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1. About me
My name is Rajesh velpandian. I am a recent engineering graduate. To tell about my family. My family consists of me, my mom and my grandfather. When I was 2 years old my mom and dad separated and since then my mom acted as both dad and mother.
My name is Rajesh velpandian. I am a recent engineering graduate. To tell about my family. My family consists of me, my mom and my grandfather. When I was 2 years old my mom and dad separated and since then my mom acted as both dad and mother.
My grandfather, an octogenarian, is a retired electrical engineer. My mom is working as a computer science teacher for secondary grade students ( classes 8 to 10) at a private school in Chennai. I completed my schooling at Chettinad vidyashram and moved to pursue my engineering in electronics and communication engineering from Hindustan University. I graduated in 2017 and worked for Amazon for 4 months. The work was repetitive which any 10th std pass out could do.
I felt I am not doing anything useful. I quit my job and I am preparing for various government and bank po exams.
When you ask people who are their inspiration quite often they might say the name of a celebrity, but for me, my mom is an inspiration. At a young age faced with problems from all sides, she did not succumb to it but in fact rose above the problems. She completed many degrees like MSIT, MPHIL, B.ED . Even though after her separation she could have lived under her parent's money she chose not to do so. She chose to stand on her own feet.
When you ask people who are their inspiration quite often they might say the name of a celebrity, but for me, my mom is an inspiration. At a young age faced with problems from all sides, she did not succumb to it but in fact rose above the problems. She completed many degrees like MSIT, MPHIL, B.ED . Even though after her separation she could have lived under her parent's money she chose not to do so. She chose to stand on her own feet.
One quality which I learnt from my mom is to not to give up and dream big even though the odds are against you. She did not neglect me in spite of the problems and nurtured and cared for me with love and affection. I became an engineer only because of her perseverance and determination. Even though we were not financially strong I learnt to make the most out of it.
My favourite quote by bill gates " If you were born poor it is not your fault, but if you die poor it is your fault.
2. Jagriti yatra - Introduction
Jagriti Yatra is a 15-day long, national train journey across 12 destinations with 500 other Yatris that will take me 8000 kilometres across the length and breadth of India, to understand and build the India of smaller towns and villages through enterprise. I will meet role models, change-makers, leaders that started out on a journey just like me – and made a difference to thousands of lives. I will forge bonds with like-minded young leaders - my co-Yatris and complete strangers.
They will become my closest friends and comrades for life. I will be exposed to role models who are building India through enterprise; through them, I will find inspiration to undertake to build my own journey through entrepreneurship.
3. Motivation to go on the yatra
When I was in my second year of engineering I realized that engineering is not my cup of tea. But I did not lose hope. I found my other strengths. I was extremely interested in subjects like finance, business skills. I also developed my Communication, Leadership skills by being a part of Toastmasters.
My favourite quote by bill gates " If you were born poor it is not your fault, but if you die poor it is your fault.
2. Jagriti yatra - Introduction
Jagriti Yatra is a 15-day long, national train journey across 12 destinations with 500 other Yatris that will take me 8000 kilometres across the length and breadth of India, to understand and build the India of smaller towns and villages through enterprise. I will meet role models, change-makers, leaders that started out on a journey just like me – and made a difference to thousands of lives. I will forge bonds with like-minded young leaders - my co-Yatris and complete strangers.
They will become my closest friends and comrades for life. I will be exposed to role models who are building India through enterprise; through them, I will find inspiration to undertake to build my own journey through entrepreneurship.
3. Motivation to go on the yatra
When I was in my second year of engineering I realized that engineering is not my cup of tea. But I did not lose hope. I found my other strengths. I was extremely interested in subjects like finance, business skills. I also developed my Communication, Leadership skills by being a part of Toastmasters.
I improved my knowledge of finance, marketing by pursuing a course on course era. I was extremely interested in stocks, investments. I wanted to start my company related to investments. My long-term goal is to start a company related to microfinance with flexible loan system especially for farmers as they are the backbone of our country. It was at this time prime minister NARENDRA MODI started the 'MAKE IN INDIA' scheme. I realized that I have to wait for another 10 years to get a decent idea about entrepreneurship.
Jagriti yatra gives me this opportunity to discuss and get an idea about entrepreneurship with some of the brightest minds in the country, at a very young age. ISAAC NEWTON said, " IF I HAVE SEEN FURTHER THAN OTHERS, IT IS BY STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS". These giants are the role models, students who I am going to meet in JAGRITI YATRA. 'Be the change you want to see in the world'. I want to be this change and make India proud among other countries.
4. Why I deserve the sponsorship?
In 2013 I joined a community club called Toastmasters which is a platform for improving your communication and leadership skills. This was the definition given to me by the club president when asked about Toastmasters. But to tell the truth, I witnessed something more than this definition.
