Summary of Session 1 – Dhivyan PB
This is my gist of the memorable session of the 15th As I Evolve Season’s first session.
Being new to the whole scene, didn’t know what to expect… Took the bike ride to Paula Harris Hall, arrived as the first college to reach the venue (flex😊). Had a pretty decent snack and drink, and volunteered to guide other students to snacks. When I settled for the start of the event, I was just another college student, who’s come here with one constant thought, how’s this event going to change my social and leadership qualities?
To support that, there were people who looked really sincere at the stage. Seeing them only made me feel like, “aah these people are going to give long speeches which bore the hell out of me…”. Oh boy I was totally wrong. Totally Wrong!
Three Gentlemen gave their talks that day, the way they put their thoughts to words, it was really amazing to hear and understand. Rtn Balavenkat Sir kicked off the session with this “legend” talks. His clear and calm voice, which was filled with the nectar of leadership and motivation, made people assimilate almost everything what he said. What kind of mental preparation does a young mind like myself need, what goals do I have to define and travel towards, and how to have a legendary life till the last breath. He has certainly planted the hunger in all of us.
Next, Rtn Maruti got the attention of all the members by instantly connecting with the audience by interacting with the Arts and Science Students. His personal life path was very dramatic, almost what we see in movies, which really got my ears focused on his talk. His personal rise to success in family business and the immense success of the Sanjeevani Project inspires people of all walks of life, to strive for success and contribute back to the society. His statement of using devices for the positive growth of humanity was thought provoking. I would love to interact with him one day.
Finally, the man, the myth, the legend, the star of the show, Rtn Pradeep Yuvaraj, gave the pump for everyone in the hall, actively participating with the audience, engaging them without any hassle. Man, he knows what he’s doing! His career timeline, the ups and downs, failures and losses, but, when everything was against his cards, after going through all phases of entrepreneurship, his odds were on his side. With constant successes since then, he’s inspiring young minds across all domains with his experiences. His new venture, Prezantim, creates presentations you won’t forget for a long time, or even a life time. His expertise, in the art of storytelling, has made me his fan. Simple yet deep, abstract yet concrete, the art of storytelling and pulling in audience at the corner of their seats, is his daily routine probably. He also explained how complex and controversial ideas can be delivered, how vague facts can be connected with emotions, how a deep philosophical phenomenon can be expressed in a few paragraphs- all possible through a story.
My takeaway from this session would be the change in my perspective, of what am I going to gain from this, to what all can I gain from here.
It was supposed to be a one-pager, but I probably overflowed some words here and there. That’s the summary of session 1, eagerly waiting for session 2.