Stick to your Passion - You don't need to be a doctor or engineer everytime
You won't find these students plugging away at IIT-IIM entrance tests. You won't find them in the top 10% of the class, fighting to be the topper. But when it comes to the actual tests of life, you can rest assured they would be the winners. Teenagers or barely out of their teens, they have already turned their passions into a livelihood and the earn-while-you-learn fad is going viral among the Gen-Next.
These enterprising youngsters prove that getting excellent grades in exams is not all. They have chosen an array of jobs - from rock bands to DJs and choreographers, and from directing films to giving dance lessons and modeling.
They have arrived. And they are earning big. Some of them are making enough money to make generous pocket allowances look like peanuts. Suffice to say they can buy that high-end android phone or hang out at that exclusive ice cream parlour with friends - and even save up to fund their next venture.
Kunal Saha started playing the santoor at the age of five. Even now, when he is in college, Birla High School principal Mukta Nain never tires of giving his example. Throughout his schooldays, Kunal performed concerts professionally. "I earned `5,000-15,000 for every performance those days. It was thrilling. I knew I had to complete graduation, but santoor remained my priority and I am happy that my parents and school respected this decision," Kunal says. During Plus-II, he created a fusion band. This is now paying off wonderfully.
'Full Stop' is a dance team of four boys who are students of La Martiniere, St James and Don Bosco. Ishan Bhasin, Zaid Ashraf, Pranay Dutta and Shambo Mukherjee choreograph shows at school and college fests not to speak of performing in clubs and other social events where they are a craze today.
Starting out as rivals in school fests, the four realized that it makes great business sense to put their talents together. The 'Full Stop' boys charge `10,000 or more per performance. "We made our mark at college fests and TV dance competitions. Now the party circuit and clubs treat us as favourites," said Ishan, who will be writing his ISC exam this year.
At exhibitions and fairs, you might run into Class XI student of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Raghav Shroff, selling his "magic masala". Raghav hails from a business family and had been toying with this business idea since he was in Class X. It germinated from the chili tomato flavoured popcorn that is served in multiplexes in the city. This spicy powder is not available in the markets here and Raghav started searching the net and zeroed in on the Mumbai based supplier. "I buy them in bulk, make 100 gram packets, label them and sell them at fairs and exhibitions. I make a 300% profit. Sometimes, I earn Rs 20,000 at a single exhibition. I can do much more, but since I'm studying, I don't find the time," Raghav said. He plans to save enough to start an exclusive nightclub and restaurant.
It's not about earning pocket money, but about starting out young in a profession.
After his graduation, St Xavier's College student, Aditya Sengupta wants to pursue a course from the New York Film Academy. A third-year student of mass communication and videography, Aditya, is already a filmmaker and his film, 'The Bench', was shortlisted at the Cannes Film Festival. "I have received a letter of appreciation from the authorities," he gushed. Aditya has assisted Tollywood directors Ringo and Sreejit Mukherjee. One of his earlier films, 'My Three Best Friends', got him an award at the Nepal Film Festival. 'How to cross a Road' was screened at the annual festival of New York Film Academy.
Though she is pursuing an English honours course at Jadavpur University, Ishita Chakraborty wants to keep singing Jazz professionally. A Hindusthani classical singer, she says: "Jazz is my first love. Everything, including studies comes next." Ishita has lent her voice to many jingles and Tollywood films and has been singing with Carlton Kitto Ensemble for over a year. She has performed at Someplace Else (The Park), Soho, ITC and many high profile social do's. "The audience for a jazz concert is very niche. I have earned as much as `10,000 for a performance," she said.
Souravi Tarafdar a third year student of political science at Presidency University, thrives on street theatre, so it's only natural that she will take to professional acting. You have seen her in commercials like Shalimar coconut oil and Tang. She also acts in sitcoms. She doesn't work during and still makes no less than `35,000 a month.
Zoab Khan, one of the city's favourite DJs, took to the console in Class X while at Frank Anthony Public School. He is taking a break for a year to work as an in-house DJ at Saturday Club. Zoab pockets around `30,000 per month. He also plays at CCFC and Punjab Club. To have Zoab at a party you need to shell out a minimum of `10,000. But outstation events cost a bit more with the starting amount being `40,000.
"Whatever money I earn from my artwork I invest in my production company and make films," said Ayushman Mitra a student of St Xavier's College. He is a painter and excels in semi-abstract art that has been selling quite well since the beginning of 2010 when his first solo exhibition happened and there have been six till date. His paintings sell for `10,000 and above. Recently, one sold for a whopping `1.10 lakh.
There are some who are using their creative handwork skills profitably. Puja Sengupta a first year student of graphic designing at Rabindra Bharati University, uses her photography skills to make a neat amount. She designs photo albums, edits pictures and assists senior photographers on their shoots. Each such assignment fetches her about `3,000. Similarly, Antoreep Sengupta, a student of film studies from Jadavpur University works part time as a proof reader for Oxford University Press and earns `12,000 for his home based job. "It is extremely fulfilling to help your mom with her household expenses," he said.
