Moving away from parents at a young age to make a name for himself, Yogesh Pardeshi got into the corporate world building on his hardwork and steeling himself to stay confident
Yogesh Pardeshi, a B Tech in Instrumentation and Control from Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune took a major step forward in his life, as he joins the big gun in the corporate world-Honeywell Automation India Ltd.
He was just like any other kid from his village, who had his education at the Zilla Parishad run local school. He went through hardship helping his father in the field, along with coping with academics. Getting into a better college is what every youngster looks forward to, so as to get better opportunities. Yogesh’s journey passed through rough seas, but his parents and uncle-a police officer-motivated him to step outside the village and make a name for himself.
Right from the first day in college, the word ‘Campus placement’ had been ringing in his ears, and during his early days, he did see many of his seniors walk out of the interview rooms smiling. He would always want to come out of the room in a similar way. But all this cannot happen unless one goes through the grind. And Yogesh worked hard for it and he too walked out of the room smiling. It was not just getting a job, but making it with a reputed company that was top of his agenda. “Yes, it was surely one of the most sought-after placements,” says Yogesh. He would always ask himself, “Will I be able to give my best at the interview, or what if I fail in answering the questions, these were my fears. I overcame them by convincing myself that it was an opportunity that I had worked for, for the last five years and most importantly I was carrying the hopes of my parents, so I cannot end up on the losing side.” Confidence was the key note for Yogesh. ‘One should not fear of what you lack but should be confident of what you know,’ was his motto.
This is just the beginning for Yogesh, and he knows there is a long way ahead. “Yes, it is time to keep moving looking for the best, and give the best to the firm you are working for, the firm which has given you a passage into a different world, the corporate. There is nothing like settling or being content with the job and the salary, one has to look forward and explore the open world. You will have to discover new beginnings at each step,” he says.
The best, the happiest moment in life for any son would be to see happiness in the eyes of his parents and this was the most cherished dream for Yogesh. “I could see the happiness and satisfaction in my dad’s eyes and there were tears of joy. That was the best thing in my life. It was like he had achieved the best harvest that year. It is due to the hardwork of my parents and the experiences, which I earned during my journey-especially when every time I was shifted to a new place-that made me strong, adaptable and hardworking.”
Life at the small village called Kochur in Raver taluka of Jalgaon district (Maharashtra) has been a struggle for the Pardeshi family. “My family was an average income family and each family member had a role to play in making both ends meet,” said Yogesh, who after his VI standard schooling moved to Junnar for secondary education. It was a tough call. “No old friends, no roaming about in the village, no parents around. All of a sudden, I was in a different world altogether.” He was just 12 years old, and it was difficult for Yogesh to comprehend why his parents sent him away from home. As he narrates, “I was not able to understand why my parents wanted me to be away from them, why they were making me stay with my uncle.”
Yogesh with his friendsThere was some solace as his mother came to stay with him in Junnar, but there was something more challenging for Yogesh as he had to compete with students from the urban area. “I was admitted to Swami Vivekanand Vidyalaya Nashik from VII standard. Initially, it was a tough call for me to compete with the students of the city and again adjusting into a new environment. I was afraid at that time that I was not clever enough and I did not have confidence in myself. But then I understood that if I had to survive, I had to work hard.”
And it was here that Yogesh grew up to join the league of the ‘Big Boys’. “This energised me and made me confident to be determined. Thus, eventually this also helped me score a good 85% in my SSC Board exams. I not only scored good marks, but I also carried the experience of four years where I started thinking and analysing the things happening around me”.
Yogesh feels that he is much better than many other youngsters around as he narrates this story. “I would like to mention a friend who was very talented, but his economic condition was not that good. He used to eat sweets from the panditji at the Ganesh temple. His words are still ringing in my ears. He said, “What if we don’t have the money to buy gifts? God has made sure that we can have them by visiting him in the temple.” These words gave inspiration to me and helped me remain calm, satisfied and lucky that whatever I have is enough to suffice my needs.”
"I became a totally different person than the one I was a few years before. On the first day, I was full of passion, confidence and dreams to prove myself and sustain in a competitive city like Mumbai. And that turned out to be the biggest turning point of my life and it was here I realised why my parents had sent me away from the family”
Yogesh with his familyHe completed his diploma in Instrumentation from Government Polytechnic in Mumbai. He was like a fish out of the pond then. “I became a totally different person than the one I was a few years before. On the first day, I was full of passion, confidence and had dreams to prove myself and sustain in a competitive city like Mumbai. And that turned out to be the biggest turning point of my life and it was here I realised why my parents had sent me away from the family.”
There are many people behind the success story of Yogesh, apart from his parents. “My aunt with whom I stayed in Nashik and my PSI uncle and my friends became the cause behind my inspiration. Now I wanted to be the one who could support anyone who needed help, especially youngsters who don’t even get the opportunity to get proper education.”
Honeywell Automation India Ltd came to the college for recruitment. It was the first company for his batch. In all, there were 46 candidates, who went through four stages of selection-aptitude test, group discussion, technical interview and HR interview. Out of the 30 candidates for technical interview, just three were selected and Yogesh was one among them. “That was when I realised that nothing is unconquerable.”
By Joe Williams
