I just wanted to share about that when I first became a teacher as a teacher you
first became a teacher as a teacher you
first became a teacher as a teacher you have to sit there without any particular
have to sit there without any particular
have to sit there without any particular students right and maybe hit a woman
students right and maybe hit a woman
students right and maybe hit a woman here before our teachers or even all
here before our teachers or even all
here before our teachers or even all your professors would agree that
your professors would agree that
your professors would agree that teaching is the best profession in the
teaching is the best profession in the
teaching is the best profession in the world not because of what you teach but
world not because of what you teach but
world not because of what you teach but everything that you get to learn his
everything that you get to learn his
everything that you get to learn his lessons that I’ve learned in my life one
lessons that I’ve learned in my life one
lessons that I’ve learned in my life one the first thing is about the purpose of
the first thing is about the purpose of
the first thing is about the purpose of life how many of you think you know what
life how many of you think you know what
life how many of you think you know what the purpose of life is not so many how
the purpose of life is not so many how
the purpose of life is not so many how many of you are curious what the purpose
many of you are curious what the purpose
many of you are curious what the purpose of life is yeah quite a few okay awesome
of life is yeah quite a few okay awesome
of life is yeah quite a few okay awesome I’m gonna tell you the purpose of life
I’m gonna tell you the purpose of life
I’m gonna tell you the purpose of life ready the purpose of life is to seek and
ready the purpose of life is to seek and
ready the purpose of life is to seek and spread happiness everything that we do
spread happiness everything that we do
spread happiness everything that we do as human beings is in that pursuit of
as human beings is in that pursuit of
as human beings is in that pursuit of happiness whether it’s hanging out with
happiness whether it’s hanging out with
happiness whether it’s hanging out with friends whether it’s attending TED Talks
friends whether it’s attending TED Talks
friends whether it’s attending TED Talks whether it’s spending time with their
whether it’s spending time with their
whether it’s spending time with their family whether it’s learning whatever it
family whether it’s learning whatever it
family whether it’s learning whatever it is it’s in the eventual pursuit of
is it’s in the eventual pursuit of
is it’s in the eventual pursuit of happiness and even when you think about
happiness and even when you think about
happiness and even when you think about oh I want to make money why do you want
oh I want to make money why do you want
oh I want to make money why do you want to do that so that you can be happy oh I
to do that so that you can be happy oh I
to do that so that you can be happy oh I want to learn why do you want to do that
want to learn why do you want to do that
want to learn why do you want to do that so you can be happy right and I believe
so you can be happy right and I believe
so you can be happy right and I believe that these lessons are best learned from
that these lessons are best learned from
that these lessons are best learned from people who really embody this so I would
people who really embody this so I would
people who really embody this so I would like to share the story of pinky who was
like to share the story of pinky who was
like to share the story of pinky who was one of our girls who came to Kranthi at
one of our girls who came to Kranthi at
one of our girls who came to Kranthi at age 13 and she’d been trafficked and
age 13 and she’d been trafficked and
age 13 and she’d been trafficked and actually sold at the age of nine and she
actually sold at the age of nine and she
actually sold at the age of nine and she has a lot of severe mental health issues
has a lot of severe mental health issues
has a lot of severe mental health issues and she’s one of those girls who never
and she’s one of those girls who never
and she’s one of those girls who never will be considered successful by the
will be considered successful by the
will be considered successful by the world but when I look at pinky all I see
world but when I look at pinky all I see
world but when I look at pinky all I see is that she spends 90% of her day
is that she spends 90% of her day
is that she spends 90% of her day laughing and making all the people
laughing and making all the people
laughing and making all the people around her laugh and when I look at her
around her laugh and when I look at her
around her laugh and when I look at her I realized that despite everything that
I realized that despite everything that
I realized that despite everything that she’s been through and everything that
she’s been through and everything that
she’s been through and everything that she’s faced her entire life she still
she’s faced her entire life she still
she’s faced her entire life she still has the ability to spend the majority of
has the ability to spend the majority of
has the ability to spend the majority of her day laughing and spreading happiness
her day laughing and spreading happiness
her day laughing and spreading happiness to everyone around her and for that I’m
to everyone around her and for that I’m
to everyone around her and for that I’m really incredibly thankful to to pinky
