This Letter From Chanda Kochhar To Her Daughter Is An Inspiration

Chanda Kochhar’s letter to her daughter on the cusp of her career is heart-warming legacy left behind by a mother. 

As parents we always strive to stand by our children through thick and thin, have their backs when they fall and make every transition in their lives as smooth as possible. The mistakes that we make in our lives are passed on to them as life’s valuable lessons. And famous parents are no different.

CEO and MD of ICICI Bank, Chanda Kochhar’s daughter Aarti Kochhar is on the threshold of her career, and like any other mother she wants to prepare her daughter for the many challenges and obstacles that life might throw at her. So she wrote an inspirational and insightful letter, that features in Sudha Menon’s new book Legacy: Letters From Eminent Parents To Their Daughters and which carries messages that all parents should impart to their children at this crucial juncture of their lives.

Lessons learnt young stay life-long

“Our parents treated all three of us – two sisters and a brother – equally. When it came to education, or our future plans, there was no discrimination between us based on our gender. Your grandparents always had the same message for the three of us – that it was important to focus on what gave us satisfaction and to work towards it with utmost dedication. That early initiation enabled us to develop into confident individuals capable of taking decisions independently.” 

Our children learn their first lessons at home and raising them like a pack of cubs, with equal opportunities and challenges sans discrimination, ensures confident go-getters who aren’t afraid of taking life head-on.

Life’s challenges can be intimidating but believing in yourself is important

“I was only a young girl of 13 when my father passed away from a sudden heart attack, leaving us unprepared to take on life without him. We had been protected from life’s challenges so far. But without warning, all that changed overnight. And my mother, who had been a homemaker till then, faced the responsibility of raising three children all on her own. It was then that we realized how strong she was and how determined to do her duty in the best possible manner. I never knew that my mother had such a wealth of self-assurance and belief within her.”

Life is never easy for anyone. All we can do is be prepared for it by believing in ourselves. As Marcus Aurelius puts it, “very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”

Relationships are the best investments

“Remember that relationships are important and have to be nurtured and cherished. Also keep in mind that a relationship is a two way street, so be ready to give a relationship just as you would expect the other person to be giving to you.”

Building relationships, both in our personal lives and professional arena, is the best investment that we can make as humans. Relationships give our lives stability and fulfillment. Imagine you get a promotion at work, something that you have really worked hard for to get and you have no one around to share that joy! Feels miserable, isn’t it?

Choose your partner wisely

“My career would not have progressed the way it did were it not for your father who never once complained about the time I spent away from home. Your father and I nurtured our relationship despite the fact that we were both busy with our own careers, and I am confident you will do the same with your partner, when the time comes.”

It is extremely important for each one of us to choose our life-partners wisely. And for a woman it is crucial, almost imperative to choose a partner who will walk the journey with her holding her hands and treating her as an equal.

We are the masters of our own destiny

“I believe in fate but I also believe that hard work and diligence plays a very important role in our lives. In a larger sense, we all write our own destiny. Take destiny in your own hands, dream of what you want to achieve, and write it in your own way. As you go ahead in life, I want you to climb the path to success one step at a time. Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying every step along the way. It is all those little steps that make the journey complete.”

The critics in a woman’s life aren’t hard to find. We will be judged for every decision we make and for every action we take. But believing in ourselves and doing what we perceive is right can only ensure our credibility. It is very important that we chase our dreams and be our own judge.

Image source: ssbf blog.

Jyotishree Mohanty

A part time backpacker, an accidental baker, a doting mother, a loving wife, a pampered

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