[Disclaimer: This post is neither to gain any sympathies nor to make you call me ‘inspiring ‘or like that... Just today, I felt to share some of the part of my little journey so far... Neither it is to blame or hurt anyone. What I'm expressing here are real facts and incidents. What I’m sharing is not to make it related to my physicality as that doesn’t make ‘me’, though it’s going to be my part throughout].
Probably, a journey of dreams started much before even I could have realised. But, there comes a time when things finally start fitting in.
Though I have never forgotten how it all started and how it all has shaped my life, which was at the beginning a complete mess (and it still is)...
My elder sisters have inherited their love for art and painting from our parents. Watching them draw and paint always fascinated me since childhood, whenever they were home from boarding school. Many people know my mother was good at drawing. So, is my father actually, but very few are aware. They both didn’t pursue art as they were in different difficult situations during their early stages of life. Also, that era didn’t let common people to give importance to pursuing art as a career. Yet, both of my parents have encouraged us three always to draw and paint. Even one of my elder cousin Kaustubh bhai kept insisting that I would be able to draw digitally too if I learn using computer. It kept ringing in my mind always...
We lived in a sweet, small chawl previously and my sisters were later sent to boarding school just not to let their education be interrupted as we (my parents and I) frequently needed to be at the hospital for treatments and surgeries of my brittle bones for many days. That time, till 9th standard (grade), as I was home-schooled with one appointed teacher teaching me daily for just an hour any one subject as per their convenience of time and for the rest of the day, I would study on my own and under mother or father's guidance whenever they had some time, since our principal then, Prof. Shri. N. D. Pawar Sir didn't allow me to attend daily, though it's legally allowed for any physically disabled student to attend normal school if they can or if they wish but we weren't aware of it. Having a written permission from district level health and disability certificate is enough to attend daily and to have additional half hour during exams to complete any of the formalities of exam questionnaire like naming, tieing the answer sheets together or to highlight and underlining of the important points of answers. I was told to study externally and was made to write my exam papers by sitting separately from the other students of my class, by making me sit at chaotic staff room of the school by the principal, with an excuse that it will not disturb other students, for him I was a nuisance, by saying "if we allow Yogita to attend daily, the parents of other students will object as her presence will create a nuisance for them" ....(nuisance??? By my presence?! How?! He only knew).... Though I scored well, I was never given a ranking in the class as I was permanently 'absent' for all the school days. This too wasn't much important for me. But what he snatched was a base for me... I lost confidence of working with watercolours as they are taught in the art lectures in school days. My teachers like Mrs. Devrukhkar, Mrs. Barve, Mrs. Pulekar kept guiding me maximum every day by coming home. They supported my love for studying.
My mother used to read the books in Marathi and would teach me in the medium I had chosen : English till 6th standard and later, I told my mother that I will study on my own now onwards but just to check my studies daily or to help me with difficulties. My father kept guiding me about maths as he's extremely expert in it. But, this student wasn't much good at maths it seems.
During this phase of home-schooling, I frequently felt lonely as after completing my daily studies at home though my friends from neighbourhood and my cousins would drop in frequently to be with me. I really missed routine any school provides.... Realising this, my parents introduced me to the world of books and mainly art by bringing art materials at home. Since then, books and my colours have been my best friends, my passion, my ambition, my painkiller in painful situations, my fuel to keep living throughout and creating, my asylum whenever life turned extremely tough and depressing.
During the 4th standard, my right arm bone fractured just before few days of the exam but my younger cousin brother became my writer and my year was saved. But, till my arm was cured and till the heavy plaster (put up after the surgery) was removed, I really missed drawing for one and half months.
I always loved drawing during school days but as I wasn't allowed to attend, I completely missed being taught basics of drawing and painting from the art teacher at school. I also wasn't allowed to study and appear for the elementary and intermediate exams of drawing and painting during school, by my mother as she thought it would stress my weak bones of hands that time ....
