I read story on Rediff Site & passed for other to read & get inspired. No idea about his Email id , sorry for that.
Amit -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Madhu Singhal Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2010 07:34 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AI] Inspiring story of a blind Indian MBA Dear Amitji, If you have email id of mr. Ashish Goyal share with me. I would like to wish him. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amit Sanghvi" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>; "'Voice Vision. '" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2010 1:55 PM Subject: [AI] Inspiring story of a blind Indian MBA > Inspiring story of a blind Indian MBA taken from rediff site > > > > > > Years ago as an NMIMS Mumbai student, during placements a corporate house > told Ashish Goyal to find himself a job in the government sector, since it > has a quota system for the physically challenged. Having turned blind in > his > teens because of an eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa, Ashish did > not take the advice lightly. > > > > He not only got himself placed at ING Vysya but also stood second in his > batch at NMIMS. Later, Ashish went on to do an MBA from the Wharton > School, > University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. > > > > Today, the Mumbai boy has a plum job at JP Morgan's London operations. > > > > Over the years, Ashish has not only earned milestones in his professional > space but also done plenty in his personal life -- from learning to play > Brazilian drums and learning the Argentine tango to boxing and performing > on > stage, besides many other things. > > > > He was in India to receive the National Award for the Empowerment of > Persons > with Disabilities, 2010 from the President of India. > > > > PagalGuy.com's Lajwanti D'souza talked to him what success means to a > visually challenged person, what inspired him in life, how he handles > depression and... his dream date woman. > > > > What does this award mean to you in real terms. Do awards make a > difference > at all? > > > > This award means a lot to me; it's special to be recognised and I am > really > humbled. Frankly it has not sunk in, meeting the President, meeting other > award winners. I am really excited. The difference that this will make, > well, the most important thing is that encouragement works wonders for > everyone I would think. > > > > We get lost in this race called life so much, that a special moment like > this makes you take a step back, acknowledge the recognition and thank God > for all that has happened. It's reinvigorating to keep doing the best you > can. Also, if this award helps spread awareness and change people's > attitudes towards people with disabilities... that will be the best > outcome. > > > > > > Describe what you do for a living and whether it has enriched your > existence > and vice-versa. > > > > I work for JP Morgan's Chief Investment Office and we help manage the > bank's > exposure in various markets across different geographies. It's a very > significant and satisfying role at a bank like JP Morgan, which has a huge > balance sheet and large exposures. Proper balance sheet management can > make > a tremendous impact to all stakeholders from depositors, clients to > shareholders and employees. > > > > Vice-versa, well all I can say is that I am happy that I have been able to > live up to expectations and hope to keep doing the same going forward. > Also > being a student of macro-economics and geo-politics, my job keeps me sharp > and interested in this ever changing dynamic world. > > > > Do you think Indian B-schools are responsive to people with mental or > physical challenges? There is this physically challenged boy fighting a > long > legal battle with the IIMs after being denied admission. > > > > My answer will be a little dated, as I have not lived in India for 5 years > now and I applied to Indian business schools back in 2000. The main > difference in my two experiences (in India and in the US) is this: abroad, > there is a clear process and system to deal with students and applicants > with disabilities, of course helped by regulations. > > > > Internationally, as with Wharton, it was pretty easy when it came to > following the process and providing a level playing ground. Where as in > India, the process was not streamlined and a lot of ad hoc decision making > would need to happen on the basis of perceptions even though regulations > existed. > > > > This was not just the case in B-schools, I would say that was true of most > institutes. What Wharton did, was it gave me a level playing field to > compete and learn on merit and that's all we require I guess... the rest > is > up to ability. > > > > > > > > Is there anything that you are doing or would like to do in the sphere of > helping those visually challenged? > > > > I have fleetingly been in touch with this organisation called Enable > India. > It's a great model, training disabled individuals to become independent > and > acquire the right skill sets for a job, then working with companies to get > them to hire these people, and finally making sure that the first few > months > the transition goes smoothly. > > > > I am also involved with 2 other issues, education through Pratham which > reaches out to the poor and educating kids for free, and the Akshay Patra > Foundation, which is Asia's largest mid-day meal programme. > > > > Is there a better sense of concern for those 'challenged' abroad than in > India? Here, even getting a ramp made in a housing society is a big > hassle. > > > > Yes, as mentioned, there is a difference in terms of infrastructure and > facilities, but hopefully that is changing, as the government and a lot of > non-profit organisations are working towards that change. But most > importantly I feel individuals like you and I need to be more receptive > and > accepting. > > > > One important thing that needs to be mentioned is that people with > disabilities are individuals who have gone through various circumstances > and > are very different to each other. It's not fair to club all of them as the > same... and even less fair to club all kinds of disabilities as the same. > I > have no idea what I would do or how people in a wheelchair cope or what > about people with not-so-obvious disabilities or challenges like learning > or > mental disabilities. > > > > What