Everyone knows my name and the work I do, but few know the real story behind my journey—the struggles, the failures, and the moments that shaped me.

Today, I want to share that story with you.

EDUCATION

The Early Days – A Life of Constant Change

Like every ambitious child, I had big dreams. I was a topper throughout my school days, always excelling in academics and extracurricular activities. Success came naturally to me, and failure was something I never imagined would touch my life. But life, as I later learned, has its plans.
My education was never constant. My father worked for Indian Railways, a transferable job, so our lives kept shifting. I studied in Railway Schools (CBSE) in Ranchi and CKP, then moved to my village school in Balasore after my grandmother’s death. For nearly a year between 7th and 8th grade, I stayed in Balasore, adjusting to yet another new environment.
Our family responsibilities were heavy. My father’s sister needed support for her marriage, my grandmother passed away, and my grandfather took sanyas (renunciation). Because of this, we spent six months outside Odisha and the rest in our hometown, managing these challenges. It wasn’t easy, but from 5th grade onward, my education finally stabilized.

The First Taste of Struggle

Despite the chaos at home, my father did everything he could to give me the best education. I won many awards, always striving to be the best. But in 10th grade, life tested me again—my grandfather suffered paralysis, and our focus shifted to his health.
Even with all the distractions, I secured 80% in my board exams and stood second in my school. For someone who had always been the topper, this felt like a setback. My father, wanting the best for my future, decided to send me to a hostel in Rourkela—Odisha’s second-largest educational hub, home to some of India’s top-ranked schools.
At just 14, I left home for the hostel. Rourkela was far—an 8-hour journey from Bhubaneswar—so I rarely went back. Holidays, festivals, even emergencies—I stayed in the hostel, learning to handle everything on my own. I grew up faster than most kids my age, travelling alone, making decisions alone, and facing life’s challenges alone.

I was always ambitious—too ambitious, perhaps. My dreams soared higher than my IQ, and that’s a fact I’ve come to accept.

The Medical Dream That Slipped Away

My first dream was to become a doctor—a surgeon, someone respected, someone who saved lives. I worked hard, but fate had other plans. I secured seats in Veterinary and Dental courses, but my heart was set on medicine. Then, just before my medical entrance exams, disaster struck—I fell severely ill with cerebral malaria. I couldn’t stand, let alone write an exam. I missed two crucial papers.
When I finally got another chance, I made a mistake—I trusted the wrong people. In the exam hall, I befriended two toppers. We decided to share answers—I was strong in Zoology, but names and terms always confused me. I thought teamwork would help. It didn’t. I failed.
My parents, tired of my struggles, refused to let me try again. “Enough,” they said. “Go for engineering.”

Engineering

I cracked engineering, but my heart wasn’t in it. Still, I tried to make the most of it—I joined NGOs, worked with startups, wrote blogs and poems, and even revisited my childhood love for painting. I studied for the IAS, dreamed of an MTech, and applied for research roles—but nothing clicked.
Then, a glimmer of hope—an internship at Stanford Biodesign. For a moment, I thought, Maybe this is it. But once again, life had other plans. The opportunity slipped away, like so many others.

Why Did I Keep Failing?
Looking back, I realize—I was too scattered. I wanted everything: medicine, engineering, civil services, research. I chased every dream but mastered none.

CAREER

The Silent Pressure

I come from an orthodox Brahmin family—God, culture, and education are everything. Ambition was encouraged, but only if it didn’t disrupt stability. I failed at balancing both.

A Harsh Reality Check
After engineering, I landed a job at Kent RO, but sales didn’t interest me. I didn’t even know how to ride a bike—how would I manage fieldwork? I left, determined to find something better.
I moved to Bangalore on May 26, 2017, with nothing but hope. Within a month, I got my first corporate job at Axis Bank. But when I started, it felt like a glorified call centre. After years of studying, dreaming, and struggling, was this it?
I stayed—because the designation sounded prestigious, even if the salary wasn’t. Because before stepping into marriage, I needed something to hold onto.
But deep down, I knew—this wasn’t the life I had fought for.
And so, my real journey was about to begin…

Chasing Stability in Pune – A Dream That Crumbled

I left Axis Bank with hope in my heart and moved to Pune, convinced this was my final destination. After all, they say, “Where your love is, there your life will be.” I was ready to build a future here, both in my career and love.