While studying in 9th standard, my elder cousin Kaustubh bhai once again reminded me of the dream he had inculcated in me: to learn computer and to draw digitally. He helped me buy a computer by guiding and also, he convinced some really good tutors like Mrs. Prasanna Salvi, Miss Megha Kadam (Mrs. Anannya Dalvi) and Mrs. Redekar to guide me to learn the basics of computer and to appear for MS Office exam, to learn HTML and short course of DTP (DeskTop Publishing), while studying in high school and graduation years. I had already learnt using MS Paint from my elder sister Kshama during primary school days when my father's factory's computer was kept at home for few days after bringing it back from repairs and upgrading. During phase of learning using computer, I was gifted by my cousin a CD of games. I frequently lost while playing them as I was more interested in observation of the background graphics of those games than playing. I simply found that playing games as a wastage of time. Never ever till now my computer has a single game installed since then....!
That time, internet wasn't started in our town. Later, there was dial up network but it was extremely costly yet very slow. Things changed onwards.
Books and colours accompanied me everywhere since childhood, even at the hospitals. Even my Orthopaedic Dr. Kedarnath Choubal (Bhatia Hospital, Tardeo, Mumbai) used to express that "I always love to see you studying, reading or creating art whenever I visit your room to check you up!". As he also loved reading books, he even used to make his assistants and accompanying nurses to wait some time aside and would keenly discuss with me about the books I would be reading or would keep looking at my drawing books or notebooks. At the last visit in 2005 for a thigh bone compression fracture during my last year of graduation, Dr. Choubal asked me about my future plans. I told him I'm currently studying in the last year of graduation and soon, I was planning to study more about painting and graphics on my own, so that I can start working, he wholeheartedly expressed his support that "I have seen you since you were a little kid. I really appreciate your efforts. I have seen many patients but you are the one who is always studying, reading or drawing and I really love that!". That was the first time, I felt that probably I was on the right track.
Our former school-principal retired and the new one, our maths and geography teacher, Shri. Joy Sebastian Sir became principal, who had witnessed this injustice and told me to attend the school daily and to be in the batch of students studying for the 10th standard exam with score of 70% and more in 9th standard, as my score was eligible for it. That was the first time, I was able to attend school full time. But, worst was I had lost an opportunity of being taught the basics of drawing and painting at primary level and secondary level of school. I also loved science and languages and scored well in those subjects. I loved drawing the diagrams for science journals and experiments. In return of teaching me algebra (which I found hard), my friends would tell me to draw science diagrams for them.
Till then, I was always told by my family that you'll be cured one day just not to make me depressed and that made me dream more and more. I would dream to be either a fashion designer or doctor or scientist or an astronaut. Love for astronomy was stronger than anything else and so, being an astronaut was my biggest dream. After 10th standard of school, I realised that this disorder won't be cured and it's a permanent condition which will end only with me. That was extremely frustrating to see the dreams of higher education broken to pieces as there were very few colleges at my town and there were only three options to choose : science, commerce and arts. As I found maths and accounting hard, I simply didn't feel to graduate in commerce. Science was my top preference but again I was misguided that I wouldn't get assistance in getting apparatuses arranged in laboratory to perform my experiments. So, I had to leave it from my mind. Only option was to graduate in arts with very few subjects available that time. I had to choose it. I had also tried to gather information about graduating in fine arts and psychology. But, as those colleges were away from town and in cities, it was impractical to commute daily as would waste time of studying or to stay temporarily out of town near the college with the help of my mother or a maid meant that my father would have to manage our home and our spices factory alone.
During high school and graduation, there were difficulties at each step. First was a complete change in the medium. I had studied in English medium at school while at high school and graduation, the only medium available was Marathi. At our home and in surroundings, we speak and use Marathi language only. Even I love my mother tongue Marathi. I also love writing in Marathi language. But, considering the competitive limited time for exams, I found my speed for writing in Devnagari script of Marathi was slower for all the subjects than writing in Roman script of English as I was used to it. I discussed with my parents and professors about this issue. They told, "you can switch the medium but the only issue is you'll need to teach yourself those subjects as we don't teach both mediums". Challenging it was, but I studied Economics, Geography and History that way for five years total (2 years of high school and 3 years of graduation). I was able to keep myself engrossed in reading books from our college library. There were not much availability of books or guides for the medium I had chosen nor was anyone there to guide me. My professors found it bit hard to guide me in English as I was the only one student from our Taluka who had chosen this medium for graduation. Yet they supported my decision in every possible way by helping me. I converted the notes they provided us at class after listening to their lectures.
