#PeopleOfDonatekart: Meet Dishani Agarwal
“My whole perspective on life changed when I moved to Calcutta for college. That was the first time I was staying away from home, and it opened up a new world for me. After living my whole life, almost in a bubble in Bhubaneswar, I was out in the real world. And none of this would have happened if my parents didn’t push me to be more independent. They’ve always taught me to reach for the stars.
I was such a shy child in school. And because I was on the heavier side, I was also very conscious of the way I looked. My confidence was non-existent and I felt the most comfortable at home because I didn’t feel like I was being judged. There were days when I even refused to go to school because of the comments people passed about my weight — mostly disguised as a joke. I did take it to heart though. I think anyone at that age would. But once I left home, I found myself. I worked on my confidence and fitness. It took me 5 years but I worked out, ate healthily, and became my fittest self. I think it’s important to be comfortable and happy in your body, and for me, that happiness came from working out. There’s a lot of body shaming, and it’s important for people to realize that even something that’s intended as a joke, can be hurtful for someone else.
I’m a different person today, but one thing remains the same — my love for my family. Even though I’ve lived away from home for a few years now, I’m still very close to them. I was visiting home from Singapore when the pandemic struck — and I haven’t been able to go back since. My parents were so happy to have me here, but I lost a work opportunity there in the process. I think life was preparing me for something bigger though — my role here at Donatekart.
At Donatekart I feel like I’ve been given the space to learn and contribute valuably to the company. I still remember when I first applied to work here — it didn’t matter what role I was in, I just wanted to be a part of their journey because I was so inspired.
My life now is all about my family, my work and our new puppy! Somehow he’s brought us even closer than we were, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
- Dishani Agarwal, Business Development Associate