really incredibly thankful to to pinky
really incredibly thankful to to pinky the second thing I’ve learned is about
the second thing I’ve learned is about
the second thing I’ve learned is about success what is success I think success
success what is success I think success
success what is success I think success should be measured in the number of
should be measured in the number of
should be measured in the number of lives that we positively impact
lives that we positively impact
lives that we positively impact I would like to share the lesson that
I would like to share the lesson that
I would like to share the lesson that I’ve learned from Sheetal she thought
I’ve learned from Sheetal she thought
I’ve learned from Sheetal she thought came to us at age 17 and she had only
came to us at age 17 and she had only
came to us at age 17 and she had only studied in 4th and 7th at that point and
studied in 4th and 7th at that point and
studied in 4th and 7th at that point and would try to put her through 10th
would try to put her through 10th
would try to put her through 10th and she kept failing so eventually we
and she kept failing so eventually we
and she kept failing so eventually we let her put academics aside and pursue
let her put academics aside and pursue
let her put academics aside and pursue what her passion was which was drumming
what her passion was which was drumming
what her passion was which was drumming so he applied to music schools all over
so he applied to music schools all over
so he applied to music schools all over India and nobody would accept her
India and nobody would accept her
India and nobody would accept her because they said she hasn’t passed
because they said she hasn’t passed
because they said she hasn’t passed tenth she doesn’t speak English well
tenth she doesn’t speak English well
tenth she doesn’t speak English well enough she you know she won’t fit into
enough she you know she won’t fit into
enough she you know she won’t fit into the social class so then we applied
the social class so then we applied
the social class so then we applied abroad and she funded up getting a full
abroad and she funded up getting a full
abroad and she funded up getting a full scholarship to study drumming and music
scholarship to study drumming and music
scholarship to study drumming and music in Washington for a year so she ended up
in Washington for a year so she ended up
in Washington for a year so she ended up going to Washington and spending a year
going to Washington and spending a year
going to Washington and spending a year there and when she came back she she now
there and when she came back she she now
there and when she came back she she now works as a music therapist working with
works as a music therapist working with
works as a music therapist working with kids using the djembe to do drum circles
kids using the djembe to do drum circles
kids using the djembe to do drum circles and Pune actually and she works with an
and Pune actually and she works with an
and Pune actually and she works with an organization called the link and she has
organization called the link and she has
organization called the link and she has been doing you know
been doing you know
been doing you know drumming circles for kids particularly
drumming circles for kids particularly
drumming circles for kids particularly from NGOs and to me when I look at
from NGOs and to me when I look at
from NGOs and to me when I look at success to me success is the smile on
success to me success is the smile on
success to me success is the smile on she throws face when she’s drumming and
she throws face when she’s drumming and
she throws face when she’s drumming and the smile on the kids faces when they
the smile on the kids faces when they
the smile on the kids faces when they hold a drum for the first time and I
hold a drum for the first time and I
hold a drum for the first time and I know that when I look at Sheetal she’s
know that when I look at Sheetal she’s
know that when I look at Sheetal she’s never going to be considered successful
never going to be considered successful
never going to be considered successful by the regular world right she has
by the regular world right she has
by the regular world right she has passed 12th since then I’m sorry I’m
passed 12th since then I’m sorry I’m
passed 12th since then I’m sorry I’m having a hard time saying all this
having a hard time saying all this
having a hard time saying all this because she thought is right in front of
because she thought is right in front of
because she thought is right in front of me sitting here in the front row
so she thought thank you for teaching me
so she thought thank you for teaching me about success um the third thing that I
about success um the third thing that I
about success um the third thing that I have learned is what a meaningful life
have learned is what a meaningful life
have learned is what a meaningful life is and I think that we’re all looking
is and I think that we’re all looking
is and I think that we’re all looking for meaning in our lives but we’re never
for meaning in our lives but we’re never
for meaning in our lives but we’re never going to find it until we learned that
going to find it until we learned that
going to find it until we learned that our life has a bigger meaning beyond
our life has a bigger meaning beyond
our life has a bigger meaning beyond ourselves and as long as we’re pursuing
ourselves and as long as we’re pursuing
ourselves and as long as we’re pursuing things just for ourselves we’re never
things just for ourselves we’re never