Pride vs. Survival

My wedding was supposed to be a grand affair—a big, fat Indian wedding in a 5-star hotel. But when I needed financial support, my parents refused. I understood their reasons, but it left me stranded.
With my savings draining fast, I lived like a beggar, counting every rupee for PG rent and meals. Yet, I couldn’t let my self-respect crumble. I had a relationship to nurture and a future to secure.

The Startup Gamble

In desperation, I joined Excelsior Research, a startup just 15 minutes away from where my then-partner lived. At first, it seemed perfect—close, promising, a fresh start.
I was their first hire in the Market Research (MR) team. Two managers led us Rashmi, with 7 years of MR experience, and another seasoned professional, new to the field. I even helped them recruit more employees, believing in the company’s growth.
But doubts crept in. Why were they hiring so aggressively when we barely had work? I raised concerns—”Let’s freeze hiring until we have steady projects.” That’s when things soured.
Rashmi snapped. “We’ll need more hands soon!” she argued. She doubled the team anyway—20 employees in a department with no real sales.

The Humiliation Game

Office politics took over. If I finished tasks quickly, they questioned quality over speed. I wasn’t wearing glasses then—only contact lenses. Rashmi would deliberately ask me to read tiny text from afar under harsh lighting, knowing I’d struggle.
“Can you read that?” she’d ask, smirking as I squinted.
Grammar mistakes? Only mine were highlighted. Reports? Only mine were scrutinized. Nineteen other employees—some fresh graduates—never faced such nitpicking.

Personal Life Collapsing in Parallel
Outside work, my relationship was crumbling. Expectations clashed with reality. The man I thought would be my anchor became another storm.

The Final Blow

On December 11, the inevitable happened—the MR department was shut down. They offered me a night shift (US hours) in another MR team—no cabs, no facilities. I refused.
To add insult to injury, they didn’t pay our last few days’ salaries, yet the relieving letter claimed a “full and final settlement.”

I walked away—betrayed by the company, broken in love, but not yet defeated.

The eInfochips Rollercoaster

Ten days before my wedding, life delivered its cruellest joke – I lost my job. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Those who envied me laughed. My new family questioned everything – my education, my skills, even my future earning potential. The early days of my marriage were spent swallowing tears with every meal, choking down humiliation with every sideways glance.

A Lifeline Named eInfochips

Then came March’s miracle – an interview with eInfochips. When the offer came, it felt like a divine intervention. Here was my chance to silence every doubting voice. I accepted a Marketing Executive (L1) position with a modest salary, but money didn’t matter – redemption did.
My first days were surreal. The director I was meant to report to resigned immediately, leaving me with just two days of training from my predecessor. My sole teammate – a two-year veteran who still used Word documents for monthly reports – offered little guidance. “Don’t worry, you’ll learn” became my hollow mantra.
Yet those initial months sparkled with unexpected joy—office parties. Colleagues are becoming friends. Carpooling adventures where the only politics were about who’d control the playlist. For the first time since Pune, I felt like I belonged.

The Cracks Begin to Show

But reality waited patiently. At home, I juggled cooking and caring for a family member with heart problems – all while navigating unfamiliar domestic duties. My hostel-raised hands (I’d lived away since I was 14) fumbled with spices and brooms alike. The maid-raised girl now became the maid.
The office equilibrium was shattered when new management arrived. The Ahmedabad industrial visit revealed my new manager’s inexplicable disdain. Tasks would materialize at 6 PM – “Have this ready by morning.” My 15km commute (Dhanori to Magarpatta) became a 3-hour daily purgatory between Mula Bridge’s endless traffic and Domlur’s choked arteries.

The Breaking Point
The day I resigned, I didn’t cry. There were no more tears left.

Not when:
• My reports were rejected for formatting, while others’ factual errors were overlooked
• My “over-enthusiasm” was criticized as “disruptive”
• My commute consumed what little energy household duties didn’t claim
In the end, neither my professional ambitions nor personal responsibilities could coexist. Something had to give. Unfortunately, it was me.

