My TED story: Ideas worth spreading

Host of a top-ranking comedy podcast, vlogger, TEDx speaker, global collaborator and now a budding author…the world is my oyster! Simply because I never gave up on my dreams

We live in a country where societal pressures are given a lot of importance; a country where society’s opinions matter more than our beliefs, perspectives and goals. The thought  “What will other people say”, constantly holds us back.

Same was the case with me, a 21-year-old, who wanted to follow his dreams, spread joy, travel the world and inspire millions of people in the process. Not an easy process though, as I was bound by the ‘pressures’ of the society and initially, went astray. But that did not stop me from believing in myself. I faced many challenges but never lost hope. 

I grew up as an introvert, and it was difficult for me to express my feelings. This is exactly where filmmaking and music came to my rescue. They helped me express the unexpressed, say the unsaid, and feel the unfelt. Deep down in my heart, I always wanted to pursue this form of art as my career, but due to family constraints and the constant pressure of the society, I had to take a different route in 2017.

Despite a lot of things at stake, I took a stand for myself and dropped out of the career I had then chosen. The career choice was more under the influence of society. With a lot of courage, I decided to lead my dream life, which came with a lot of detestation from closest relatives and friends. Thousands of people mocked me, passed negative comments, while some called me a coward and a loser. I stood rock solid and did not stop chasing my passion. I had a clear vision and was determined to achieve it.

As it is rightly said, hard work pays off. Today, I take immense pride in the fact that I have over 1,00,000 followers on social media. I am the host of a podcast ‘2 Peas In A Pod’, which ranks as the number one comedy podcast in India. I have delivered countless speeches all over India and have been featured on elite platforms such as TEDx. Additionally, I have collaborated and worked with international brands and travelled around the world creating cinematic and entertaining vlogs on YouTube such as  ‘That Desi Who VLogs’. Besides, I have two online businesses around my personal brand  through which I intend to build financial freedom for myself and my family.

I am currently writing my first book titled ‘The Importance of Dreams’. The book is a message to the readers that if you believe in your dreams, you don’t need anyone to come and tell you that you cannot do it. As long as you believe in yourself and your dream, you will make it happen!

(The writer is a 3rd-year B.Tech. student specializing in IoT)

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