Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference……yes ……I am what I am today by choice; not by chance!
I am sure we had a classmate, a silly thin talkative girl with pigtails always immersed in her books, always sits in the first row and raises her hand at the end of the class with a never ending questions series, who cries for loss of half mark? That’s what I was when I was in my school. I hail from a family of four (mom dad and a younger brother) from Lord Krishna’s land which is bound by Arabian Sea on the west and Western Ghats on the east.
I am here to walk you through the journey of my life from that thin, geeky, talkative pigtailed student… to an adventurous, traveler, trekker, reader, writer, learner, passionate seeker of knowledge and now professionally a lawyer at this organization.
I’ve titled this journey as “Sea of Inspiration” because it reflects my vision, ambition, aspiration and attitude towards life. I grew up looking at the gigantic sea, that’s life; it has immense treasure in it. You got to be an explorer. Be inspired and be an inspiration just like that sea.
I was named after a famous theatre in Mangalore “Suchithra”, wherein my uncle watched a movie on the previous day of my birth. Which means a beautiful picture/ or a person as beautiful as drawn in picture/person with beautiful mind. As a kid, I hated my name – being a tongue twister. With the kids calling me as “chuchitha”/ uchitha (free), tutthuttara…. I was a strong supporter of “people should be given an option to choose their name” once they attain majority.
Carrying on, in my school days, I used to be good student. Have been a gold medalist and rank holder from school till my masters from National Law School, Bangalore which made me Teacher’s pride; neighbors’ envy. Well, there were times, when I got teased as Gandhi/ and also – Indian Penal Code (because I could memorize all the 500 sections of IPC) as a law student. During school and college I grew up reading Vivekananda, Gandhiji, Chanakya. Well, this thirst for reading and learning is never quenched…..starting from Ayan Rand, Dostoevsky, Kafka, Richard Bach, Nietzsche and Bertrand Russell, recently I laid my hand on Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey by Chapman. Teachers are the true sculptors of this nation, is true in my case.
I have a history of getting into an exam hall to write – “English Paper” and later realizing that its Economics exam that day, but still managed to be a topper in both English and Economics.
Vivid facets of my life took me everywhere: as a student in the name of debate, competition, extempore, I travelled all over Karnataka with a single promise to my father that “I won’t elope with a guy and will never affect my studies”. Both the promises were kept. And as a professional I lived in 5 states…..and travelled across 14 states in India. Have much more to left… and voyager in me took me to Everest Base Camp to the shores of Pattaya; from the volcanoes of Philippines to twin towers of Malaysia.
I grew up from a girl, who couldn’t even run 100 meters to a girl, who recently got her 10 k marathon certificate. Well, I probed little into Carnatic classical, theatre, blogging, guitar, salsa, learning French, Spanish; volunteering for the society and now I am here at Toastmasters……
I come from a home, which always gave me one single advice during exams – “I don’t mind you failing in exams……but would never forgive you if you cheat in the exam”………which I follow in my life till date….!I value people, ethics, life and society.
Have a dream to tour the world, learn new languages read great books meet new , intelligent and good people and relish all delicacies along with becoming a successful lawyer and a happiest person.
For the first time, when I stood before a judge as a lawyer arguing for a case, I was quivering and shivering …....but when I got a favorable order, which brought in smile in the face of 300 employers……….I felt that I really achieved something in my life….I had the same feeling when walked the glorious path of Everest Base, really felt, I am at the top of the world……
Well, my friends that’s the journey so far…….Robert Frost writes - the woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep……
