Making It Through Life With My Family - Komal

"When I was 5, I lost my precious and loved one. My parents were numb. The thought that "Now I have no one to share my toys with" was making me go haywire. His face was constantly appearing in my dreams. 

On the other hand, my schoolmates bullied me. I ran away from school because of the painful words like, "buffalo", "elephant" and "black pig". I kept all of it inside of me, until the day I learnt to deal with it. I worked hard on my body, my confidence and my self-esteem. 

During Covid, my family and I tested positive and my grandpa passed away. My Dad was blamed for being irresponsible. The burden of those accusations led us into a pit of sadness. We cried ourselves to sleep so many times. But, as a family, we rose up. We learned from our experience and were ready to help each and everyone in that tough time, even now. 

I started earning and supported my family financially, mentally and emotionally. Now, when my father's friends complain about their children not fulfilling their responsibility, he sits with a hint of pride and joy. 

Our family has seen a lot and gone through all of it. But, we don't remember that anymore. What we remember is, we overcame it. As a family, as a unit, we are stronger than any problem or situation." - Komal.

Believe it. Do It. - Debasmita Behura

 "I’m 20 years old and my mother is a single parent. My belief in life has changed from ‘you can’t do' to ‘I can prove you wrong’. My life took a turn when I was 11 and my brother was 8 and our father passed away. Both of us came to terms with life by thinking, ‘ Ye abhi zaroori nai hai, baad main paisa hoga toh kharidh lenge’. 

My mother being a single parent, faced a lot of problems and financial crisis. However, she stood strong and managed to bring us up with good education and values. My Chachu, took up the role of a father figure and supported us by funding for our education.

 After 10th I took up Humanities, but my relatives looked down on me because according to them Humanities should never be an option to pursue. I topped in my school got a shield with Rs.20,000 from SOA. Some people suggested that we should move back to our village, but my Pisa stood up for us and made sure we didn't leave the city. 

 Eventually I started doing crafts. I used to make handmade gifts, school projects and home decors. At college, friends used to say, ‘Debasmita means decoration and management’. I never realized I can make it a business until I met @the_photovert, who helped me build my startup. 

I started my business in March 2019. My friends gave me clients & helped me with promotions. When my relatives got to know about this they came up with possibilities of mishap that I might attract but I didn’t listen.

 Lockdown affected my business but, now I earn a good amount. I have delivered 130+ orders. People now know me as ‘Craftsmita’. ‘Craftsmita’ is on Google search as well. Lately, I came up with the idea of doing tuitions to have a fixed income, but I was not allowed to do home tuitions. So I called the students to my house. My goal is to make 'Craftsmita' a brand. With my mother and my friends by my side, I can overcome everything"- Debasmita Behura

Life Better Than My Daydreams! - Mokshada Tripathy

"I started my Odissi career when I was just 7 years old under the supervision of Late Guru Raghunath Dutta. Then, I started learning about Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Gharana and Guru Debaprasad Das Gharana. I am well versed with both the gharanas.

Dancing is not my passion, but my profession. It not only gives me mental peace, but also physical wellness. I have performed in various places, within and out of Odisha. The blessings of God, my teacher and my parents helped me achieve recognition, even on an international level.

At the age of 17, I had the opportunity to visit Malaysia for a performance and within 2 years, I made my way to dance festivals in Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Bahrain and so on. The overwhelming response received from my fellow Odias made me really happy. 

Besides being a dancer, I am also an actor in the Odia Industry. I aim to create a new look in the entertainment industry. My parents, teachers and relatives have enabled me to lead a life better than my dreams. I am so glad that they didn't limit me, just because I am a girl. They believed in my potential. I like to believe that if given the right opportunity, we all can rise above and beyond! - Mokshada Tripathy.

Cakey Bakey - Anwesha Mohanty

"I used to play 'Purble Palace' on my cousin's laptop, unaware that it would become my reality one day. I wanted to join a baking workshop, but by the time Maa was convinced, the workshop was done with. I decided to learn on my own. I bought a premix and though the ultimate product was not bad, the ingredients' proportion was a huge mismatch. .

In 2020, when the pandemic grasped the world, I was locked in my house, with no work and company. My parents were out of station and I was getting bored to death. Instantly, the idea of baking cakes came to mind. It was my Bhabi's birthday and I tried making a cake for her. She loved it and immediately placed an order for another cake for her cousin's birthday. I was nervous, but I kept working. Word of mouth helped me with more and more orders.

