Undergraduate /
My parents allow me to express myself as an individual; Tufts-'Let your life speak.' [12]
Unlike most Indian parents,
mines allow me to express myself as an individual. A tiled mural that I helped my mother create when I was six enhances the antique wooden door to our apartment.
I was never under any pressure to perform, yet I began learning tennis and ballet, art and music at an extremely young age. My parents respected my decision not to study science after Grade 10, although Indian society largely believes that 'all intelligent children study science because it is the only way to get into a good American University and get a good job
.I have been exposed to Indian stereotypes such as this my entire life. I have been lucky enough to be born into a relatively liberal family and to have attended two liberal, non traditional schools. I have always tried to break these stereotypes and continue my
work .
At school or at home, I have never stopped asking questions:
'' How does the remote control the TV?
'' or
'' How come the fan doesn't cut air molecules?
''Always adventurous, my friends and I would often cycle around the neighborhood or go boating in the nearby Sankey tank. When we celebrated festivals in the neighborhood, we would share our colors or crackers with the street children and even grew to be friends with some of them.
On a cross-country ride at age 11 my horse tripped over a log. I fell, and then refused to re-mount. My instructor gave me an ultimatum: "Either follow us on your horse, or wait here for hours for our return
'' I realized then that giving up is never an option. I stand by that choice.