A heart to heart with Roshini Iyer, a Tarantino fan, fashion blogger and education counselor

The 6^th floor office is usually abuzz with conversations and ringing phones. This symphony goes on till the end of the bay where it finally dulls out, leading to the sound of latest English pop tracks with a soft voice talking animatedly over the phone. We, team StoryWeavers wait a while as Roshini finishes a call with a parent, and as her phone clicks, she ties her hair up in a bun and reiterates on how excited she is for the interview.

 Q1. Give us a glimpse into what your life was like before you joined the BYJU’S team.

I am a Tamilian based out of Mumbai, after which I moved to Chennai to pursue my Bachelors in Biotechnology from SRM University.

Since I was three, I had this dream of becoming a doctor. No one in my family had ever entered the medical field so I found it very intriguing and believed that I help the society around me in some way donning the white coat. In Mumbai I lived with my parents and my younger sister who is 7 years younger to me.

Q2 How has life changed after your shift to Bangalore?

Mumbai is the NYC of India. It’s a super fast city and we, Mumbaikars are used to the fast paced life. The sea, the people, the fast food everything just captivates your soul; furthermore city has always made me feel very safe. In terms of the diverse crowd and pickled cultures – Bangalore and Mumbai are very similar, but nothing can ever replace the energy and pace of Mumbai.  Mumbaikars are always in a hurry- hurry to go to office, hurry to get lunch, hurry to get out of office and spend time with their friends. On the contrary, Bangalore offers a blend of fast-paced as well as laid back life barring the traffic bit. But Bangaloreans no doubt are active, with their love for theatre and music shows, yoga, marathons and travelling. It all comes together seamlessly to create the perfect ambience for a healthy work-life scenario.

Q3. How did the transition take place from medical to an education counsellor at BYJU’S

I have always been a good student, but when it came to my competitive exams, I could not get the required score to get into the medical field I preferred. Eventually, I landed up at SRM, Chennai (Biotechnology). My college days went by like a breeze and during the final semester we had BYJU’S come for campus placement. I joined with the expectation that I will be able to help students and parents. I got the perfect platform to do this as I get to interact with students of all age groups. It’s amazing to know that my work is helping hundreds of students around the country learn better.

Q4. What other activities did you get involved with during your college days?

I had a dream of finding the cure for cancer and found the perfect opportunity to follow this dream with a cancer research project at IISC, Bangalore. That was where I took up a 2 month internship to learn and explore more. But, due to the lack of resources and funding, I had to discontinue my research, a difficult decision to make no doubt. This decision opened up new doors for me however, as I realised that there are other ways of helping the people around me. That was where BYJU’S came in.

The other side of the education counsellor is a fashion blogger. I currently have about 13000 followers on my page “The Madrasi Bong” (https://themadrasibong.wordpress.com/) . Shoots happen on Mondays after which I sit and complete one blog update every week. Latest fashion trends, seasonal wear, new entries in the market- these are a few topics I cover in my blog. 

Q5. What is your philosophy in life?

I want to be the best at whatever I do. In the professional world, I am very competitive and take my job a little too seriously sometimes.  Failure leads to weeks of contemplation and isolation while I try to weigh my efforts and outcomes. But if I’m doing well, I feel extremely motivated. Keeping the same schedule everyday gets monotonous at times, so I try to be dynamic, within office and outside. Taking up on the challenge that every day brings new experiences, and coming out of the clutter shining, that is what I believe in.

Q6. What is the one thing that motivates you to get up every morning and come to work?

It’s the multitude of people that I get to interact with. I get to speak to so many interesting sets of people like parents, students, colleagues and every conversation gives me a whole new perspective on people.

My job entails speaking and counseling parents on how to create better learning opportunities for their children. It is a great feeling to be able to offer guidance to parents and to assist them with their child’s growth on an everyday basis. I wake up on certain mornings to texts from enthusiastic children who loved the videos and have started performing better in class. Very few people have the privilege of such impactful human conversations.

Q7. Tell us about the work culture at BYJU’S. What makes work fun here?

Motivation is what I thrive on, and that is all I have received here. Work life for interns and new recruits revolves around their performance and how they pick up on the advice. People here are fun, yet devoted to their work. We don’t refer to each other as sir and ma’am and our managers understand us as they have been in our shoes too. Their continuous endeavour to give each employee individual attention is motivation enough to give them good results.

Q8. What would be your word of advice to students taking their first steps into the professional world?

• Communicate- It is the only way you can prevent misunderstandings and doubt .
• Stay positive- You cannot be the best at everything you do, but strive for it. Do not let failures get to your head, learn from them and move forward.
• Learn to let go- Letting go is not a sign of weakness, accepting your mistakes and forgiving yourself for them is the most rewarding feeling ever.

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