THE SCHOOL OF EKALAVYA






















“Make sure your worst enemy doesn't live
between your own two ears.”

-           Laird Hamilton


Presently, I have been visiting a suburban college in Mumbai (along with our team) to conduct a soft-skill programmes.. The students of this college belong to various streams, including B.Sc I.T, B.M.S, B.Com, Banking and Insurance etc. And, students from F.Y, S.Y and T.Y all attend the programme. The unique feature of this student-mix is that they all hail from absolutely ordinary families. The Trustees of this college, too, hail from extremely ordinary families and they are seriously interested in providing fine education to these eager young boys and girls. Before our team started off with the programme, the Principal madam, who is passionate and committed about her mission, gave us a simple brief: “Most of our students belong to the first generation… They will be the first graduates in their families.”

I remembered my own days. I was the first graduate in our family. Dad was a mechanic and mom was a loving home-maker who had hardly been to school. So, their desire was very clear and humble: to make their children graduates!

Here in Mumbai, now, I get to teach thousands of students who hail from well-educated and well-off families. And, thanks to my interest in Personality Development, I, also, get to help thousands of students who are ‘Ekalavyas’ of this world… the underdogs, with a great deal of fire in their bellies. My experience has been, always, this: the Ekalavyas do much better in life!

As a teacher and trainer, I feel blessed by the very thought of being a part of the success of these underdogs… It’s not only a great joy it’s also a great pride. Life seems fulfilled as a teacher. Frankly, what else does a teacher long for?

My input to these young Ekalavyas has, consistently been on the subject of ‘Self-confidence and Communication Skills’. The subject is very close to my heart… I know how important in life Self-confidence is… and, I know, through my own experience in the School of Ekalavya, how to attain this… I tell my story to these kids, and, I can sense an immediate connect.

“Every artist was first an amateur.” Ralph Waldo Emerson said.


Having said all this, my truth can’t be the truth of another soul. Every soul on this earth needs to have a definite reason why he wants to succeed in life. The reason is always private… and the reason is the fuel that motivates every soul. It’s when one articulates his definite reason, that he wakes up to the reality that he has to hone along with his technical skills soft skills, too…

Ekalavyas of this world realize this truth much better. So, they not only end up becoming graduates, they also become self-confident in life…

Thanks to the fire in their belly!


GERLAD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Rashmi Sondhi

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