things just for ourselves we’re never going to be happy enough and this I’ve
going to be happy enough and this I’ve
going to be happy enough and this I’ve actually learned from all the sex
actually learned from all the sex
actually learned from all the sex workers that I’ve worked with over the
workers that I’ve worked with over the
workers that I’ve worked with over the past five six years these women do sex
past five six years these women do sex
past five six years these women do sex work because they want their they want
work because they want their they want
work because they want their they want their kids to study in English they want
their kids to study in English they want
their kids to study in English they want their kids to live anywhere besides come
their kids to live anywhere besides come
their kids to live anywhere besides come on where the red-light area they want
on where the red-light area they want
on where the red-light area they want their kids to have office jobs and be
their kids to have office jobs and be
their kids to have office jobs and be happy and when these sex workers wake up
happy and when these sex workers wake up
happy and when these sex workers wake up every day they go to work every single
every day they go to work every single
every day they go to work every single day because they’re living for somebody
day because they’re living for somebody
day because they’re living for somebody that’s beyond themselves and I could
that’s beyond themselves and I could
that’s beyond themselves and I could never in my life possibly thank those
never in my life possibly thank those
never in my life possibly thank those sex workers for what I’ve learned you
sex workers for what I’ve learned you
sex workers for what I’ve learned you know I think when we go out to do to do
know I think when we go out to do to do
know I think when we go out to do to do charity work or do social work we always
charity work or do social work we always
charity work or do social work we always have this concept of something that
have this concept of something that
have this concept of something that we’re giving but I think that every
we’re giving but I think that every
we’re giving but I think that every single one of these stories just shows
single one of these stories just shows
single one of these stories just shows to me that it’s all about what you what
to me that it’s all about what you what
to me that it’s all about what you what you receive and what you learn so
you receive and what you learn so
you receive and what you learn so probably wondering what someone with an
probably wondering what someone with an
probably wondering what someone with an American accent is doing in the red
American accent is doing in the red
American accent is doing in the red light area of Mumbai and I am from
light area of Mumbai and I am from
light area of Mumbai and I am from America and I did grow up in a house
America and I did grow up in a house
America and I did grow up in a house with you know the American dream
with you know the American dream
with you know the American dream we had a gigantic house two cars in the
we had a gigantic house two cars in the
we had a gigantic house two cars in the garage and we even had a cat and my
garage and we even had a cat and my
garage and we even had a cat and my house was full of domestic violence and
house was full of domestic violence and
house was full of domestic violence and abuse and both of my parents had mental
abuse and both of my parents had mental
abuse and both of my parents had mental illnesses my mom has schizophrenia and
illnesses my mom has schizophrenia and
illnesses my mom has schizophrenia and my father was bipolar and some of my
my father was bipolar and some of my
my father was bipolar and some of my earliest childhood memories are of my
earliest childhood memories are of my
earliest childhood memories are of my parents burning each other with irons
parents burning each other with irons
parents burning each other with irons and even as a very young kid as a 9 10
and even as a very young kid as a 9 10
and even as a very young kid as a 9 10 11 year old you know stuck in that house
11 year old you know stuck in that house
11 year old you know stuck in that house I was just constantly looking around
I was just constantly looking around
I was just constantly looking around thinking if this is what the American
thinking if this is what the American
thinking if this is what the American Dream is and what we’re all taught in
Dream is and what we’re all taught in
Dream is and what we’re all taught in school right why do you need to do well
school right why do you need to do well
school right why do you need to do well in school so you can go to a good
in school so you can go to a good
in school so you can go to a good college why do you need to go to good
college why do you need to go to good
college why do you need to go to good college so you can have a nice job why
college so you can have a nice job why
college so you can have a nice job why do you need that nice job so you can
do you need that nice job so you can
do you need that nice job so you can have a nice house bla bla bla bla
have a nice house bla bla bla bla
have a nice house bla bla bla bla now I had all of those things in front
now I had all of those things in front
now I had all of those things in front of me and yet nobody in my house was
of me and yet nobody in my house was
of me and yet nobody in my house was happy so at a very young age I started
happy so at a very young age I started
happy so at a very young age I started kind of this quest for figuring out you
