Ever dreamt of pursuing your passion? Or trading the office routine for a life filled with creativity?? Discover the fascinating story of your neighbour Vijay Kakwani (7171), who made ‘Writing & Storytelling’ his full-time profession after 23 years of corporate life.
Vijay’s background stumped me – not even a graduate, first job as a photocopier repairer, then a tele caller, going on to head circle customer service for a telecom major & finally a senior vice president for a visual effects company, before hanging up his corporate boots!
How did he take such a big leap? Vijay shares his mantra, “I’ve always believed in ‘try karke dekhte hai’. I wrote poetry but eight years ago, I came across a storytelling workshop & told myself, ‘try karke dekhte hai’. As it’s said, the rest is history!”
This kickstarted Vijay’s storytelling journey. He wrote his first short story, loved the magic of creativity & kept writing. His storytelling expertise has 2 aspects – Artistic (Fiction writer, Stage Storyteller & Fiction Storytelling Coach) & Corporate (Business & Data Storytelling Coach).
A story can be compelling medium. Vijay affirms this, “My storytelling helped an audience member come to terms with the grief of losing his mother. Another person reached out to share that my story had given him hope after he’d lost his job. These moments make me tear up!”
A few of Vijay’s awards – A Platinum Trophy for Storytelling at Asia’s largest Content Fest (I.F.P); the only author to win India’s largest writing contest Kindle’s Pen to Publish, two years consecutively; Winner at ‘Tata Litfest’.
When asked who’s his favourite storyteller, Vijay laughs, “There are many but if I’ve to choose, I look up to three stalwarts – Frederick Backman (books), Raju Hirani (movies) & Zakir Khan (stage). Their stories are captivating & tug at the heart.”
Lastly, Vijay’s advice on following one’s dreams. “To thrive, passions need to be alive. Pursue passions alongside your job, if needed. At least, it will bring you joy, and who knows, it becomes your profession one day.
by Priya Parul (11254, 9999896168)
