Hon’ble Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan inspired the students of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) by answering questions on a wide ranging issues.
Some select number of students got a rare opportunity of participating in an informal interaction with the Governor at an event titled “Meet A Leading Light” in the EFLU, Hyderabad, campus.
Prof. E. Suresh Kumar, Vice Chancellor, EFLU, and Member, UGC, New Delhi, who was present on the occasion, has pioneered this “Meet A Leading Light (MALL)” initiative.
The unique initiative is aimed at offering EFLU students a great chance to have an informal interactive session with inspiring personalities.
When asked about what makes her keep going despite challenges, she said that it was her ‘will to serve the people and society that motivates her to face all sorts of challenges to overcome the obstacles’ in her path.
Responding to a question, what is her success mantra, she said that her self-belief, confidence, conviction, courage and the nature of not fearing the challenges are her success mantras.
Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan told the students to believe in themselves and fear not anything. “When your intentions are pure and your commitment and dedication are genuine, you will scale newer heights,” she added.
Asked about how she handled discrimination being a woman in politics, the Governor narrated her experiences of working hard and putting extra efforts to compete with her critics and other male colleagues. She lamented that the politics is a field that still a male-dominated domain.
Responding to a query on she overcomes stress in the work and travel, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan stated that as she enjoys her work, she does not feel stress. When your love for your work is pure and genuine, you do not feel burdened.
“When I am more tense, I do laugh a lot to steer out of the stressful situations.”
She exhorted the students to accept any extra or additional responsibility as extra opportunity to prove themselves and grow.
She also advised the students not to cry, shed tears, and appear weak in front of others, and get prepared for the failures in their endeavours, and asked them to try to maintain the balance between career and life.
“Enjoy every moment, do not compromise on your happiness, find satisfaction in the work, and cultivate the habit of reading books like autobiographies, biographies, and personal development books etc.,” she told the students.
As a parting inspirational message, she recited a poem meaning that grow strong inside like a tree that spreads its roots far and wide and even if its branches are cut, its roots remain strong to grow again.
The Governor left the students awe-struck with her instantaneous answers laced with wit and wisdom.