kind of this quest for figuring out you
kind of this quest for figuring out you know what is it what is it that brings
know what is it what is it that brings
know what is it what is it that brings happiness
happiness
happiness if it’s not these things and eventually
if it’s not these things and eventually
if it’s not these things and eventually that was what led me to the red light
that was what led me to the red light
that was what led me to the red light area of Mumbai which actually led me to
area of Mumbai which actually led me to
area of Mumbai which actually led me to quite a few different NGOs all around
quite a few different NGOs all around
quite a few different NGOs all around the world I’ve traveled over 100
the world I’ve traveled over 100
the world I’ve traveled over 100 countries and spent a lot of time
countries and spent a lot of time
countries and spent a lot of time volunteering and funnily enough you know
volunteering and funnily enough you know
volunteering and funnily enough you know what I found that it is people like
what I found that it is people like
what I found that it is people like those sex workers in commando para and
those sex workers in commando para and
those sex workers in commando para and it is kids you know in NGOs all across
it is kids you know in NGOs all across
it is kids you know in NGOs all across the world who are some of the happiest
the world who are some of the happiest
the world who are some of the happiest people I’ve ever encountered regardless
people I’ve ever encountered regardless
people I’ve ever encountered regardless of the fact that they don’t have what we
of the fact that they don’t have what we
of the fact that they don’t have what we consider the basics of life so my
consider the basics of life so my
consider the basics of life so my lessons I would like to leave you with
lessons I would like to leave you with
lessons I would like to leave you with those lessons today which is basically
those lessons today which is basically
those lessons today which is basically about seeking and spreading happiness
about seeking and spreading happiness
about seeking and spreading happiness the purpose of life I think is to seek
the purpose of life I think is to seek
the purpose of life I think is to seek and spread happiness I would like to
and spread happiness I would like to
and spread happiness I would like to encourage all of you to find what makes
encourage all of you to find what makes
encourage all of you to find what makes you happy and go out and seek in spread
you happy and go out and seek in spread
you happy and go out and seek in spread happiness I would like to encourage all
happiness I would like to encourage all
happiness I would like to encourage all of you to redefine success successes not
of you to redefine success successes not
of you to redefine success successes not lay in our houses and our cars and our
lay in our houses and our cars and our
lay in our houses and our cars and our phones and all of those things it lays
phones and all of those things it lays
phones and all of those things it lays in you know the number positive lives
in you know the number positive lives
in you know the number positive lives that you impact and third to go out and
that you impact and third to go out and
that you impact and third to go out and live a meaningful life because as long
live a meaningful life because as long
live a meaningful life because as long as we’re living for ourselves we’re
as we’re living for ourselves we’re
as we’re living for ourselves we’re never going to find meaning so thank you
never going to find meaning so thank you
never going to find meaning so thank you very much and please seek and spread
very much and please seek and spread
very much and please seek and spread happiness
we have Alex Peter and it let’s get a
we have Alex Peter and it let’s get a lot of what we have coming in God –
lot of what we have coming in God –
lot of what we have coming in God – Ellie who’s going to talk if you see
Ellie who’s going to talk if you see
Ellie who’s going to talk if you see each other soon fell into policy but
each other soon fell into policy but
each other soon fell into policy but she’s very eager to make it and I’m sure
she’s very eager to make it and I’m sure
she’s very eager to make it and I’m sure it was
so here we have
so here we have [Music]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Applause]
[Applause] and I’m not drunk but the doctor look at
and I’m not drunk but the doctor look at
and I’m not drunk but the doctor look at me was he had my mom six different times
me was he had my mom six different times
me was he had my mom six different times in six different directions
in six different directions
in six different directions suffocating poor come–it problems as a
suffocating poor come–it problems as a
suffocating poor come–it problems as a result I have to wrinkle open which mean
result I have to wrinkle open which mean
result I have to wrinkle open which mean I shake all the time look it’s not
I shake all the time look it’s not
I shake all the time look it’s not genetic it’s not a birth defect you
genetic it’s not a birth defect you
genetic it’s not a birth defect you can’t catch it
can’t catch it
can’t catch it no one put a curse on my mother’s uterus
no one put a curse on my mother’s uterus
no one put a curse on my mother’s uterus and I didn’t even answer most customers
and I didn’t even answer most customers
and I didn’t even answer most customers which they are
”
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