Nikita is young, successful and brimming with energy. She has also done something that many want to do, but are scared to try; she has changed her career path in line with her priorities in life.
Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do professionally?
I am currently working with We Work India.
Prior to joining We Work, I was a cabin crew with Singapore Airlines for three years and was able to achieve my dream of travelling the world.
Besides work, what do you enjoy doing?
I'm a trained classical dancer in Kathak. I have learnt Kathak for over 10 years.
Sometimes, we don’t realise how our hobbies and interests mould us. I believe that dancing has added to my persona and has helped me grow as an individual. It has made me more confident and expressive.
Besides dance, I love food. I am a big foodie especially since I travelled so much and savoured as many cuisines as I could. Thai cuisine is my favourite. To me, food is a form of expressing oneself. It is a way start your cultural journey if you are in a foreign land. I love exploring new cafes and eateries in my free time.
Is there any childhood instance that has shaped you?
My parents always considered my brother and me as equals. We were never treated differently- boy, girl, younger, older - there was no such thought in their mind that differentiated us. I was never a pampered child, even though I am the younger sibling. I learnt to do things on my own and learnt to fight my own battles. This is one of the reasons I have always believed that I can do anything that I put my mind to.
In fact, I got the opportunity to live away from home for more than 3 years and so, I became independent earlier than my elder brother. Living independently helped me grow as a person; it made me more confident, more responsible and more assertive in nature.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me means achieving something that you love to do and do that every single day with so much enthusiasm and initiative that makes other people wonder how. It isn’t easy, but I think if you are passionate about what you do, you will excel in it.
What traits would you recommend young women to develop to be able to succeed in today’s world?
Success does not come without persistence. If you want something, you need to be ready to work hard to achieve it, and not give up half way. You need to have the courage to fight things out and stand up for yourself.
Also, it is critical to have an appreciation for criticism, and learn from feedback. Criticism is a form of feedback; if you do not learn from it, you will not be able to improve.
Lastly, being proactive goes a long way in getting you closer to success each day. Things are not served on a platter. You need to be able identify and attract opportunities so that step up your game!
Ethiko salutes the spirit of the courageous woman!