Coming from the Pink City, Jaipur, Mahima Chawla has managed to colour her life with a positive, neversay- die attitude that helped her turn setbacks into stepping stones to success and made her a champion
From Neerja Modi School and Seedling Public School, Jaipur, to graduation (BA Economics) at St Xavier’s College, and masters in Telecom Management from a leading city college-that sums up the academic story of this Rajasthani girl, Mahima Chawla. She now makes her cut in the corporate world as she joins a leading private sector bank, IndusInd Bank.
Mahima shares with Corporate Citizen her journey from her home town into corporate banking. Mahima’s first choice was to become an IAS officer, but she did not have to look hard for a second option, because her parents always wanted her to be in banking. She has now made it happen.
She did take some time to get to know what education was all about. Her parents were her initial teachers, like it is, for any child. Her positive attitude saw her turn into a ‘champion’ as she was known among friends. “Life is a big learning lesson and it starts from day one of your life. I took my basic education from my parents before proceeding with school and college,” she confides. Her subsequent graduation in BA Economics (Hons.) from St Xavier’s College, Jaipur, boosted her confidence and she made every impossible event possible with her positive attitude. “One thing is sure, be positive and everything will fall in place,” she stresses.
Teachers, she says, are just not merely people who teach you from textbooks. “My teachers in my schools and colleges were more than just teachers, and that has made a big difference,” she says. She did have some favourites, one among them being her teacher Pankaj. “My favourite teacher was Pankaj Sir who was my Informatics Practices teacher. He was a person who taught us more than the subject, who taught us how to live life happily, no matter how many ups and downs we were going through.”
For Mahima, it was not just schools and colleges that taught her what life was all about, her stints with NGOs also made things different. “I have been a part of many NGOs, and my best learning experience among them was with AIESEC. This organisation gave me so much to remember in my life, so many friends from different parts of the world. It gave me an opportunity to inspire people and bring a change in the lives of slum kids and also work for women’s empowerment.”
Her Masters in Telecom and Management will go a long way in her life, as it was here that she learnt how to live away from home. “It was here I learned how to face challenges all alone and to live with people from different backgrounds and places. Being a part of the Corporate Project Studies and Corporate Relations teams gave me a completely different exposure and a chance to work with a great bunch of people,” she says.
The first job of anyone’s career is what brings the twist in one’s life, while it was her college that gave her the kick-start to her corporate innings with a banking organisation. “I wanted to start my career with a decent organisation. I am fortunate to have been a part of one of the city’s best colleges, which enabled me to get placed in a leading private sector bank. My college made me confident enough to face the placement process.”
However, getting there was no easy task. After not making the cut in her first six attempts, she strived hard to make it in her seventh. “The entire process was a learning process, I did not lose hope, but learnt from my mistakes and made it happen,” says Mahima. “The biggest challenge in the placement process was to keep believing in yourself, despite the rejections. One should believe in oneself and remember that nothing great ever came easy. More than your skills and knowledge, it’s your self-belief that makes you walk out victorious from all platforms.”
Yes, it needs a strong heart to stay confident even after being rejected six times. “I never lost hope as I kept believing in myself”. But being positive in the face of failure takes every bit of determination, so it really tested Mahima’s mettle.
“My never-say-die attitude helped me hold myself together in tough times. In all my difficult times, I never had the fear of falling down because I knew I would get up. And one gets up only after a fall,” she says.
There have been many who helped make things happen for her. “First and foremost has been the Almighty who gave me the strength to withstand the pitfalls,” Mahima is quick to say. “My parents and my younger sister, Gunjan were always there to boost my morale. Gunjan has been a great pillar of support, besides my parents. My friends stood by my side and taught me how to lead a life with positivity and self-confidence. And a big credit goes to my friends in SBS, namely Shorbani, Chetan and Yogesh who supported me and gave me confidence to face all the challenges during my PGDM.”
Destiny is not a matter of chance, it’s a matter of choice for Mahima. “If you think you can, you are right! If you think you can’t, you are right again!! Because it’s your life, it’s going to be your decision,” is her motto.
‘The biggest challenge in the placement process was to keep believing in yourself, despite the rejections. One should believe in oneself and remember that nothing great ever came easy. More than your skills and knowledge, it’s your self-belief that makes you walk out victorious from all platforms’
by Joe Williams
