Parvati Pujari – Influencing Moving to India

Over time this blog will become a record of those who have helped shape who I am and where I have come from. I have many, many people that I can include. The first post is about a young woman who played a major part in my decision to return to live and work in India in 2011. Parvati introduced me to the potential of young, marginalised, people. I was, to a degree, always aware of this potential, but to have it demonstrated so vibrantly through Parvati’s personality and drive was, quite literally, life changing.

I met Parvati in 2007. Matthew Spacie kindly asked me to visit India, Magic Bus and the Magic Bus Centre, as a consultant to assess the viability for the Centre as an outdoor experiential learning facility for businesses. The aim was to look at the viability of corporate interest in using the outdoors and adventure activities, and expand the facilities to have a high standard business learning facility on the campus.

The payment I received was ‘recycled’ in order for me to return to India a few months later to manage a photography project as part of the MA in ‘Documentary Photography and Photojournalism’ I was involved in that year. This was a ‘participative’ project. I didn’t want to be a voyeur with a camera, but to engage with young people from Magic Bus and help them develop a visual literacy so they could tell their story through images, rather than be the subject alone. I worked with four Magic Bus Youth Mentors, Parvati, Gaurang, Imran and Ahsan – all who have made an impact on me.

This resulted in the collaborative book ‘Through Our Eyes – Our Heart – Our Minds’.

This experience  gave me a wonderful insight into the potential of people, and their drive to succeed.

Returning to India in 2011, I met Parvati again. The transformation from a quiet, unassuming young woman of 17, in 2007, to the force of nature I met in 2011 was incredible! It is difficult to describe in words the increased confidence and ability.

The images below are a selection from 2007 and between 2011 and just a few days ago. What I notice in the earlier images is a quiet ‘fire in the eyes’. A determined streak is apparent. The recent images display the same, but with a smile and confidence.

To go from the interested, but quiet, person of 8 years ago, to this exuberant personality of now is, to me, the epitome of realising your own potential and taking and absorbing any opportunities that come your way. It is one thing to be given opportunities. It is another altogether to take them, build upon them and to use that knowledge in the application of supporting and developing others to seek opportunities, both for self improvement and the improvement and of others, and the communities they come from.

Below the images is a write up, by Parvati herself, on her back ground and achievements. To meet and know her is one of life’s privileges.

She continues to look to learn, improve and grab any opportunities going. As an role model, advocate and mentor to the potential of youth, there are few like her.

‘Born fourth of 7 children to construction labourer’s in Lower Parel Mumbai, Parviti has grown up with Magic Bus since the age of 9. Her eldest sister was married at the age of 12, and Parvati didn’t want the same life. Having experienced a 3 day Magic Bus excursion through a Mumbai NGO, ‘Sunbeam’, she recognized a life using sport, games and activity to learn and help others to learn was possible.

Despite continued pressure from her parents to gat married, Parvati managed to achieve 10^th Grade Standard, and her Magic Bus mentors spoke with her parents and arranged for her to work with Magi Bus, earning a small stipend, whilst completing 11^th & 12^th Grades. From their went on to college where she achieved a Bachelors Degree in Commerce. During her college years Parvati was selected as a National Level Rugby player, as well as representing several football teams in Mumbai.

Currently Parvati works with Magic Bus India as National trainer. She also co-founded ‘Leher Foundation’, an NGO on girl’s empowerment. Her studies continue, pursuing Post Graduation in Child Rights and Child Policy from Nirmala Niketan Mumbai. Parviti is rightly proud to be the 1^st generation from her village and her family who is attending higher education.

In 2014 she selected for United Nation Sports for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) Youth Leadership camp that was held in Gwanju South Korea, and also selected for Master camp in 2015 in Florida USA. Parvati regularly travels around the world representing Magic Bus, and inspiring others speaking about her story, and the  and raising funds for other magic Bus underprivileged children.’

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Ripples – What? Why? Who? …

On this journey through life, we encounter a plethora of people. Each individual in style, character and approach.

If we imagine our own life as a body of water with a mirror like surface, the people we meet influence that body in a myriad of ways. The surface may be disturbed as if by a small drop, or a massive boulder. The ripples reverberating in a style akin to the impact created.

It may be others influence as if a breeze, or a hurricane. Ripple radiating out in more predictable patterns, or total chaos.

Under the surface, that influence may or may not be witnessed. Possibly disturbances on the surface, or current with varying force affecting the whole body.

Then there is the constraints on the body of water – the shape of the sides, the expanse and depth, the unknown cartography of the bed.

All these factors intermingle to create the essence of the ‘personality’ of that ocean, sea, river, lake, pond, puddle … or droplet. Our interactions with the people we meet on this life journey have a similar resonance.

But we rarely, if ever, acknowledge the effect or impact that we have on each other. When I look back on the roads and paths I have taken in my life and career, the influences have been a combination of my own interests, attitude and approach.

However, most powerfully, are what people have done, said, listened, or reacted and created a change in the water body I inhabit – or more accurately, from my perspective, the thoughts, actions and behaviours that make up the ‘water body that is me’.

So, as this blog progresses, my hope is that it helps those who read it recognise those small and big influences, and how those influences ‘ripple out’ to influence others.

Primarily, I am doing it to help me recognise the many influences on myself. And through these stories show my gratitude to those who have shaped the path, and helped the choices, I have made.