kind of vocations would you advise physically challenged persons take > up given the job market scenario? The Indian government has gone only as > far > as giving out PCO booths. > > > > In India and abroad, I have met disabled individuals like me doing all > kinds > of jobs. I believe it comes down to ambition and practicality combined. > When > I was going through recruiting from NMIMS, I was shocked when one of the > companies told me that I should begin my career in a government > organisation > as they have quotas and that they would not interview me. I could have > given > up hope then and there, but I really don't see a lot of issues for > disabled > people doing various things. There are lawyers, media professionals, > bankers, IT professionals, teachers, you name it... > > > > > > Have you thought of designing products, furniture or gadgets for those > with > disabilities and challenges? > > > > I have offered to be a tester for a couple of products and whenever I have > any idea, I speak to my friends who work in a similar field. There are > people and companies across the world working on this. > > > > Have you learnt cooking? That's what you said you wanted to learn, the > last > time around. > > > > Yes, but do I cook? No, I hate the entire cleaning process that follows. > > > > Where do you see yourself five years down the line? > > > > I want to definitely do something for the country (India). Don't yet know > in > what shape or form. The way my life has evolved, I think 5 years is a long > time, but hopefully I will have discovered my calling by then. > > > > Is there something you'd like to say to those who think their lives are > always on the downturn? > > > > I don't feel any issue is too small or too big. I think one can make it > small or big. If there is an issue, finding a solution and working through > it is the best approach because only we can affect that change instantly > or > attempt it. If we feel there is no hope and don't see a solution it will > be > difficult for others to help. It's most important not to run away from > those > issues, but work with them and take them head on. > > > > What do you do when you get depressed? > > > > Eat chocolates. Nope, kidding. I guess I call up my closest friends and > talk > about it... go change my mood... ponder... and sleep... its depressing > being > depressed, so I try and limit it :) . > > > > You are one lucky guy to have your family with you? Not all > physically-challenged people are as fortunate. > > > > I can't even imagine my life without my Guruji and my family. I feel very > fortunate to have such an amazing support system, blessings and some great > friends. I don't know if I can advise anyone here, but I would say for > others, when you see someone like this, please lend them your hand. Being > nice to people doesn't cost anything and your simple act could change > someone else's world. I can't even enumerate the number of times living > alone in a foreign land, absolute strangers, who I will probably never > meet > again, have helped me or made life easier for me. > > > > > > Who is your ideal date? > > > > Too personal a question (don't wanna spill the beans actually... haha...). > Well I enjoy the company of intelligent and interesting women in general. > > > > Would you have achieved so much had fate not been cruel to you when you > were > in your teens and when you lost your vision to retinitis pigmentosa after > being born with proper vision? > > > > My guruji Dr Balaji Tambe has been my guiding force and I would have > crumbled without him. I have pondered at length about this question and > about the saying -- everything happens for the best. If I had regular > sight, > I could easily see myself being a very average spoiled kid, doing nothing > with my life and living an inconsequential existence. > > > > Well, that would be taking the worst case scenario for sure, but this > disability made me focus and work hard for everything, and most > importantly > it made me believe in myself and gave me an attitude to keep trying, > giving > my best, and enjoying every experience. > > > > Do you think your MBA degree has got you where you are today? Or do you > believe you had it in you to circumvent every obstacle? > > > > The people I met in my MBA years, the opportunities I got have been > overwhelming. I would relive my MBA experience anytime. An MBA can make a > major difference in your life if you know what you want out of it. There > are > so many things you could choose from and so many ways in which you can > shape > yourself... and improve your career and social life. It's easy also to not > do anything sometimes, but believe me that would be such a waste of > opportunity. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Response on Rediff from one of reader > > > > While this is a very good or shall I say excellent achievement for a blind > person. > > I know quite a few blind people who work in many industries. > > 1, A local blind man who livid near me in UK (has since passed to lords > abode) was a machine operator in local Rubber factory he use to operate a > press that molded seal for medical industry. > > He was blinded as a child in WW11. > > 2)Another young man I know of about 30 years old who is a first line > engineer in a Computer related company called LogicaCMG ( WHO ALSO HAVE > COMPUTER INTERESTS IN INDIA) This young Lad is totally blind ye is a very > competent engineer. > > 3) A gentleman from Pakistan who runs his own business called Sun travels > in > Birmingham UK and is totally blind. > > 4)Another person (I have forgotten his name0 who runs a saloon in Mumbai > near the gateway of India,he shaves beards of men and is totally Blind. > > and what about Mark Inglis who lost both his legs(not blind though still a > disabled person)who lost his both legs yet climbed the Everest to the > summit. > > there are lot of people who do not wish to just sit down and seek sympathy > but achieve something which even able person sometimes feel a challenge, > let > us all learn and encourage who are less fortunate then us to get up and > make > their mark as Ashish Goyal has done he puts some of us able people to > shame. > > get inspired and inspire others do do the same rater then just sitting ob > their back side and say WHAT CAN I DO I AM A DISABLED PERSON. > > To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. 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