On the Go: Drishti’s Mission to Preserve Culture
The personal is political. You can notice this in the way Drishti articulates her dreams about the future. “I feel there is a lack of nuanced reportage from Assam and the Northeast. I want to change that.”
Forever choosing the unconventional path, Drishti also has a dream to help local communities find employment. “My father is a journalist by training, and a tea gardener by passion. We started a folk tea festival as a way to promote our indigenous tradition through music. I’m looking to build avenues of eco and cultural tourism.” But Drishti also wants to protect her heritage, keeping it away from the homogenising effects of modern-day tourism.
Through liberal arts courses at Vedica, Drishti’s resolve to achieve her dreams has only strengthened. “Some courses really push you to think from all perspectives, instead of sticking to the viewpoint you already have.”
Teasing out multiplicity in perspectives reminds Drishti of her father. “My father pulled me out of an all girls convent school because he wanted me to learn everything and be exposed to all kinds of people. So I was skeptical about an all women’s programme like Vedica.”
But Drishti’s mindset changed as she began navigating female friendships at Vedica. “Really, an all female space can be free of judgement, contrary to how I felt. I have never appreciated girlhood as much as I do now. I’ve learnt how to be sensitive. I have girl friends to fall back on.”
Now, Drishti is figuring out ways to match her values with her passion. “I don’t want to be known as a workaholic or be rude to those working with me. I want to be calm, to the point and travel as much as I can.”
To Drishti, it seems like the universe is giving her all the signals to move towards her dreams. “The one thing I wanted to do was work for MakeMyTrip. I thought it would give me all the skillsets to start my own tourism business. And it’s happened!”
In a world that seems to overvalue similarity, Drishti’s attempt to seek multiple viewpoints is a powerful step toward celebrating and fostering true diversity, especially in the workplace.
