"As I settled down to write about my experiences at Thoughtshop, I am reminded of this year’s Grammy - winning song of the year - U2’s “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own”. I was initiated to life at Thoughtshop at a time when I was just not being able to make it on my own. It was a sort of personal “depression era” and I was hoping for a diversion. Thankfully, Thoughtshop gave me a lot more than that.
From the very first workshop to the last ones I attended, the experiences Thoughtshop provided me with, contributed immensely to my personal growth as an individual and also a responsible member of the society.

Surrounded by a bunch of very talented and thoughtful young people whom I am proud to call my peers, I learnt to accept and respect myself, and for a person who has battled with low self-esteem for a long time, it was a life-changing experience.
There were many things to learn and so many ways of learning them. The most intense of experiences were imparted to us with such ease and subtlety that the impact was always enlightening, enriching and never tiring. That, I guess, is the Thoughtshop-style. The comfort level and warmth that Thoughtshop provides makes us open ourselves up. We played games, shared jokes, and had fun while we were learning about ourselves and our social responsibilities. Whatever we did was teamwork and this feeling of togetherness was very nourishing. Thoughtshop not only opened my eyes that youth faces in our society, but also gave me an active role to play in spreading awareness about them."

Sreeparna Nundy

Sreeparna is teaching at a Government secondary school, while pursuing her B.ed degree.

Feb 2006