Once I was taunted by a well-known, well-educated editor (of a famous newspaper in Konkan) who was my eldest uncle's friend, visited our home for condolences, few days after my granny's demise. As our exams were nearing, my cousins and I were studying together in another room. Some of them are engineers. I know, my arts graduation wasn't glamorous and prestigious as is engineering or any other field. But, we never compared. Our guest asked them all what they were studying currently. They told about engineering. He turned to me and asked. I told I was studying for my majors, English and History. He mocked, "तुझ्यासारख्यांनी असे अवघड विषय कशाला घ्यायचे?!" (people like you shouldn't opt for such difficult subjects). I politely but firmly told that I love doing difficult things only.
I was completely engrossed in getting my graduation completed and to get my degree in English as language and History. Yet, there was something that I felt was missing in my life. I kept sulking over broken dreams. Those broken dreams kept hurting my mind like shards of glass....
For first 6 months almost of the first year of graduation, I didn't even know who were my classmates as I focused completely on studies only. Later, I really found my friends for life at college....
Unfortunately since my childhood, some so-called relatives from maternal family taunted me directly and indirectly as a burden for my parents and worst was one of the famous gynaecologist who had been our distant relative from our town kept spreading lies to break the nuptial ties of my elder sister, that I'll be her burden in absence of my parents in future. Just to seek a revenge of an incident in past to which I wasn't at all related.
This all kept frustrating me and I found hard to concentrate on anything. I kept sketching and drawing on the back pages of books and notebooks, in the area of margins of pages even during the lectures. Those were just simple sketches but that soothed my mind. I found that Artist Shri. Rahul Deshpande and Artist Shri. Gopal Nandurkar from Pune provided correspondence course through 'Kalaakalp', a private art institute. I enrolled into it and completed two 8 months courses of basics and landscape. It made me feel better.
Just after my 2nd year of graduation completed and 3rd, final year was about to start, I lost both of my grannies and a tragic accident of my father and some family members which led to the demise of my uncle. It was extremely hard phase to face.... Only art was the resort.... Without firm support of eldest sister Leena tai, my graduation wouldn't have been possible that year in that tough phase.
As graduation neared, all my friends aimed for post graduation in languages or social sciences by completing M.A. or PhD, B.Ed., etc. and to be a teacher or professor. I didn't feel that way though everyone including my professors, friends and my parents too (at the beginning) were insisting me to follow this same path, to be a teacher at school or a professor at college or to start coaching students from home. I know it's really a noble profession and gives stable life with stable income as well. But, making myself tied to a same routine, same syllabus for years and years, that too not of the subjects of my choice, would have been very 'boring'.
As my father is businessman and industrialist and observing him since my childhood, listening to the struggle he and my uncles faced always fascinated me. My whole paternal family is business oriented. I have those genes. I felt I must make a decision by considering all the aspects. I also had considered working with my father in our factory as per his suggestion. But, he has done such a great work already that how would I be of use there, I thought. My creativity needed little channel of itself probably.
I had previously seen the printed proofs of package designs created by a designer for our spices factory and later found out it was done in software CorelDRAW!
I felt the short introduction of DeskTop Publishing wasn't enough. So, after completing graduation in 2006, I told my parents that "I will not apply for the job anywhere nor will I follow an old treaded path, I will work on my own, I will try to strike a balance of art and business together. I wish to pursue drawing, painting and graphic design but I need few years to study on my own for it, please let me follow my own path of dreams". They were at first shocked, stunned and also anxious how I will be able to do it. They told me to rethink. I gave it a second thought but couldn't imagine anything else. The only person who by whole heart supported me in this since beginning was my elder sister Kshama, in every way! Even my eldest sister Leena tai was at first anxious probably but always encouraged. So, did my whole paternal family. I kept studying on my own by reading, observing, practicing and creating for almost four years. The internet service was improved yet costly till then. I had started using GPRS for internet on mobile and accessed internet on computer by tethering. So, I used it only once or twice a week, just to download tutorials or to check emails of subscriptions of study materials. I also completed a correspondence course named 'Diploma in DTP' from a private institute in Pune. But, it was too short for learning graphic design. So, I kept studying in details.
