10 things I wish I knew before joining YIF..

1. INTENSITY In preparation for this blogpost, I looked up the definition of intensity, which the Oxford dictionary very ambiguously describes as “the quality of being intense”. Over the course of my interviews for the programme, I was asked time and time again how I dealt with an intense workload. Having worked for two years … Continue reading 10 things I wish I knew before joining YIF.. →

Karen’s Search for Meaning: The Trials and Tribulations of Trek Life

A psychic once told me that I should reconnect with nature. When one of my batchmates proposed a trek, I thought I should seize this golden opportunity and act on her advice. I would never have counted myself as a huge out-doorsy kind of person. I like my creature comforts; I like to feel clean … Continue reading Karen’s Search for Meaning: The Trials and Tribulations of Trek Life →

How to: Put your Name on the Map

Before my arrival at YIF I knew one name in particular. Shardul. It turned out, I wasn’t the only one. In a batch of 285 fellows, it is hard to stand out and gain recognition. He wasn’t a Bollywood movie star and he hadn’t committed any heinous crime that would garner international attention (as far … Continue reading How to: Put your Name on the Map →

Do you have The Force Within you?

The Ashoka website describes the Young India Fellowship as “bring(ing) together a group of 300 bright young individuals who show exceptional intellectual ability and leadership potential. It trains them to become socially committed agents of change.” It’s a big statement. It’s ambitious. And it is a baffling notion for someone who is not part of the programme. … Continue reading Do you have The Force Within you? →

Ashoka University – Pretty Juicy for a Fake University

As I was handed my passport containing my Indian student visa the embassy official told me that I was going to a fake university. She said that the one that I had listed was not on their register of legitimate universities. Ashoka University – the university that I am attending – is 7 years’ young … Continue reading Ashoka University – Pretty Juicy for a Fake University →