April 2018
I was barely a month away from graduating as a software engineer. The stress of the major project was high. I got placed in September of 2017 and had an easy final semester. (Engineering students will know how getting placed early makes your life easier on campus for rest of the time)
Honestly, I spent most of those six months scaling Stories Worth Sharing.
We had started with SWS Meetups in March of 2017. By March 2018, we were doing at least two sessions in different Indian cities.
Thanks to all these efforts, one thing led to other as I was on a flight to Guwahati. A month before graduating, I was on my way to Itanagar- the capital of the easternmost Indian state.
The landing at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport was nothing short of magnificent. The view of mighty Brahmpatura was already fuelling my charged up passion.
Tip: If you are flying from Delhi to Guwahati book your window seat in 'A' series. You'd see mighty Kanchengjunga and if other Himalayas. You'd thank me forever!
Back to story, after roaming around in the streets of Guwahati entire day, I was on a train to Naharlagun from Guwahati for an overnight journey. I had read in books about how sun rise earlier in the north east.
Here I was, 21 years old. Looking outside window like a kid and rejoicing at how it was almost 'afternoon' at 7am. CRAZY, hah!
Khair, the next stop was NERIST. The North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology. One of the best engineering colleges in the North East India. Why? To give my first TEDx speech!
Imagine this: I am 21. We have hosted 4-5 sessions in Itanagar/NERIST while sitting in Delhi and now, I am actually at NERIST in front of people who know my work (before my words)
I can write more on how it felt since it felt dreamy back in the day. People buying tickets, showing up, and standing in a queue just to hear you speak! Best? They are mostly your age. sigh!
I met this one girl who met me just after the session for the photos. She said something that stays with me even today:
"I'll name my kid Himanshu as and when I have one, Himanshu"
As I write I have goosebumps. I am thinking of exactly what I had thought back in the day. It is actually a Hindustani sher by Faraz.
"Aur kitni muhabbat tujhe chaihye ae Faraz,
ki maaon ne tere naam par baccho ke naam rakh diye"
Getting on TEDx stage was a dream we saw exactly a year before this event. April 2017 was when I first muttered 'Yaar hum bhi kabhi TEDx denge' for the first time. I was covering a TEDx conference at a university in Delhi and loved the vibe.
Life works in funny ways. In less than a year from this message I sent into universe, I stood on a stage that felt dreamy back in the day.
And today, five years later, I look back and ask how does it feel?
"Probably nothing!"