My parents, at this time, knew nothing as they were out of town. When they learnt of this, they appreciated the cakes and asked me not to make it a business as it I was going to appear for boards the following year. I promised that my studies won't be hampered, They acknowledged my dedication and became my greatest cheerleaders.

This journey has helped me to experience love in it's true sense, whether it's from my lovely customers or my sweet family. Their appreciation and kindness helps me stay afloat. I am sure with such support, no mountain would be too high for me!" - Anwesha Mohanty

Building My Own Success Ladder - Rajashree Padhi

 

“My father, a police, believed in giving freedom to a girl, and he put me into situations that made me get out of my comfort zone and learn new things. He wanted me to learn everything, and because of him I was able to learn Odissi, western dance, painting, driving bike and car, and many more things. My dad calls me the "boy of the house" and asks me to do groceries, pick up relatives, and other things. All these habits made me realize that I can do all things that I want to. Nothing is too far or too difficult to manage.

 

I used to play Kabaddi and Volleyball in school. In my college days, I have played chess at  State level, and when I was in DM School, I participated in INDEM, which was the annual meet among the 4 DM Schools in India, and I played Volleyball and Basketball on National level there. 

 

During my graduation, I wanted to be independent, so I started doing tuitions, worked as a gym trainer and a Zumba trainer in a women’s fitness gym, and learnt dance in an academy. I kept myself really busy, and after some time I got into Tech Mahindra, where I work now. Since my students and their parents did not want me to stop the tuitions, I continue them as well.

 

See? I told you I can do all things! I have a dream of travelling to 30 countries before I turn 30. Every Friday I have a week-off, and I leave all my work that day, and enjoy life to the fullest. I believe that we all can do and achieve much more than our present, and working towards making it happen is inevitable.” – Rajashree Padhi.

Old Is Gold - Nirlipta Pattanaik

 “At a very young age, I developed kidney issues and both my kidneys failed when I was just 2 years old. Doctors lost hope. But, my maternal-grandmother is a fighter, she denied to give up on me and literally ran barefoot to the laboratory for my reports at 2.A.M., because it was 25th December, a holiday and the doctors were hell bent on not checking my condition till they received the reports.

 I recovered gradually and life was good until my father passed away when I was 13. My mother and I faced many issues that were raised by my paternal family. While my mother and I were battling emotionally and financially, my grandmother made sure she was there for us every moment. My paternal-grandmother didn’t allow me to perform the ‘Asthi Visarjan’ of my father as I am a girl, but my maternal grandmother stood by me and made sure I was given the right to do the same.

 

My grandmother happens to be very strict, but when my mother stops me from riding a bike or going out for events and poetry clubs, she makes my mother understand and encourages me to do whatever I like. She feels proud of me and never leaves a chance to boast about my talents and work in front of relatives. She is a very brave woman who managed to raise five children, after losing her husband at a very young age. She’s 65 and has completed her education till 10th class but, still has the zeal to learn how to ride a scooter, drive a car and write as well as recite excellent poetries at poetry clubs.

When my blogger friends posted pictures of food on brass plates, I was quite fascinated and wanted a set of brass crockery. So, on my birthday, my grandmother called me over and surprised me with lunch served on brass plate and bowl. After lunch, she handed me over the entire set of plates, glass & spoons and said to me\, ‘This is the set which my mother had given as dowry, when I got married and as you’re my favourite, I’m passing it on to you. Never lose it!’. I feel so blessed to have her in my life, she is my greatest pillar of strength and support.” – Nirlipta Pattanaik.

That Tiny Foodie - Disha Sahani

"One evening during the lockdown, while scrolling down the gallery, I only found pictures of food in my gallery as every time I went out, I would first click pictures of the food and later, when I see those pictures, I have major cravings. I decided to research about food blogging.

I created a blogging page, "thattinyfoodie", and started posting pictures. When I reached 500 followers, I started helping the helpless(Covid was at it's peak at this time). I gave homemade food outside stations, temples and under the flyover.

I used to spend hours for the page, without expecting a result. Indeed, my studies got affected and I questioned, "Is it even worth it?". Comments like, "free ka khaana khate ho", "food blogging is all about posting pictures of food" and "kitna paisa kama logi?", were quite disturbing.But, on the other hand, I was getting invitations for meet-ups, different owners were sending their food for promotion, good brands were up for collaborations and so on. My family encouraged me immensely. They said, "baat unhi ki hoti hai, jinme koi baat hoti hai". 

Now, I've a family of 5700 people on my page! I'm so grateful to have people who encourage me each passing day with cute texts like, "Disha, tere posts dekh ke kya craving hota hai yaar!".

