kanthari blog 18-06-2021

From an observer to becoming an actor

by Puneet Singhal, 2021 kanthari participant

My journey from a mainstream jobholder to becoming a social change maker, from an observer to an actor, starts with questions: What is the purpose of human existence and how can I make my life more meaningful?

Unfortunately, the Indian education system neither encourages asking questions nor promotes independent research. Luckily, my parents gave me enough space to remain curious. They let my imagination fly. They both are wonderful human beings with distinct personalities and opinions.

At one point however, conflicts between both of them started. Although, I was just an observer and not directly involved, these conflicts made me insecure, and they left me anxious and stressed. I don’t remember when I turned into an introvert and started avoiding eye contact. I began to stammer but only when I was talking about myself, when I was “Puneet”, never when I had to act a role in a theatre-play or when I described a particular incident as an observer. But who am I? And why am I here in this world? These questions are interconnected to many other questions: My search for  purpose in life is evolving every day, every word I read, every incident I go through, and every person I meet, reminds me on these questions.

Being an observer, I don’t want to hide in a shell. I am consciously trying to challenge myself and grow. I continued exploring different interests to feel liberated. Thus, I was volunteering for different social causes. With time, I started getting a sense of belonging, especially to people who want to drive social change.

At some point, I even found a place where I wasn’t an outsider anymore.

Before, I had been a misfit into various social constructs. I felt like an outsider in my city, in my caste, in my school, and even in my extended family.

After completing my graduation, I started working in an International Bank. But soon I realized that I was trying to fit into something which was not for me. In one year of employment, I understood: in a rat race the winner is also a rat!
I left the job in a hurry and started doing what I always wanted to do.

My two friends and I started an organization in July 2018 called “the Caring hands foundation”. It is a spoken English and computer training centre. Well, the centre was not much more than the terrace of my home. But we had a clear and simple rule: As soon as one entered the space, the only language of communication was English.

I belong to a part of Delhi called Sangam Vihar, which is Asia’s largest unauthorized slum colony and home to a vast number of the working class. According to the Times of India, 90% of the criminals of southern Delhi come from this neighborhood. Youngsters are indulged in drugs, violence, robbery, and all sort of illegal activities. Also, there is a steep increase in the number of suicides among youngsters due to lack of employment. For youth there are hardly any obvious opportunities.

Due to lacking experience and guidance, we were exhausting ourselves, working extremely hard to manage the organization. And then I stumbled over a post in a facebook group which mentioned kanthari, a leadership training institute for social change makers. Studying the website and learning about the curriculum, I felt, it is exactly what we, my friends and I, needed. Many elements in this curriculum were new to me, even the selection process with intensive Interviews were an enriching experience. And then there was the Pandemic, due to which the kanthari 2020 batch was postponed. Also, we had to close our centre. Instead, we were distributing masks and sanitizers.

Being an observer, I realized that the Covid pandemic brought many unexpected side-affects: I witnessed sudden outbursts of fake news and forged videos which blamed one single community for the spread of Covid-19 in India. To counter this hate campaign, I designed a “Cyber Hygiene” program as I felt that practicing appropriate online etiquette was as crucial as maintaining physical hygiene like washing hands.

Later, we also campaigned against online bullying, trolling, financial fraud, and other malpractices. we believe that advocacy and counselling make our online users less vulnerable to cyber-attacks. It was the first program for which I got funding from an international organization.

Our efforts were recognized by the Delhi Minority Commission and by the UN Global Compact Network. I was a member of the Peace Committee of Delhi Minority Commission for a year. The Online learning Platform Coursera offered us a helping hand by giving our students free access to their courses. It helped us to continue our work remotely.

Now being at the kanthari campus, my focus is on not only learn how to run a social organisation but also how to formulate a vision.

Taking my ideas forward to realize them in the real world, I also had to learn to unlearn.

Spending time and discussing different topics with other social change makers from diverse cultures, countries and backgrounds is making me think deeper and giving me a whole new perspective. In the coming months, I am looking forward to learn more and evolve as a social leader and a better human being overall. And here, I am sure, I will find the answer to my questions: “What is the purpose of human existence and how can I make my life more meaningful.