With The Help Of The Glow & Lovely Careers Scholarship, Niharika Never Compromised On Her Dreams

July 1, 20223 Minutes
Success Stories

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Niharika is currently pursuing her master's in Data Analytics and Computational Social Science (DACSS) in the U.S.A. Her journey to get there wasn't an easy one. But with the support of her mother, a few colleagues and a Glow & Lovely Careers Scholarship, she fulfilled all her dreams. Here's her success story:

As Niharika would say, her entire life has been a journey filled with obstacles. She was born into a financially struggling family with an alcoholic, abusive father. By the 5th grade, Niharika was forced to join a Telugu-medium school as her mother could no longer afford the fees. Luckily for her, the government had passed a law stating that classes from 6th grade onward would be taught in English. She mentioned that joining a Government School was a huge turning point in her life. She was provided with many opportunities to learn and grow. Niharika excelled in school - She participated in various competitions, was a state-level hockey player and was awarded the best cadet in the NCC. In 9th grade, her father succumbed to a heart attack. Instead of getting her married or forcing her to leave her studies and work, her mother became the driving force in her life.

Her brilliant marks (9.7/10 CGPA) and all-rounder skills paved the way for her to join the Electronics and Communications Engineering at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Basar, Telangana, under government scholarship. She submitted two projects to NASA in her first year, receiving honourary mentions. But her scholarship fell through, and she was threatened with expulsion if she couldn't come up with the fees (INR50K). When nothing else seemed to work, she came across the Buddy4Study Scholarship network, a Glow & Lovely Careers partner. After listening to her story and achievements, Glow & Lovely Careers knew she deserved to let her light shine. Such talent needed to be given a chance to grow. She was awarded the Glow & Lovely Scholarship, which helped her pay her fees and continue her education.

As a kid, Niharika was inspired by the 'Road Not Taken', So even when nothing seemed to go her way, she persevered to make her dreams come true. It did not matter to her what others would think - which is why she chose a career completely different from her stream - arithmetic and logical reasoning trainer, she helped many undergrad students become placement ready. In addition, Niharika always wanted to give back to society and decided to help make India a better place for girls like her. Hence, she joined the innovation fellowship of Telangana State Innovation Cell, which works toward creating a culture of innovation in the state from all backgrounds. Niharika considers TSIC as her second family; they helped her apply to the University of Massachusetts to pursue her master's after her mother's demise. She is deeply grateful to Dr Shanta Thoutam, the Chief Innovation Officer of TSIC, for her support.. Niharika has won the student elections and was recently announced as a Graduate Student Senate officer (Treasurer) and also works as her department's communications manager.

Her mother, unfortunately, passed away during the second covid wave but her memories and advice remain. Niharika wishes to pass on her favourite saying from her mother to all aspiring girls out there: "Dream Big and Never Give up" When asked if there was anything that inspired her, Niharika excitedly shared her screen to show her favourite quote, "Dreams don't work unless you do!" She wishes that girls nowadays work towards their dreams and not compromise on them. When you work towards something, the universe will find a way to give you the help you require when you need it the most. If you're looking for a scholarship to further your education, apply for Glow & Lovely Careers Scholarship here.

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November 17, 20222 Minutes

How To Set Up A Business Or Startup

Every entrepreneur's "dream" is, without a doubt, to run a successful business. Most of the time, it goes something like this in their minds: You will be very successful if you have an idea, start a business, get customers, and then grow quickly. But it's not usually that easy in real life. Building a business isn't easy and takes a lot of hard work. But it doesn't have to be impossible if you have a well-thought-out plan. Your business plan can put you on the road to success if you plan it carefully and carry it out well. The key is to think things through and build something on a solid base that won't fall apart when bad things happen. Every business needs a solid base to stand on. It's essential to have many of these things in place early on, like your website, business plan, and online marketing. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 1. **Start with your passion:** The startup world is not for the weak of the heart; if you don't care about what you're doing, everyone will know it. If your main goal is to make money, everyone will know it. Passion doesn't guarantee success, but not having it makes it likely that you'll fail. <br /> <br /> 1. **Have a Realistic Plan:** Stretch goals are a great way to get people excited, but they usually can't be reached in the future. Instead, entrepreneurs would do better to have a business plan with reasonable and doable milestones. The milestones could be as easy as getting enough money, hiring the best people, and growing reasonably. These are goals that can get you where you want to go. <br /> <br /> 1. \*\*Solve a real problem with your product: \*\* Too many businesses fail because they tried to solve a problem they thought existed. Figure out what you'll be selling, who you'll be selling it to, and how you'll be selling it. Make sure the market for your product or service is big enough that you only need to sell to a small part of it to be successful. <br /> <br /> 1. **Build an inner circle:** Find ways to connect with people who are leaders in the field you want to be in and build a close group of people you trust. To help you make decisions, you'll need to have a lot of years of experience on speed dial. <br /> <br /> 1. **Have a business website and use social media:** If you want to reach your goal, you have to be online. Your website will connect you with customers who live thousands of miles away. <br /> <br /> 1. **Put together a strong team:** Make sure to find the right people with the skills your company needs right now. Make sure to add people in a smart way, and don't feel rushed to fill positions on time. Glow \& Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair \& Lovely Career Foundation) provides great tips, courses and guidance. If you plan to start your own business, check them out [here](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/online-courses).