Jagriti yatra gives me this opportunity to discuss and get an idea about entrepreneurship with some of the brightest minds in the country, at a very young age. ISAAC NEWTON said, " IF I HAVE SEEN FURTHER THAN OTHERS, IT IS BY STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS". These giants are the role models, students who I am going to meet in JAGRITI YATRA. 'Be the change you want to see in the world'. I want to be this change and make India proud among other countries.
4. Why I deserve the sponsorship?
In 2013 I joined a community club called Toastmasters which is a platform for improving your communication and leadership skills. This was the definition given to me by the club president when asked about Toastmasters. But to tell the truth, I witnessed something more than this definition.
How many seasoned public speakers will spend 2 hours every Sunday to guide people to improve their communication skills free of cost. Once upon a time, they ( seasoned public speakers) were also amateurs in public speaking. The club members have believed in them, nurtured them and transformed them into what they are now. They are now giving it back to the society. Truth be told before 2013 I have never witnessed giving back to the society. I have heard of the term but here is a place which has been religiously doing it without any marketing or advertisement. I am also a beneficiary of this community.
My inspiration Arnold Schwarzenegger lists giving back to the society as one of the 6 main rules for becoming a successful person in this world. You must always find time and resource to give something back to your society. These were the words of my inspiration Arnold Schwarzenegger. That made me think.H ow many of us give back to the society? What is the need for us to give back? What do we get out of it? Nothing, just a satisfaction that you have helped a person to become better in their life.
That is what is driving people to volunteer at NGOs and orphanage homes. Toastmasters is an organization from which I learned more than what I learned in 18 years of my education. I still remember how I was before I came to Toastmasters. A boy who could not express what he thought, a boy whose legs used to shake whenever he stood before a crowd, a boy who was uncertain and not confident about his future. Toastmasters not only helped me conquer communication and leadership skills but also made me confident that I can achieve whatever I want in my life. I wanted to give back my learning's to the society.
In 2017 I got a chance to give back to the community which has transformed me from a shy, introvert and diffident youth into a confident, enthusiastic and energetic person. I, along with my team, organised a youth leadership program in panimalar engineering college and trained over 1000 students to communicate effectively, free of cost.
My inspiration Arnold Schwarzenegger lists giving back to the society as one of the 6 main rules for becoming a successful person in this world. You must always find time and resource to give something back to your society. These were the words of my inspiration Arnold Schwarzenegger. That made me think.H ow many of us give back to the society? What is the need for us to give back? What do we get out of it? Nothing, just a satisfaction that you have helped a person to become better in their life.
That is what is driving people to volunteer at NGOs and orphanage homes. Toastmasters is an organization from which I learned more than what I learned in 18 years of my education. I still remember how I was before I came to Toastmasters. A boy who could not express what he thought, a boy whose legs used to shake whenever he stood before a crowd, a boy who was uncertain and not confident about his future. Toastmasters not only helped me conquer communication and leadership skills but also made me confident that I can achieve whatever I want in my life. I wanted to give back my learning's to the society.
In 2017 I got a chance to give back to the community which has transformed me from a shy, introvert and diffident youth into a confident, enthusiastic and energetic person. I, along with my team, organised a youth leadership program in panimalar engineering college and trained over 1000 students to communicate effectively, free of cost.
The joy which I experienced in giving back to the society is something which cannot be had even if you are a billionaire. The people who look up to you, people who walk up to you after the session and say you have transformed their life. That exhilarating feeling is something unique, it can only be understood by experience. I believe jagriti yatra is also a community programme which aims to help its members achieve their goals.
I deserve the sponsorship because I think the economic situation shouldn’t hold back an aspiring individual from learning, achieving and sharing something in their life. I truly believe the experience of the jagriti yatra lies in the journey and not in the destination. By helping people like me to experience jagriti yatra you are not helping a handful of persons but you are in a way responsible for that handful of persons in return helping other people achieve in their life. This could increase exponentially and become a testimony to the cause. I hope that people like you who are reading this will help me achieve that experience and become one of the persons responsible for that exponential increase.
5. Sponsorship Required
Yatra fees is 80,000 INR for which I have received Level 2 scholarship of 46,000 INR from the Jagriti Team. I am looking for sponsors who can help me with an amount of 45,000 INR out of which 36,000 INR is the Yatra Fees and the rest is the travel allowance I seek.
would be great if you can help me with this.
I deserve the sponsorship because I think the economic situation shouldn’t hold back an aspiring individual from learning, achieving and sharing something in their life. I truly believe the experience of the jagriti yatra lies in the journey and not in the destination. By helping people like me to experience jagriti yatra you are not helping a handful of persons but you are in a way responsible for that handful of persons in return helping other people achieve in their life. This could increase exponentially and become a testimony to the cause. I hope that people like you who are reading this will help me achieve that experience and become one of the persons responsible for that exponential increase.
5. Sponsorship Required
Yatra fees is 80,000 INR for which I have received Level 2 scholarship of 46,000 INR from the Jagriti Team. I am looking for sponsors who can help me with an amount of 45,000 INR out of which 36,000 INR is the Yatra Fees and the rest is the travel allowance I seek.
would be great if you can help me with this.
