#PeopleOfDonatekart: Meet M Sandeep Kumar

“My father had a transferable job and I grew up in various parts of Odisha. My favourite was, however, growing up in a colony in Berhampur. It was almost like we were a big family. I remember the summer holidays used to be so much fun. We would spend the mornings playing cricket or plucking mangoes from trees. The evenings were for studies but if we were ‘lucky’ and there was a power failure, all the kids in the mohalla would come out and we would have a gala time. The simplicity of those times are unmatched.

I had always wanted to become an engineer, like my father. So I completed my degree and started working as a software engineer. Surprisingly, a few years later, I figured that this is not what I really want to do. Management was what I was more interested in. So, I took the decision to pursue a distance MBA, all the while wondering what my father would think of this.

Much to my surprise, the conversation went rather smoothly and that’s when I understood what my father meant when he encouraged us to make our own decisions. Whether it was deciding how to use our pocket money or how we want to shape our career. I think sometimes we understand our parents only when we grow older. My entire childhood, I saw him as a strict disciplinarian but now I saw that all he ever wanted was to instill certain values in us.

It is difficult to stick to one’s childhood habits but there is one thing that I have clung onto and that is waking up early. It not only helps me make the most of my day but is also a sweet reminder of my childhood days.

Age and experience makes one a different person and two years in Donatekart have been the most fulfilling journey for me. While there have been multiple challenges, they have also taught me how to be patient in the most demanding of situations. All in all, I am proud of the person who I have become. From that introverted child in a small district of Odisha to someone who constantly interacts with NGOs and individuals to help them with their needs, I am glad I am able to spread happiness and joy.”

-M Sandeep Kumar, Assistant Manager Operations