Nivedita Basu reflects on career, childhood as lessons for today’s youth on Children’s day
Recollecting her school days, Nivedita told us 'For us, Children’s Day was when we heard stories of Chacha Nehru and were given sweets.'
Held to celebrate Jawaharlal Nehru’s legacy of cherishing youth, Children’s Day comes at a time when Nivedita Basu spoke about her childhood memories, her journey into media and her advice for next generation.
Recollecting her school days, Nivedita told us 'For us, Children’s Day was when we heard stories of Chacha Nehru and were given sweets.' All that time was spent on education and media wasn’t on our radar at all." "Our path into media wasn't even on the radar and my journey into media was never planned," she adds. Life finds a way but all in all I’m thankful to have made it into this world. And it feels like destiny just brought me here.” Her parents had instilled in her great discipline, which has been guiding force of her life. My father was strict with even the smallest things, and I didn’t give a damn at the time. I just didn’t understand how important that discipline was now. I share, Now it has made me the person I am today. "I hope my kids, ultimately, have that same discipline, that same resilience."
"Today, children have so much media exposure," Nivedita acknowledges, the timespace are changing. We followed what our parents said, but they think for themselves. However, I think the core values in them still count, no matter what change." Although Nivedita is encouraging children to go after careers of their choice, she is also realistic. It should be about letting children explore the things they want to explore: acting, music, art. "But it's important to help them to make choices wisely," she says. "They should, I guess, whatever path they choose, try and be the best at that field." Nivedita reflects on the core lessons of her childhood, humility and discipline. Humility is something that I carry with me wherever life takes me and I will never leave , she says.
I think I would’ve been more calmer maybe doing some kind of yoga or meditation, she says of reflecting on her own growth. In those days, we didn’t talk about mental health and yoga wasn’t on our curriculum. I understand the value in those practices for inner calm and, I think, especially for young people."
