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Farzana Cama Balpande, Head, BookASmile (BookMyShow) |
yourself.
Balpande: I am a commerce graduate born and
brought up in Mumbai. In my 20’s I started off my career as a preschool teacher and I remained
associated with all aspects pertaining to the field of pre-school education for
about two decades until BookASmile happened. I was interested in working
in the charity space but wanted to do something different. Ashish Hemrajani,
the CEO and Co-founder of BookMyShow, who I have known for many years now, and
I were on a flight when he told me about this initiative. He was looking for
someone to run this initiative with as much passion and not treat it like
another job. He seemed to think I was the right fit and that is how my journey
with BookASmile began.
in life?
Cama Balpande: I cannot say there has been any
single influence in my life. All my life experiences have contributed to
shaping my personality and have helped me look at life in shades of grey and
multicolours of the Pantone rather than just black and white. Through my
life, I have met people from different backgrounds, ages and temperaments from
whom I have learnt things that have contributed to me being the
person I am. Some have come into my life for a season, some for
a reason and some are here to stay for a lifetime!
in your day to day professional life, if any?
Cama Balpande: You rarely face challenges when you enjoy and believe
in the work you do. Passion towards your work definitely overcomes all related
challenges. It’s only when you start working on-ground is when you realise that
most people have a charitable disposition. During the BookASmile journey, we
have come across a lot of people who are only too happy to be associated with
our initiative and support our efforts.
yourself in next 5 years?
Cama Balpande: I do not plan so far ahead. In fact, I strongly believe
in the impermanence of life and the ‘now’. I think planning ahead jinxes things
and one must just believe and continue dreaming.
readers on ‘International Women’s Day’?
their comfort zone….’coz that’s where the magic lies.