These enterprising youngsters prove that getting excellent grades in exams is not all. They have chosen an array of jobs - from rock bands to DJs and choreographers, and from directing films to giving dance lessons and modeling.
They have arrived. And they are earning big. Some of them are making enough money to make generous pocket allowances look like peanuts. Suffice to say they can buy that high-end android phone or hang out at that exclusive ice cream parlour with friends - and even save up to fund their next venture.
Kunal Saha started playing the santoor at the age of five. Even now, when he is in college, Birla High School principal Mukta Nain never tires of giving his example. Throughout his schooldays, Kunal performed concerts professionally. "I earned `5,000-15,000 for every performance those days. It was thrilling. I knew I had to complete graduation, but santoor remained my priority and I am happy that my parents and school respected this decision," Kunal says. During Plus-II, he created a fusion band. This is now paying off wonderfully.
'Full Stop' is a dance team of four boys who are students of La Martiniere, St James and Don Bosco. Ishan Bhasin, Zaid Ashraf, Pranay Dutta and Shambo Mukherjee choreograph shows at school and college fests not to speak of performing in clubs and other social events where they are a craze today.
Starting out as rivals in school fests, the four realized that it makes great business sense to put their talents together. The 'Full Stop' boys charge `10,000 or more per performance. "We made our mark at college fests and TV dance competitions. Now the party circuit and clubs treat us as favourites," said Ishan, who will be writing his ISC exam this year.
At exhibitions and fairs, you might run into Class XI student of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Raghav Shroff, selling his "magic masala". Raghav hails from a business family and had been toying with this business idea since he was in Class X. It germinated from the chili tomato flavoured popcorn that is served in multiplexes in the city. This spicy powder is not available in the markets here and Raghav started searching the net and zeroed in on the Mumbai based supplier. "I buy them in bulk, make 100 gram packets, label them and sell them at fairs and exhibitions. I make a 300% profit. Sometimes, I earn Rs 20,000 at a single exhibition. I can do much more, but since I'm studying, I don't find the time," Raghav said. He plans to save enough to start an exclusive nightclub and restaurant.
It's not about earning pocket money, but about starting out young in a profession.
After his graduation, St Xavier's College student, Aditya Sengupta wants to pursue a course from the New York Film Academy. A third-year student of mass communication and videography, Aditya, is already a filmmaker and his film, 'The Bench', was shortlisted at the Cannes Film Festival. "I have received a letter of appreciation from the authorities," he gushed. Aditya has assisted Tollywood directors Ringo and Sreejit Mukherjee. One of his earlier films, 'My Three Best Friends', got him an award at the Nepal Film Festival. 'How to cross a Road' was screened at the annual festival of New York Film Academy.
Though she is pursuing an English honours course at Jadavpur University, Ishita Chakraborty wants to keep singing Jazz professionally. A Hindusthani classical singer, she says: "Jazz is my first love. Everything, including studies comes next." Ishita has lent her voice to many jingles and Tollywood films and has been singing with Carlton Kitto Ensemble for over a year. She has performed at Someplace Else (The Park), Soho, ITC and many high profile social do's. "The audience for a jazz concert is very niche. I have earned as much as `10,000 for a performance," she said.
Souravi Tarafdar a third year student of political science at Presidency University, thrives on street theatre, so it's only natural that she will take to professional acting. You have seen her in commercials like Shalimar coconut oil and Tang. She also acts in sitcoms. She doesn't work during and still makes no less than `35,000 a month.
Zoab Khan, one of the city's favourite DJs, took to the console in Class X while at Frank Anthony Public School. He is taking a break for a year to work as an in-house DJ at Saturday Club. Zoab pockets around `30,000 per month. He also plays at CCFC and Punjab Club. To have Zoab at a party you need to shell out a minimum of `10,000. But outstation events cost a bit more with the starting amount being `40,000.
"Whatever money I earn from my artwork I invest in my production company and make films," said Ayushman Mitra a student of St Xavier's College. He is a painter and excels in semi-abstract art that has been selling quite well since the beginning of 2010 when his first solo exhibition happened and there have been six till date. His paintings sell for `10,000 and above. Recently, one sold for a whopping `1.10 lakh.
There are some who are using their creative handwork skills profitably. Puja Sengupta a first year student of graphic designing at Rabindra Bharati University, uses her photography skills to make a neat amount. She designs photo albums, edits pictures and assists senior photographers on their shoots. Each such assignment fetches her about `3,000. Similarly, Antoreep Sengupta, a student of film studies from Jadavpur University works part time as a proof reader for Oxford University Press and earns `12,000 for his home based job. "It is extremely fulfilling to help your mom with her household expenses," he said.
Best Wishes
Arjun
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