My brother and I are currently working on our NGO, with the aim to give back to the society. We will start with cleaning beaches, roads and temples. I am living my dream life and no mean comment can stop me now!" - Disha Sahani.

The Ones Who Shaped My World! - Shrimayee Debasmita

"I grew up in a hidebound family. As a result, I couldn't explore much. I couldn't dance freely, while kids my age, danced as if it was their brother's wedding. The only time I danced was in private, in front of my grandmother, while she listened to the radio.

One day, while I was dancing in my bedroom, my parents saw me and decided to put me into a dance institute at the age of 3. I was introduced to the world of Odissi by Dr. Guru Gajendra Panda. My latter teacher, Dr. Guru Shri Pitambar Biswal, not only taught me the steps, but also the expressions and the art of feeling the emotions, which is vital in every dance form. His lessons improved my dance and my life, in general. 

Giving the perfect expressions was always a problem for me; they looked artificial. My Guruji noticed this issue time and again and tried working on me, but nothing seemed to work. One day, he called me and said, "Dance without expressions is like trees without leaves and birds without feathers". His simple words hit the bull's eye. My expressions have definitely improved, if not perfect. 

Besides my Guruji, my Mom and Dad also have a huge contribution in my dance journey and the accolades that I have been receiving for the same. My dance school is far off from my house, but my Mom accompanies me daily after getting done with the chores. When we return, she takes up the role of being my teacher at home. She nudges me to practice. My relatives used to discourage us by saying that my studies would be affected and dancing will get me nowhere, but she never let these things get into my mind.

I always get up at 5 am to practice Odissi, but during exams, I don't. When my Dad noticed this, he gave me a good scolding. He said, "Don't you eat when you have exams?, Don't you use your phone?, Don't you watch the TV? Then, why not dance?". Since then, I have not missed practicing Odissi in the morning. 

My teacher, my Mom and my Dad have shaped me and my world. Their efforts are so much more than what I put in. For the life I live, I am indebted to them." - Shrimayee Debasmita.

Do It For Yourself - Karavi Pattnaik

"In school, I started gaining a lot of weight. People would talk behind my back about my obesity. Their talks didn't bother me, it was only when my friends started teasing me that I realized the pain of body shaming. Words like, Moti, Hippo, Pumpkin, Baby Elephant, were my nicknames. They would also say that I comprise 2 people, not one. 

Through all the teasing and shaming what my friends failed to understand is that I didn't choose to be obese. It's in my genes and there's nothing one can do about it. My parents, too, started telling me to lose weight, which was hurtful. I really wanted to lose weight, but couldn't find the zeal. 

Later, due to a health condition, I was asked to lose weight by my doctor. This time I knew I had to work towards it, not because what other people think or say, but for my own good. I started working out, the zeal was there this time, maybe because I wasn't thinking about people, but myself. I lost a few kilos. I am still chubby and a work in progress; slowly getting to the weight that makes ME happy." - Karavi Pattnaik.

Accepting Myself! - Sanchita Rath

“My story started during my High School, when I gained a lot of weight, and people started body shaming me. I lost all my confidence to speak publicly, because I took to my heart everything that was being spoken about me. I even started losing friends because of this. Although I was good at studies and did well in my 10^th, I scored comparatively low in my 12^th because I had lost my motivation.

After all this, I started reading books, talked to myself and encouraged myself to let all the toxicity out of my life. I slowly gained back my courage, and became really comfortable with my own body, irrespective of what others said about me. I learnt riding a bike, riding a tractor, travelled Odisha on my bike all by myself, tried my hands on art and craft, and played cricket and softball in my college tournaments.

Most importantly, I developed my public speaking skills, hosted college events, and currently, I am a Student RJ in SOA Radio. I also joined the theatrics club, performed Nukkad in villages, and did stand-up comedies too. Since I am an agriculture student, I share gardening ideas and hacks on YouTube as well. All these helped me regain all the confidence that I had lost, and made me gain a completely new perspective in life!

Last year I applied for ‘Miss Plus Size India’, and this year I am a finalist in the 2021 edition of it. I have tried my hands on a lot of different activities that I enjoyed to do, and they made me happy! I want to try out a lot of new things that people say I am not fit enough to do.

My parents, and especially my Mom, support me completely. My Mom was the biker of her time, and I’m glad I inherited her genes. I feel like this is the first step towards change, and there’s a lot more to achieve in life. We cannot stop people from assuming things about us, the best we can do is make ourselves happy and let our works speak for themselves.” – Sanchita Rath