The self study was tedious but what tried to drain my energy was worst taunting and insults like 'she must be playing games on computer', 'a good timepass for her', 'who will give you work here in the small town?!', 'what is the use of graphic design now?! Print is dead. Only animation and web design is trendy and gives good income', etc.
My elder cousin Kaustubh bhai meanwhile introduced me to his ex colleague who is hardware engineer and a very expert technician Shri. Mansoor Nadkar. Since then, he has been my technician and a perfect guide who not just provides technical solutions but also helps me to install my softwares. He has simply became a family member. He always has a perfect solution to each and every technical issue and guides me throughout, always and is just a phone call away, any hour of the day... He is a witness of all this journey of graphic design....! Without him, I can't imagine how I would have managed and he too is always very enthusiastic about new upgradations and even proud of my work...
In 2009, my artwork was given third prize in a competition by well-known senior Artist Shri. Ravi Paranjpe. Life started changing again.
But my whole life crashed down once again. Doctors sealed the fact after one final treatment of bone disorder that it won't cure. Being young, I too had felt the touch of love in my life for almost four years but in 2009, it ended in a heartbroken way with worst insult. I fell in a deep depression. My mother was away in USA with my eldest sister who was expecting twins. So, I had learned managing home in her absence. Just few days ago before she left for USA, I was badly insulted once again by my maternal uncle and aunt that I hadn't tried enough to be cured, to stand up and walk like normal, and I was kind of burden for my parents. Depression grew worst.... I simply did nothing about my career and wasted whole year almost in the phase, sulking till half of 2010. My health deteriorated once again. An ailment related to abdomen resurfaced which was had started in 2007 and was cured previously. Also, as I didn't pay attention to my health, my bone disorder led me to its consequence: my kidneys got affected by the accumulation and deposition of calcium in kidney. It led to many surgeries and painful treatments as well as frequent draining of kidneys and bladder to save them for next 3 and half years. My family-doctor and my brother-in-law Dr. Shri. Upendra Talathi guided me throughout and helped me to bring myself out of this phase by his statement, "flow like a river, Yogita, don't stagnate yourself". His guidance worked wonders for me....
I restarted my life in a new way. I completed my study. My vector graphics 'Yellow Flower' won 5th prize and 'Wild Flowers Branch' in 'Corel Asia Pacific Digital Art Competition' in 2010 and 2011-2012 held by Corel Corporation (Taiwan), a division of Corel Corporation (Canada). This competition was for the countries in Asia and the countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean. I had the documentation and I started my work as freelance graphic designer and artist, under the name 'Dzyn Studio' since 4th April 2011 (on the festival of Gudhipadwa). I already had plans of bank loan for it but my father funded it temporarily and I repaid it in another way by earning.
I officially started working from my home office, my own legal workspace, though from a little corner of home.
Though I have never forgotten how it all started and how it all has shaped my life, which was at the beginning a complete mess (and it still is)...
My elder sisters have inherited their love for art and painting from our parents. Watching them draw and paint always fascinated me since childhood, whenever they were home from boarding school. Many people know my mother was good at drawing. So, is my father actually, but very few are aware. They both didn’t pursue art as they were in different difficult situations during their early stages of life. Also, that era didn’t let common people to give importance to pursuing art as a career. Yet, both of my parents have encouraged us three always to draw and paint. Even one of my elder cousin Kaustubh bhai kept insisting that I would be able to draw digitally too if I learn using computer. It kept ringing in my mind always...
