Armed with creative talent, spiritual knowledge and an indomitable spirit, she has not only carved an identity for herself but also influenced the lives of countless youths as a visionary leader of a citizen’s movement called Volunteer for a better India.(VBI) Senior Faculty with the Art of Living, Vasudha JhunJhunwala chronicles her own success story. The die-hard patriot
She is your quintessential deshbhakt. It is difficult to match her youthful exuberance and vibrant energy. There’s a fire raging in the belly all the time. Her power-packed social initiatives have set the youths thinking and rekindled a patriotic fervour in their hearts. Her latest endeavor, I Vote for a Better India - a drive that educates people about their right to vote- has struck an instant chord with the masses. Says Vasudha, “We have managed to garner over three lakh new voter registrations. This is just the first step. I have a long way to go. Working for VBI has opened a new dimension in my life. While I am still exploring my strengths, I owe all my success to my spiritual path. Spirituality has enriched my life and emboldened me to believe in myself.”
In Search Of Self
Born in a close-knit family in Jaipur, Vasudha led a life of luxury and ease and studied Fine Arts. Yet she felt dissatisfied and empty from within. “I felt incomplete despite being surrounded by all material comforts,” reveals Vasudha. “Mysteries of life intrigued me and I wondered, if human birth was only meant for the mundane. Besides I suffered from health disorders, migraine attacks and even underwent surgeries. Life looked like a series of repeated cycles of pain and pleasure, till I landed up on the Art of living program. I was only 19 then. It was a magical experience and something stirred up within me. I found myself on a completely new path.”
Expanding My Horizons
After this, there was no looking back for this young intelligent girl. Vasudha became an active volunteer with the Art of Living and life took an unexpected turn for the better. “I launched my own home furnishing store called Toshakhana at a leading hotel in Mumbai.” says Vasudha. “Though I had no inkling of business whatsoever, in a short period of time, I had extensively traveled across the world and met with astounding success.
Vasudha is totally dedicated to the Art of Living and wants to spend the rest of her life in uplifting human lives and sharing the spiritual knowledge, she has imbibed from her master Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.”
And The Realization Dawns…
Life comes with unprecedented challenges, but when you have conviction in yourself, you can take everything in your stride. “I was 22, when I got married. At that time, I was naive and was exposed to a whole new world. It wasn’t easy to match up to everybody’s expectations but my regular sadhana helped me turn inward. Slowly I got acclimitised to the environment and accepted everything, just the way it was. For the first time, my mind felt fresh, clean and settled. The human birth was about more indeed! I saw myself deliberating, upon the path of truth.”
Building A New India
Vasudha is extremely passionate about her movement, Volunteer for a better India. With an aim to instill a sense of responsibility and nationalism among the youth, she has spearheaded several initiatives that include women’s safety drives, environment campaigns like removing 500kg garbage from areas within less than two hours, Mind your Vehicle project for effective traffic management, several blood donation drives, cleanliness drives at railway stations and sea-shores, health and hygiene awareness camps and others. Says Vasudha, “Volunteer for a Better India is a movement that will make it extremely easy for citizens, irrespective of culture, religion, ethnicity, caste, organization or spiritual affiliation, to come together in service for the city. Through this initiative, we aim to make community service a way of life, a means by which people can reach out to others in need and experience inner joy and belongingness in the process.”
Multitasking With Perfection
From a child battling ill-health, to a seeker of truth and knowledge and a mass leader Vasudha has come a long way. “But I have miles to go,” she intervenes. “When I look back on the times, I struggled with my self-doubt, I am left with no answers. Without spiritual support, and my master’s guidance I wouldn’t have been able to shoulder huge responsibilities. Today, whatever I do, I do it effortlessly- whether it is teaching life lessons to youths, empowering people with life skills or undertaking an initiative. I feel a certain oneness with everyone in the universe. Being a woman, I have multiple roles to play as a mother, wife, daughter, daughter-in –law, friend, and finally a leader. But I have managed to walk the tight rope and do the balancing act with absolute diligence.”
A Journey Unto Eternity
Vasudha loves to paint whenever she is free, to satisfy her creative urges. “But these days, I dream more than I paint. India is replete with spiritual values and my prime objective in life is to share this knowledge with the whole world. A just, prosperous and peaceful India is in the making. And until then, I will not rest in peace,” sums up the charismatic leader.
