Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started learning when I was three years old. While most children my age were still discovering what they enjoyed, I had already begun spending time learning steps, expressions, and movements. As I grew older, dance became more than something I did after school.

Over the years, I trained in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Mohiniyattam. For nearly twelve years, practice was part of my everyday life. I would practise after school, during holidays, and sometimes even on days when I was tired and did not feel like doing anything else.

I always imagined that dance would one day become my profession. After finishing school, I wanted to study dance formally and continue my training. But I came from a village where opportunities for professional dance education were limited. There were no certificate courses or formal training programmes nearby. Moving away to study was not something I could easily do. 

So, I chose a different path. I completed my B.Com degree. But even while studying commerce, I never really left dance behind. Whenever I had time, I continued practising. It remained a part of my life. After college, I got an opportunity to teach dance at a school in my village.

In the beginning, I taught only a few children. But slowly, more students began joining. I enjoyed watching them learn the same things that had once excited me as a child.

After teaching at the school for about a year, I started taking classes from my home. I earned around ₹5,000 every month. It was not a large income, but it was mine. For the first time, I had a small sense of financial independence while doing something I genuinely loved.

For a while, I thought I had found the life I wanted. Then I got married and moved to the city. Life changed after that.

In the city, teaching dance professionally required formal certification, something I did not have. Gradually, dance began taking a smaller place in my life. There were household responsibilities to manage. Then my son was born, and most of my time went into caring for him. Whenever I could, I taught a few children in the neighbourhood, but it was never regular. 

My husband worked as a medical representative, and his income supported our family. We were managing. Then, a few years ago, everything changed.

My husband met with an accident. The accident left him paralysed from the waist down, and he could no longer continue working. Suddenly, the life we had been managing was no longer there. My husband needed care. My son was about to begin school. The household expenses continued, but our only steady source of income had stopped.

For the first time, I had to think seriously about becoming the person responsible for supporting the family. Around that time, a friend saw a poster about the GROW Plus programme for graduates. She suggested that I contact the centre and find out more.

During the programme, I worked on my communication skills and learned basic computer skills. More than anything, I slowly began rebuilding my confidence.

I got my first job as a Telecaller at Growthalon Insurance Marketing Pvt Ltd. My starting salary was ₹12,000 a month. That was five years ago.

Over time, I took on more responsibilities and learned how different parts of the organisation worked. I continued growing in my role and eventually moved into operations. Today, I work as an Operations Manager and earn ₹25,000 a month.

I am now the sole earning member of my family. I manage our household expenses and take care of my family’s needs. My son is studying in a good CBSE school, and being able to provide him with that education is important to me.

I am proud of where I am today. Not because this was the life I had planned, but because when my family needed me to step forward, I found a way to do it.