Arundhati Ghosh, India

Chevening Gurukul Scholarship in Leadership & Excellence

London School of Economics & Political Science 

"This programme opened a world to me, a world of concepts, views, debates and opportunities"

Three months, twelve bright young professionals from diverse backgrounds, numerous lectures, debates and discussions, study tours, presentations and all this in the heart of the city of London at an institute called London School of Economics and Political Science. The impact is bound to be life changing.

Chevening made a few irreversible changes in my life. I returned enriched with new ideas, stronger articulations, a bunch of friends-forever, a fantastic social and professional network and more than anything else a determined confidence in the person I am. It was not just about the promotion I got to be the Deputy Director at my organisation (India Foundation for the Arts) or the fact that I was one of the three city finalists for the Lead India Campaign, or that I got enough interesting job offers I could happily refuse, or that I discovered I could write, teach and deliver lectures and enjoyed all three, it was about the fact that I understood very deeply that life was a continuous process of learning and one must keep the questions coming and the curiosity alive. Self reflection and being critical of one's own ideas and beliefs in order to distill them from borrowed frames, requires a certain intellectual discipline and courage. Chevening taught both. This programme opened a world to me, a world of concepts, views, debates and opportunities.  

Finally, more than ever before, I felt that no matter what challenges life mischievously threw my way, I would be able to define success for myself and be happy. That's what matters most.