My Journey to becoming a British Citizen
What does it mean to be a citizen?
It’s a question the world has grappled with since the time of Ancient Greece. As I got the formal confirmation that I have naturalized as a British Citizen it made me realize, Citizenship is a privilege, a benefit and sometimes a weapon. It’s a vital responsibility and one worth rethinking at a time of turmoil.
For someone who comes from a country that was colonized by the English, this occasion also marks the responsibility to give back I have towards my home country.
The journey which started In 2013, partly to see what was out there and partly to set up a scholarship fund in India one day, has been one of the riskiest bets and the greatest adventures of my 20s.
I am forever indebted to my parents for supporting my move and believing in my mission from Day 1 and to all those who have supported me throughout in the UK (my first employer and boss, my mentors, my friends, my support network and the organizations that have invested in my leadership).
The last 8 years in the UK have been nothing short of ups and downs, as I look back, these moments remind me where life can take you, when you’re just doing your thing!
From meeting Prince Harry for a roundtable discussion on youth empowerment to being mentored by the Deputy Mayor of London for Culture, Justine Simmons. From contributing on a panel with the Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium to meeting the Queen of Spain and Belgium as a European Commission Young Leader and a British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) jury member.
From being nominated by Forbes Asia to be on the 30 under 30 list, to featuring on the Financial Times inaugural Top 100 Ethnic Minorities in Tech List, and being granted an Exceptional Talent Visa, I realize how blessed I am to be surrounded by people in this country who mentor and sponsor me.
But the single biggest thing I learned from these experiences and the fellowships that have taken me from Puerto Rico to Mexico is that I have obligations. I see my citizenship as obligations to serve past, present, and future generations, and the planet herself.
I am meeting my obligations by having set up and run several initiatives:
to give access to grants and mentors to young people, because I really want to get in the heads and hearts of kids and persuade them that they can believe things they haven’t seen, they can do things that maybe others haven’t done before them.
And funding 7 girls education in India, with hopefully many more going forward because If you are willing to get closer to people who are suffering, you will find the power to change the world!
Over the years the rise of right wing extremism, institutionally racist and draconian immigration policies (in the UK, India and the world over) have made it that much harder to overcome the hurdles that a lot immigrants face, but a growing body of research shows that we survive this experience with hope…. I continue hoping!
