The spectre of COVID-19 has cast its long shadow across the world and impacted all of us. I have not been to school for months, have not met my friends, have not been on a holiday. I have tried to keep myself positive, but there are times when I feel stressed. Then, I think of those who have it much worse than me and my classmates. Like poor migrants working in cities, who have had to walk thousands of kilometres back to villages after losing jobs. I have been living in Mumbai for seven years, and when I passed slums, they seemed to be a different world from the one I live in. At times, I felt ashamed of how many people endure hardship while others can afford luxury and comfort. As I understood more about the Pandemic’s impact on people who, even in ‘normal’ times, struggled, I wanted to help.
I love reading, and over the last few months, I’ve been reading even more than I normally do. As I read about famous people across fields, such as Abdul Kalam and Dhirubhai Ambani, I learned many of them came from humble beginnings. They were underdogs, without the support system or opportunities others had. However, this did not stop them from achieving their potential. That inspired me because if instead of being paralysed by the challenges we face, we can use them to strengthen our resolve, to emerge more resilient, more compassionate, something good may well come out of this crisis. Many of these legends were not born with a silver spoon. Far from it. As I saw photos of migrant children trudging back to their villages, I wondered perhaps one of them had the potential to change the world as these people had. I learned that often what unlocked their potential was their demonstrating many of the learner profiles we think about in the IB programme- being risk-takers, open-minded, inquirers etc. However, often a turning point was a helpful nudge from a coach, a family member, a neighbour. I learned more about how one could support children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
I am just a kid, but as J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, ‘Even the smallest person can change the course of the future’. I do not have pretensions of changing the future, but I do want to help. That is how my eBook, Underdogs: Legends with Humble Beginnings, was born.
My first objective is to inspire kids not to give up and stay positive when times are tough, by showcasing people who have achieved success despite humble beginnings. I also want kids to recognise that talent and potential transcend where you were lucky to be born; be compassionate, and help those in need, versus living in our comfortable cocoons.
Finally, I want to help tangibly. This eBook is available on the Amazon Kindle store and all sales proceeds will be donated to Save The Children India to help kids in need.
I’d like to thank my teachers at École Mondiale who helped instil in me many of the values which make me who I am. The idea for this book was sparked by our Service Project. I’d also like to thank my parents for teaching me the importance of being values-driven; to aspire to not just be a good student, but a good person.
Mr Sudarshan Suchi, CEO of Save The Children India, kindly consented to write the Foreword. He writes, “What a powerful idea…Aaditya himself is an inspiration to have put in this effort... I am confident that in appreciating this, many of you would join our efforts to reach the unreached – millions of children with the potential to become an inspiration themselves with a little nudge. In supporting such efforts, we all do our bit to make this world a happier and more collaborative place.”
Underdogs is available on the Amazon Kindle store at https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08TVX8P16.
