Bye work. It’s passion time
Bengaluru is home to many youngsters who have quit their high-paying jobs to chase their passion. Fully aware of the risks involved, these youngsters don’t shy away from doing something that leaves them feeling happy and satisfied. Metrolife spoke to a few of them to understand what prompted them to take this step.
Raksha Jain (Dancer)
It was Raksha monotonous job as a chemical engineer that made her want to take up dancing as a full-time career. She wanted something that involved physical activity. She soon began attending weekend classes. “It was interesting and I felt that the weekend was not enough, so I enrolled for a diploma course at Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts,” says Raksha. She found it difficult to find a balance between work and passion. “There are many factors that helped me take the decision to be a full-time dancer. Today, I am a choreographer,” she adds. She feels that it is the best decision that she has taken so far. “I tell people that it is worth taking the risk to chase your passion. It leaves you feeling completely satisfied and happy,” she says.
Vinay Kothari (Founder of Go desi)
Vinay gave up his job as a manager at an MNC to start his own business. He says, “I felt the urge to do something different as my learning curve was sort of falling flat. It was after a year that I zeroed down on the idea of the startup, ‘Go Desi’.” Initially he found it challenging as in a corporate setup, everything is organised, including manpower. “The only support system that you can rely on when you open a startup is your family,” adds Vinay. Looking back, he says that it has been an exciting journey. “You get a lot of exposure and encounter new experiences. My plan is to scale up,” he says. He points out that ‘Go Desi’, has a strong social impact as it aims to help small-scale farmers and women groups. “Making a difference to a large section of society is in itself is inspiring. I don’t have much to preach. I would just like to get down to execution.”
Sumasree B S (Yoga teacher)
Sumasree B S, who worked at Infosys, took to yoga when she realised that long hours at work were taking a toll on her health. She is now a professional yoga instructor at ‘Prafull Oorja’. “I had put on 20 kg and had lot of health issues. I practised yoga for a while after that and having realised the benefits of yoga, I wanted to share them with others,” says Suma. She adds, “I have started a project called ‘Shunya’ under which we practice zero waste living and minimalism. My father quit his job at 45 years and chased his dreams. He is my biggest inspiration and strength,”adds Suma.