Ishita Chakraborty

When I reflect on my life, I feel very proud of myself. Life was never easy for me, and I had to deal with numerous challenges since I was a child. I felt the agony of broken connections with some of my closest friends and people I cared about. I remember one of the relationships even pushed me to the brink of suicide, and after that I slipped into depression; there was a time in my life when I experienced panic attacks and breathing difficulties.

My father had a bookstore, therefore the money he got from selling books and my grandfather’s pension were the only two sources of income for managing the household, which covered both daily expenses and our education expenses. I was not a brilliant student at first, but I gradually improved. But things became tougher when my grandfather passed away and after that my father struggled to generate income from the bookshop. There were months when he earned barely 800 Rs in a month, whereas there were times when he earned nothing at all.

This was the point at which I recognized that I needed to focus on my life and pushed myself out of my depressive state. I began preparing for the entrance exam to gain admission to the B-Tech program, meanwhile I began tutoring to meet my own expenditures. I was not admitted on my first attempt, but I was admitted on my second attempt. In college, I experienced numerous problems and was unable to deal with the pressure, but with the support of some friends, I soon improved.

I remember that we visited home for Holi and COVID started spreading. Our situation became worse. My father’s business was closed. And I was unable to provide tuition. We began to face a huge financial crisis. During that time, we were dependent on the government’s rationed food.

But as life progressed, I completed my B-Tech. My friends started getting placed, but despite my efforts, I was not successful. I was clouded by self-doubts, and I used to cry at night because it was a tough phase, and at that time, a job was the only thing I needed. And finally, after so much effort, I got an offer letter from Infosys. It felt like the dawn of a long night.

I joined Infosys, and soon I started getting a salary. It was a big relief. Although I still face many challenges in my job, I am happy that now I can support my family. There were days when I was helpless and felt like giving up, but I chose to live and fight for myself, and now when I look at my parents and see them smiling, it feels like, in the end, life is worth living.

Total Work Experience: 1.3 Years (Infosys)