Success Story: Ahana Mandal (2019)

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Ahana Mandal

1991, IT Professional

1. What is the one factor that contributed most in what you have achieved in life?

   I don’t know what are my achievements... so I can’t say about the factors... but I can say that my parents, my sister, a few close friends, the various situations in my life — they have all contributed to what I am today.

2. What is your single biggest achievement?

   I don’t know what my achievements are.

3. What is the one lesson that you learnt the hard way?

   Accepting and loving who I am, and I am still learning.

4. What is the one thing that you would like to change about India to make it a better country?

   Lot of things! :| Where do I start?

5. What would be your message to anyone aspiring success?

   By “success”, most people mean “good job, car, house, etc etc” - basically, being a star kid... I am not a star kid. I haven’t achieved that kind of success... so I have no message for others.
   I could say that “follow your passion”. Of course, if you do that, eventually, you’ll be satisfied with yourself, and feel successful. But I have seen people who follow the herd, get good jobs etc, make their parents proud, and feel good about themselves too (as in, no regrets).
   So, I guess, it depends on what definition of “success” holds true for you.

6. What is the biggest mistake that you have ever made?

   I have done a lot of things I wish I hadn’t done. But I can’t call them mistakes. They were choices that defined the path of my life.

7. Please tell us about the toughest times you have ever had, the most testing times that you have been through.

   I don’t know what to say about this one either... I don’t think if I drew a timeline for my life, I could draw lines clearly separating tough times from good times...

8. What is the one thing that motivates you the most?

   I don’t know what motivates me... but I can talk about what keeps me going — it is “hope”... I guess I am never short of it. Good for me!
   In career, I keep hoping that somebody I’ll be really great at what I do. So, I haven’t given up.
   When it comes to life in general — no matter how tough the times are, I always feel that my situation is not so bad (I have seen people with worse luck). Also, I feel that the bad times are what makes my life so interesting. And I know, everything will pass. I know there’ll be good times in future, and I look forward to them.
   Plus, I love things like leaves, trees, birds, sky, clouds, starts, etc etc. As long as I can see them and appreciate the beauty, I’m good.

9. What is the one thing that worries you the most?

   Not just one thing... lot of things worry me or have worried me in the past... worry about my parents’ health, worry about my sister, worry about losing my love... then, worry about earth - might sound cheesy or cliche, but it’s true... it does disturb me (significantly) when I see utter disrespect for the earth — the nature, fellow species, fellow humans... when I was a kid, I worried about getting caught or something like that...
   And in each of these case, I have felt it just as strongly....
   So how can I possibly give you just one answer?

10. Please tell us about your five-year plan, personally and professionally.

    I have never lived my life according to any plan. And 5 years is too long a time for me. Can’t imagine myself making a plan for such a long period!