But sometimes, surrender isn’t defeat – it’s the necessary prelude to reinvention…

FREELANCING

How Freelancing Saved Me

The walls were closing in. My corporate career had left me battered, exhausted by impossible managers, drained by soul-crushing commutes, and broken by the relentless tug-of-war between work and family. Then, like sunlight breaking through storm clouds, came the suggestion that would change everything: “Why not try freelancing?”

At one time, I was looking for a balance between my family obligations and earning a living. I was looking for a flexible job that would allow me to balance my family responsibilities and earn a living. My family elders suggested that I consider freelancing. They told me that it would help me to manage my time and support my family while still contributing financially. This advice changed my life; I didn’t know it.

At that time, freelancing was booming, and I took the plunge. My first client was a Pune-based client who had roots in Nashik. This project was surprisingly successful. The money was not the only thing that mattered. It was the confidence I gained. I knew I could do it.

I soon began to hire freelancers all over India – homemakers seeking flexible work and college students eager for experience. It was rewarding to work with a group, but I wanted to try myself out as a freelancer. So I made the jump.

The Hustle

I explored different platforms, Freelancer, Guru, and Upwork. It was Upwork that became my primary source of leads, but it required constant attention. It was not sustainable to stay active 24 hours a day, especially as I had family obligations. I needed to do something else.

The Game-Changer: Internshala

Then, I found Internshala. It was flexible, unlike other platforms. Clients were more tolerant of time constraints but still open to strategy-driven, creative work. The stipends (around Rs10,000 to Rs20,000) were reasonable, and the variety of work kept things interesting.

Internshala was special because of the challenge. Clients often had small budgets, and I had to think outside the box. I had to achieve maximum results using minimal resources. The experience was challenging, but it sharpened my skills more than anything else. We experimented, explored, and learned from each project.

Even though I had doubts, I never gave up. I put my all into each project. Slowly, my struggles began to pay off. All the late nights, rejections and constant learning started to make sense.

Then, I stopped looking back.

I was able to achieve financial independence through freelance work, but it also gave me Freedom, the freedom to create and grow according to my terms. Along the way, I started my first company.

When I look back on my experience, I see that it was more than a career decision. It was a mental shift. It taught me creativity, resilience and perseverance.

What’s the best part of all? It was a stepping stone to the most significant part of my life. Since November 2019, I have never failed in my life or career.

2018 July to 2019 November: was a terrible period of my entire career.

The Solo Journey Begins
After initial success with teams, I took the terrifying leap into solo freelancing. Platforms became my playground:
• Upwork taught me the grind (and the impossibility of being available 24/7)
• Internshala became my sweet spot – flexible clients, creative freedom, and projects that paid ₹10,000-20,000
• Every limited budget forced me to innovate, turning constraints into creative superpowers

The Hard-Won Wisdom

As my business grew, so did my clarity about what truly matters:

1. COVID’s Silver Lining
   The pandemic proved what freelancers always knew – remote work isn’t just possible, it’s often better—no more exploitative managers measuring productivity by chair-warming hours.
2. The Toxic Manager Effect
   One bad manager can derail careers and destroy mental health. I learned this the hard way – some scars still remind me to value positive work environments.
3. The Myth of “Not Ambitious Enough”
   Failure doesn’t mean a lack of ambition. My corporate struggles weren’t about competence – they were about refusing to play toxic games of office politics and sycophancy.
4. Work-Life Balance Isn’t a Luxury
   Some thrive on company loyalty; others (like me) need harmony between work and life. Neither approach is wrong – just different.

The Unstoppable Rise
Today, when I look back at:
• The 14-year-old who left home for a hostel
• The engineering graduate scrambling for respect
• The broken woman who lost her job before her wedding
• The freelancer who rebuilt everything from scratch
I see the same thread – relentless resilience.
Once, the corporate world tried to break me. Instead, it taught me how to fly. Now it's a reason behind my happiness and survival.
And this? This is just the beginning…
I am ready for my next adventure. It's time for "Do or Die", as living a terrible life is more miserable than death.