daughters.

Though she also admits that the same set of people are her biggest critics. They all unapologetically, bring forth even the minutest mistake of hers in her work but this only helps her to improvise and keep advancing.

She believes that age knows no bound and this is the reason that she has the energy of a woman in her 20s, the confidence of a woman in her 30s,the experience of a woman in her 40s and determination to work for a lifetime. When asked about her future plans, she quotes these lines from the Hindi translation of a famous English poem, which not only motivate her but are also her mantra for life….

गहन सघन मनमोहक वन–तरू मुझको आज बुलाते हैं,

किन्तु किये जो वादे मैंने,याद मुझे आ जाते हैं,

अभी कहाँ आराम बदा, ये स्नेह निमंत्रण छलना है,

अभी तो मुझको मीलों मुझको, मीलों मुझको चलना है।.”

I really wish she touches the zenith of success in her life and continues to inspire all !!!!

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”

Often do we get to meet people who are blessed to have the best of everything, but rarely do we find someone who is humble enough to accept those blessings with utmost grace and humility. Dr. Namrata Sarda, a famous gynecologist, is one of them.

Born on 26^th May, 1968, in Daryapur, a small town in Maharashtra. Her father was a farmer. Eldest of the three siblings, she was a very bright student all through her academic years. Though she was equally brilliant in maths, she as a dutiful daughter opted for medicine, since in those days it was expected from a girl to go for medicine rather than engineering as her career .She did her MBBS from govt. college, Nagpur. Right after completing her studies she got married and settled in Ajmer. Soon after her marriage she again went back to Nagpur to pursue DGO(PG diploma in gynecology and obstetrics).Her in laws are a family of doctors, where everyone including her husband, Dr. Manish Sarda are doctors. Dr. Manish is a practicing radiologist and runs a diagnostic centre. Apart from this, they also have a nursing home, which is being run by Dr. Namrata along with her mother in law ,who happens to be a gynecologist.

A humanitarian at heart ,Dr. Namrata believes in reaching out and lending a helping hand to everyone in need. With this intent the Sardas laid down the foundation of an NGO called “JAGRITI” in the year 2012. It operates both in Ajmer as well as Jaipur. Since the day of its conception she has been serving as a coordinator for its Ajmer chapter. Jagriti works for the upliftment of government schools, and aims to bring them at par with private schools. Presently they have undertaken three government schools in and around Ajmer, and are providing them with all the basic amenities, so that children get to study in a clean and healthy environment. Building renovation, providing the schools with  new furniture, uniforms and stationary items, are among a few things that they are doing for these schools. To create a healthy and welcoming ambience they also plant trees in and around the school campus. Presently the three schools which are being taken up by Jagriti are:-

• Hathikheda govt. school, kanadia
• Arjunlal Sethi Nagar govt. school, Parbatpura bypass
• Primary govt.school, Topdara

Dr. Namrata takes immense pride in being able to share whatever this society has given her. Her heart goes out to the elderly people of the society ,who are left alone by their children to lament in their old age .She thinks it’s mandatory for us as a society to pay our last respect to such people by performing their last rights with full dignity. Keeping this in mind , she started an “Antim Darshika van” which is free for all. This also works under “ Jagriti”.

 As it is very rightly said that the results of philanthropy are always beyond calculations, her selfless work gained recognition, when she received

• “Bhamashah Award”, in 2019, on behalf of “Jagriti”, for her contribution to the society.
• Award by Utsav Manch for her contribution in the field of medicine, in 2011.

• Award by “Manavadhikar Suraksha Samiti”, Beawar, for her contribution in the field of medicine, in 2015.

On personal front she is a loving mother of her two kids, elder Anirudh Sarda, who has just completed his BDS. And younger Surbhi Sarda who is pursuing B.Arch .She finds herself blessed to have such dutiful and understanding kids. “my kids have never bothered me”, she says when asked about them. Though she is a busy soul, yet she finds time to read spiritual books and also loves knitting and embroidery.

Dr. Namrata believes that it was only because of her husband, Dr. Manish Sarda, who was always beside her ,rock strong, that she was able to strike a perfect work and professional life balance. She also credits her in laws for being so supportive that she could pull off everything that she does with such ease.

If I had to sum up her journey, and the kind of person that she is, I would conclude by these lines…

“With each inhale, lift your heart closer to the sun,

With each exhale, root your heels more deeply in the ground”.