Hi There!
One of the hardest things I find is to talk about myself. But to begin with, never did I see myself as an Entrepreneur in Overseas Resettlement Solutions. And I wish I could introduce myself differently- calling myself a writer would be far more fulfilling! I’m far from a writer, however.
My interests and inclinations were very diverse from what I do, now. During my school years in Simla, I was quite a prolific writer with just as good oration skills [At least that’s what my school thought of me]. More than the academics, creative writing was something I felt a fit within. Aside from winning the inter-school declamations, I was the editor of our school magazine; more of a grave thinker, as I looked down upon student write-ups on humor and jokes as silly and unreflective of one’s creative ability. In the retrospect, I probably was the one who missed on the humor in life.
I pursued my Bachelors with Honors in Psychology, with Economics as a minor subject at GCG-11 Chandigarh. My fervor for writing found occasional fulfillment through my contributions to the college’s Literary and Debating Society. However, pursuing a career in Psychology was not quite my thing. I went on to become a student of a post-graduate program in Journalism to take on my leanings professionally. Expectedly yet unexpectedly, I outperformed in Journalistic Writing, scoring the highest ever, but Editing put to death the germinating journalist-to-be within me. I was just so bad at it! Maybe, it had to do with the uptight, oppressive professor who was the stiff-upper-lipped Ex-Chief Editor of HT. To survive his ferocious gaze and colorless chalk talk, I feigned taking laborious notes and penned down satirical prose instead. I was such a productive scribbler in his class!
To take forward my uncoordinated learning trajectory, I got into MBA [Finance] at Colorado Tech University in the US. During my Masters, I worked with the International Admissions office and was confronted with the recruitment difficulties the Americans faced, particularly in the context of students from Indian and China. That’s where the student recruitment consultation business, CAANWINGS was incepted. Upon graduation, I had a stint with a Phoenix-based Bank in the US for about a year before I headed back to India to carry forward the business, a rather tainted career option in India then, which I now take satisfaction in being a pioneer in professionalizing.
For over seventeen years now, I’ve seen the highs and lows of student visas and the immigration industry. Besides providing expertise in visas for Studying Abroad, Skilled Migration to Australia has been my forte for more than a decade now. Having come to the high point of professional acclaim, I now try to blend in my surge for writing. I’ve enjoyed being an expert panelist for TV Talk Shows and have been contributing to the leading Newspaper Dailies and Magazines on the mobility of people to the foreign shores for studying, working and resettlement. Unable to start off a magazine conceptualized as ‘Visa Matters’, [owing to a plate full of client files], I have now authored a blog site. Through my blogs, I intend to bring to the readers qualified advice, views, analysis, and resourcefulness on updated information, along with moot points on visa related issues that concern applicants in India at large. And of course, pour over my thoughts and reflections on life through my blogs. For now, I’ve tried to put together scattered pieces [some of the ones I could find] written in the past.
I am currently writing a book for which I also studied for a certificate program in Memoir writing [creative non-fiction] from Stanford University’ School of Continued Studies. Besides work and blogging, I’m an avid reader. Books are my favorite companions, in addition to my two boys whom I love to watch grow.