At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this, we invited Charushilla Narula for an exclusive interview with us. She is an Entrepreneur, Leader, Mentor and Founder Director of University Connection. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, background and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Charushilla:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
Growing up in a simple convent setting and then exploring new world liberalism through theatre, activism and debate, I’ve had an amazing experience as a student at Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi.
My love for communication and dramatics led me to deep dive into the world of advertising and soon after the joys of motherhood served as my segway into the education sector.
I’ve had the privilege of working in American and Indian settings, adapting from school to university outreach and finally launching my own college and career planning organisation, UniversityConnection.in
How did you discover your passion?
I believe that passions are not discovered in silos; and looking backwards, they develop as one, two, three spikes, only to converge into a more holistic presence in our life.
I remember Physics and Math being my first love – as nerdy as this may sound, it was something that brought me immense happiness and with some guidance, I could have easily been a theoretical physicist!
Dramatics and stage became my second home at college; creating public productions with stalwarts such as Shri Arvind Gaur, Shri Piyush Mishra and Shri Sanjay Upadhyay, my understanding of communication and building narratives on the stage reached a new high!
The intense ehsaas of becoming a mother led me to exploring Montessori education and its basic tenet that celebrates the journey that finally leads to remarkable outcomes.
It’s been 21 years in the education sector and when I look back, I only see how scientific enquiry, communication acumen and a deep grounding in child development have led me to what I do now.
At University Connection, I’ve personally mentored thousands of students, and created a blueprint on edupreneurship, college planning, communication consulting, and scholarships; how did I find this passion, perhaps just by staying committed to excellence every time, everywhere.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
My extensive experience with education & a long-drawn connection with guiding students towards university education, have given me an insight not just about admissions across the world, but also about fluid nature of life itself.
The pandemic was a test of resilience for so many, including us at University Connection. Overnight, we converted our fully active offices spread across three cities to an online outfit. The UC Online logo, zoom template, modules, counsellor training, parent orientation and so much more was executed so seamlessly that even our school partners reached out to us to help them evolve into digital avatars.
When the going gets tough, the tenets of excellence and a winner’s mindset, something that we even share with young adults, is what helps. As one of my early mentors often shared with me, ‘When you are sinking, become a submarine.’
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
The story of my life is intertwined with the journey of my students and families. The one lesson I’ve learned is that trust takes time and this time is crucial. You are not just brewing trust during this phase, you’re also developing a foundation to build on new ideas, teams and an overall organizational culture. In a world where instant starting up is applauded so much, I’d say take your time.
As a woman and also an entrepreneur, I love my tribe and my kind. We pride ourselves in being an all-women venture at UC. I also support business incubators and I strongly believe in sharing and growing together.
The sun shines on everyone, when it rains, it rains on everyone, why should abundance, knowledge and success be any different. Work-life balance is a misnomer. There is only balance and you.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
We have defined some Core values as part of University Connection. I would narrate these as the keys to success as well.
> Trust
> Research
> Unbiased Guidance
> Empowering Mentorship
> Positive Attitude
> Accountability
> Love
> Lifelong Learning
> Innovation
> Mindful Communication
…and not to forget practising courage as a way of life.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Career decisions are life decisions!
Considering we live in a hybrid world, today more than ever, students are experiencing a bombardment of information. At one level, this is great, but it can be overwhelming for some and lead to misinformation and misdirection as well.
A fundamental suggestion for young achievers in this world full of opportunities/information is to not only research the different opportunities but also understand how to navigate around the plethora of information.
To thrive in any career path or life, it’s crucial to establish a solid foundation shaped by proper exploration, self-reflection, research, and guidance to aid in expanding one’s horizons beyond what they’ve been told or believed.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
There are over 3000 plus universities in the United States, every metro station in the United Kingdom has a university by its name, there is increasing interest in countries such as Japan, Netherlands and down under.
Frankly, for someone who loves spending time at university libraries, writes regularly, enjoys nurturing young minds, finds growing an organization in the dynamic education space exhilarating – there’s not a dull moment!
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
