“How dull it is to pause, to make an end
To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use”
Inspiration. What does it mean? Perhaps it’s the first star that shines when darkness has taken over; or perhaps the first drop of rain when the last leaf of the withered plant is about to fall; or perhaps it’s that dream the soul sees when our eyes close, which the open eyes had lost the courage to vision. If that is what we call inspiration, it’s almost the air we need to breathe. Of course, we live with an inspiration; an inspiration that comes from within our soul; the soul which is just a small part of the infinity. Every truth lies within us, because we all were made by the same hands; the world we encompass among ourselves are a part of that cosmos. The self-inspired person lives within us; whose voice, try as we might, never stops; though it may get supressed because we choose to ignore it. But had we been too wise to live that person, my dear friends, our world would never have been anything less than a paradise.
Inspiration comes from within, that light forever glows; and that voice forever speaks. This statement is as true as is the cycle of birth and death. Yet at times , we do need an enlightening, an awakening call; just like the seed that though has the inner potential to grow and develop but still needs the ever-nourishing water. Isn’t inspiration, be it the self or the outer, just another of His manifestation? Blessed are those mortals who recognise this manifestation. Love and faith dwell in their hearts; and the crown of happiness sits on their minds, because those who can feel inspiration, can feel the Almighty and the Infinity and the Eternity.
So I humbly beg the honour of sharing my inspiration. Knowing her is a privilege for everyone who know her. The person I am talking about is the one and only Mrs Deepika Sinha. It seems impossible to count the number of faces she has brought smiles to; it seems almost as impossible as counting the number of stars! How does she do it? Perhaps it’s the magic of love; or of her will to spread happiness; or her firm faith in her ideals.
Mrs Deepika is the co-founder of “Smiles and Colours Foundation”. This foundation serves as a non-profit organization which has provided, and continues to provide home and education to thousands of poor and orphan kids. She is also an active member of non-profit trust which supports three hospitals in villages, along with being the founder of Sameer Investment Firm. Her work keeps her too busy; yet she is one of those wonder women who finds time for everything; both her family and work. She is indeed a wonderful leader who knows how to create interaction even between two people who have never met before. Being one of the top entrepreneurs; she could have easily led a high class life; yet she is one of the simplest women around. She has enrolled her both the kids in the same school where ‘her’ orphan kids go. Isn’t it the wisest way to develop trust? In this darkness when we find it too difficult to trust anyone, Mrs Deepika has indeed been a ray of sunshine. But her work isn’t just dedicated to the benefit of people, it’s dedicated to trees as well! She is the most active environmentalist in the district. She has started “Tree Lovers” which gifts plants to everyone on their birthday or wedding. ‘People feel excited when they plant a tree that will bear their name’ is the idea.
Rome wasn’t built in a day after all. One sees the outcome, the glory and the success, but never bothers to find out the stones and obstacles that were laid on the path to it. Mrs Deepika’s life is no exception. She was born in a poor family in Ramnagar, her father being a farmer. But she became an orphan soon after her birth and was taken by a family where she lived until she was ten. She hardly went to school, being forced to work for the household or care for children. When she was ten and no one else could take her she was sent to an orphanage. She studied in a government school until 12th; and finally won a scholarship to study in Pune. She completed her graduation in commerce, and at the same time the extra hard work she did during the three years of college paid off and she cracked the Civil Services Examinations. But destiny plays strange games. On the day of her interview, she suffered with a car accident. She lost her chance of being an IAS Officer. But she did manage to work as an accountant in an investment company, and there came the twist! She quit her job and started Sameer investment firm which is today on the leading business firms. She worked steadily, till at last Sameer Exports became big. But our heroine didn’t stop there. She started giving more time to social work, and started non-profit trusts. It was then she met Dr. Suraj Sinha, who along with being a cardiologist was also the founder of “The Laughing Club”. They got married soon.
We do hear that the world is becoming a global village, or that the world is coming closer. But it’s high time that we stop and ponder over the fact. Are we closer just in terms of information exchange and business meets? As Mrs Deepika has rightly taught us, the true way to go global is to develop the spirit of humanity and love by sharing our joys with others who are not so lucky. But for Mrs Deepika, this isn’t the end, it’s the beginning; it’s the groundwork that is to be done to achieve the vision which is slowly but steadily spreading everywhere; the vision of ‘One world, one country! “Illiteracy and hunger need to be conquered, the gap between the rich and therefore the poor has got to be bridged, the degradation of the environment has got to be checked…The list is long and demanding. It is indeed a tall order, but knowing what amazing feats humankind is capable of, who will dare to say it cannot be done?” she says. Once she was asked the reason for her tirelessness. She said, “I have always worked within the present and for this. If you are very passionate about what you are doing right now, you are so engrossed that your mind never thinks of future or gets tired, and the surprising thing is that the goal automatically takes care of itself!”
Mrs Sinha continues to work with the same enthusiasm and passion, and she still remains an inspiration; an inspiration to fight all odds and to progress. Putting it in her own words, “We must never allow ourselves to fall behind, there must be a harmonious blending of the old and the new. That’s what progress is all about. After all change is inevitable. Never fear it. The only change we need to fear is a blind inversion and perversion of the eternal values of life. If today’s novelty is good enough, it’s bound to become a part of the tradition tomorrow. “
By Varsha Hridaynarayan Kushwaha, Mumbai
