Friday, January 31, 2014

My Alma Mater recognizes my dream and passion

It gives me immense pleasure to tell you that my alma mater, ‘VIT University’ bestowed me with their Special Chancellor’s award for distinguished alumni who work towards growth of the university and the alumni association. This award gives me immense pride as I chose to follow my dream and passion and my alma mater recognized this dream of mine.

Receiving the award from our chancellor
As you all know, I left a comfortable corporate career to follow my dream to travel, click pictures and explore different parts of our beautiful planet. And while doing so, I have gone from a pure play traveler to a freelancer to an entrepreneur, while consistently being on the move. And all this in the space of travel. All I wanted was to make ‘travel my career’ and so far it looks like I am on the right path and this award from my university bears testament to my belief and dream.

Award from my alma mater - VIT University
This award was given to me last Sunday at VIT university campus on the occasion of Republic day and our annual alumni day.I received this award from our beloved Chancellor, Dr. G Vishwanathan, who has been instrumental in the growth of VIT and Shri N, Murali, Co-Chairman of ‘The Hindu’.

All the distunguished alumni pose with their awardsAnd what made it even more special was the fact that I shared the dais with other award winners who were entrepreneurs, investors, successful corporate heads, specialists in academics, a film actress and an Indian Army Lieutenant Colonel. I was simply humbled to be in their company and I really would like to thank my university for allowing me to sit in the same row as them. Those moments were really special to me.

Giving my acceptance speech after receiving the awardWhat I realized through this award is that it is not stupid to dream? The chancellor of VIT university dreamt of a successful educational institution 25 years back. From a simple hut to a world famous university, the journey of the chancellor and the university simply amazes one and all. I graduated from here in 2003 and it has grown so much in the last 11 years that I can’t believe that I studied in this very institution for 4 years. In fact, I was so astounded by its growth that I cheekily mentioned in my speech that there will come a day when the Vellore and Chennai campuses will join together.

Receiving my award from the co chairman of Hindu
What was once a desert is now a green oasis. What was once a small, but education friendly campus is today one of the top technical universities of the country and it gives stiff competition to some of the well entrenched names. If this place can dream, I am sure each one of us can dream and that is how I chose to dream.

Me talking at my alma mater
Thank you VIT University! Thank you VIT Alumni Association! Thank you Chancellor! You have given me the belief that I should continue to dream and work hard towards fulfilling my dream. A big thank you to each one of you who have supported me reach so far.

Courtesy: The pictures in this post is courtesy of VIT University and VITAA.

4 comments:

  1. Good to know an offbeat choice is not only recognized but also celebrated..Way to go...This is not jut recognition for you but for many aspiring young men and women who want to choose offbeat careers...

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  2. This is so cool. Congrats.
    Happy to see you in suit :)

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  3. Thank you Prasad! I look forward to build on this.

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