HYDERABAD: Remember the scene in the movie 3 Idiots, when Madhavan convinces his parents to let him pursue his passion rather than take up a corporate job. Ever wondered if you could do the same? If only real life was same as reel life.
On a daily basis, we come across many people who are either forced into following a career which will bring them money or fame, or they themselves get into one and choose to forgo their passion. But a very few of them take a calculated risk to quit regular jobs and follow their passion.
Mallika Rajkumar, a professional photographer, was one person who was stuck between choosing her profession and passion. After trying her hand at journalism and later working in an MNC, she soon realised her interests lay elsewhere. “While working in a MNC, I took up weekend photography classes. It was then I realised that I should take up photography seriously. I started with small assignments and after I got a hold of it, I took it up full-time,” she says while adding that the process of clicking pictures – understanding light, editing pictures and other nuances is what she loves about photography. Her forte is taking portraits. Though she has a tough time convincing clients, she believes that her passion has made her more responsible and confident about herself.
After passing out from Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication in University of Hyderabad, Usha Kiran got into Creya Learning as an education programme manager. “After working as a teacher for one and a half year, I decided to quit my high paying job and work for a social cause.” She joined Asmita, an NGO which works towards women’s rights and empowering women, in the job of a research associate. “Being a woman, I can relate to the women our organisation works for, which is why I joined Asmita. I was fortunate to find a place for myself in the NGO immediately after quitting my job,” she shares.
While Usha Kiran and Mallika had a more or less smooth ride towards achieving their goals, there are those like Praneet Kapoor who, though born in a family that runs its own business, couldn’t start his own due to varied reasons.
He took up a job in the sales department at United Beverage before moving onto another agency. However, his desire to own a business firm pushed him to start researching for workable business ideas. “After working for four years in various companies, I realised that it’s time for me to follow my passion. After researching a bit, I decided to buy a franchise for MRF tyre retreading. Though the company I was working in provided a decent pay, I am more content now as I am doing something that I really like,” he says.
For Ganesh, the road to living his passion was a bit bumpy. With a keen interest in becoming a commercial artist, he would go for art classes that would help him improve his skill during his schooling. However, his life took a detour when the time came for him to pursue another art course. Ganesh’s father wanted him to study Computer Science and MBA after that. “Though I got a good job after my MBA, I knew that this is not what I wanted. After saving enough money and convincing my father, I successfully took up commercial art a few months ago. One just needs to be confident about themselves while deciding to quit their job, he adds.