(Disclaimer: this is an attempt to imagine and experience a person I would like to become 7 years later. So the year is 2032 and meet Mr. Gaurav Chandakkar)
Introduction: We welcome you to this Annual ISB Dialogue 2027. Today we have Mr. Gaurav Chandakkar, our alumni, an eminent personality behind 'digital ethnographer' as our speaker and guest. He graduated in Microbiology and pursued a master's in Anthropology and then an MBA. He brings 2 decades of varied work experience spanning NGOs, domestic and international alike, as well as flair of the corporate world with MNCs. Later he pursued a Fellow Programme Management from ISB. His thesis has been recognized as a pivotal work in marrying anthropological methods with modern-day day marketing. Let's put our hands together in welcoming him and hear from him his journey and life lessons.
Monologue: Thank you and I am humbled by the introduction. Let me begin by saying, that this is a dream come true and standing here, among the brightest talents of our country, I feel privileged as well as a little nostalgic as my life journey flashed in front of my eyes. I am going to open all pages of my life and I request you to learn from my mistakes and short-comings. My story is the story of failures and lessons from failures!
Growing up, I was just an ordinary person who aimed at scoring just enough marks to make myself and my parents happy and Help me stay in a Division meant to be for 'Scholars' or good grade earners. Being fat, I was bullied and made fun of all the time and when it came to the period of PT (Physical Training), it dreaded me the most as it exposed my 'inability' to run as fast as my peers. I was a subject of 'fun' for many. So truly speaking I never enjoyed my school days. However, when I finished my secondary schooling and went for the secondary, I was optimistic about a change of situation. However, the impact of 'fun' that people had, had already seeped in and made me a person that I hated. The situation became difficult as I was not able to crack the Medical Entrance exam and had to settle for Bachelors degree instead of MBBS. I had disappointed myself, but more that I was carrying baggage that I had disappointed my parents as well. I was apprehensive about it, but for the first time, I had a friend circle that I enjoyed the most. This also helped me change my mind about re-taking the Medical entrance examination, and I continued with my Bachelor's degree. I guess, I again disappointed my parents. At the same time, I was fascinated by Anthropology subject and started searching more about the subject. Everyone was surprised (or taken aback) when I opted for an Anthropology course for Masters by sidelining the regular 'Biotechnology' course, which was blooming at the time. I guess, I again disappointed my parents. But, for me, I was enjoying the course. It helped me understand myself, understand other people and widen my worldview. A walk in a village was no more just a walk but an inquiry into the cultural nuances of the villagers. It also shaped my interest in writing. And most importantly, here I met a friend, who showed me the way to overcome fear, fear of speaking in English, stage fear and instilling self-confidence. It gave me a chance to meet people from all walks of life and 'not forming opinions' about them. Here for the first time, the thought of applied anthropology was struck.
I worked with many NGOs after doing my master's, but I always felt that something wasn't right. I hated the way the NGO profession was perceived by many- mainly as a person with Jhola! I used to have debates with my peers, about why NGO is considered as a profession for the 'social-work' only without much ambition. I wanted to apply corporate principles in NGO work. But, for that, I had to know the 'corporate' principles first. Hence, I pursued an MBA and got into the corporate world to learn more about its ways. All this while, I used to do small assignments so as not to lose touch with the field. And, when I first delved into the world of marketing, I knew that this was the field I would like to be part of and I could see myself using some of the principles of anthropological research methodologies in my working and achieving results. It helped me build a foundation for my future work in my Fellowship programme. It also paved the way to build a 'digital ethnographer'.
The Digital Ethnographer Foundation was formed three years back and has become one of the most promising companies of the decade. We have had great collaborations, recently with Microsoft, for providing ethnographic insights into consumer behaviour on their social platforms. I believe, the modern digital world requires modern techniques and we at the foundation constantly strive to create them.
Well, today I am not going to elaborate upon the work that is well-known to you but something that I would like everyone to know about the underlying mission of our foundation. Our foundation runs a campaign- a community approach towards fitness - where physically fit people network with people who need help. This is a unique community that helps each other by bringing each other's strengths. We as a foundation also work as a mediator between Donors and the Needy, especially in the education sector. We have a repository of verified NGOs and their needs, and we network them with an appropriate donor organization. We also do independent financial and work audits and send them to the respective organizations.
To end my speech, please remember:
- Do not be afraid to be afraid. However, do endure the period.
- In crisis, do not hesitate to ask for help. Find a person whom you can trust.
- People will get disappointed in you, even your parents. However, do not stop pursuing what you think is right for you. Either people will understand you or you will learn a great lesson.
- Last, but not the least, teach your child to respect and accept others as they are.
I would like to thank the dean of the college for giving me this opportunity and thank you all for listening to me patiently. As I keep saying, don't let Failures Fail you!
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