We lived in a sweet, small chawl previously and my sisters were later sent to boarding school just not to let their education be interrupted as we (my parents and I) frequently needed to be at the hospital for treatments and surgeries of my brittle bones for many days. That time, till 9th standard (grade), as I was home-schooled with one appointed teacher teaching me daily for just an hour any one subject as per their convenience of time and for the rest of the day, I would study on my own and under mother or father's guidance whenever they had some time, since our principal then, Prof. Shri. N. D. Pawar Sir didn't allow me to attend daily, though it's legally allowed for any physically disabled student to attend normal school if they can or if they wish but we weren't aware of it. Having a written permission from district level health and disability certificate is enough to attend daily and to have additional half hour during exams to complete any of the formalities of exam questionnaire like naming, tieing the answer sheets together or to highlight and underlining of the important points of answers. I was told to study externally and was made to write my exam papers by sitting separately from the other students of my class, by making me sit at chaotic staff room of the school by the principal, with an excuse that it will not disturb other students, for him I was a nuisance, by saying "if we allow Yogita to attend daily, the parents of other students will object as her presence will create a nuisance for them" ....(nuisance??? By my presence?! How?! He only knew).... Though I scored well, I was never given a ranking in the class as I was permanently 'absent' for all the school days. This too wasn't much important for me. But what he snatched was a base for me... I lost confidence of working with watercolours as they are taught in the art lectures in school days. My teachers like Mrs. Devrukhkar, Mrs. Barve, Mrs. Pulekar kept guiding me maximum every day by coming home. They supported my love for studying.
My mother used to read the books in Marathi and would teach me in the medium I had chosen : English till 6th standard and later, I told my mother that I will study on my own now onwards but just to check my studies daily or to help me with difficulties. My father kept guiding me about maths as he's extremely expert in it. But, this student wasn't much good at maths it seems.
During this phase of home-schooling, I frequently felt lonely as after completing my daily studies at home though my friends from neighbourhood and my cousins would drop in frequently to be with me. I really missed routine any school provides.... Realising this, my parents introduced me to the world of books and mainly art by bringing art materials at home. Since then, books and my colours have been my best friends, my passion, my ambition, my painkiller in painful situations, my fuel to keep living throughout and creating, my asylum whenever life turned extremely tough and depressing.
During the 4th standard, my right arm bone fractured just before few days of the exam but my younger cousin brother became my writer and my year was saved. But, till my arm was cured and till the heavy plaster (put up after the surgery) was removed, I really missed drawing for one and half months.
I always loved drawing during school days but as I wasn't allowed to attend, I completely missed being taught basics of drawing and painting from the art teacher at school. I also wasn't allowed to study and appear for the elementary and intermediate exams of drawing and painting during school, by my mother as she thought it would stress my weak bones of hands that time ....
While studying in 9th standard, my elder cousin Kaustubh bhai once again reminded me of the dream he had inculcated in me: to learn computer and to draw digitally. He helped me buy a computer by guiding and also, he convinced some really good tutors like Mrs. Prasanna Salvi, Miss Megha Kadam (Mrs. Anannya Dalvi) and Mrs. Redekar to guide me to learn the basics of computer and to appear for MS Office exam, to learn HTML and short course of DTP (DeskTop Publishing), while studying in high school and graduation years. I had already learnt using MS Paint from my elder sister Kshama during primary school days when my father's factory's computer was kept at home for few days after bringing it back from repairs and upgrading. During phase of learning using computer, I was gifted by my cousin a CD of games. I frequently lost while playing them as I was more interested in observation of the background graphics of those games than playing. I simply found that playing games as a wastage of time. Never ever till now my computer has a single game installed since then....!
That time, internet wasn't started in our town. Later, there was dial up network but it was extremely costly yet very slow. Things changed onwards.
Books and colours accompanied me everywhere since childhood, even at the hospitals. Even my Orthopaedic Dr. Kedarnath Choubal (Bhatia Hospital, Tardeo, Mumbai) used to express that "I always love to see you studying, reading or creating art whenever I visit your room to check you up!". As he also loved reading books, he even used to make his assistants and accompanying nurses to wait some time aside and would keenly discuss with me about the books I would be reading or would keep looking at my drawing books or notebooks. At the last visit in 2005 for a thigh bone compression fracture during my last year of graduation, Dr. Choubal asked me about my future plans. I told him I'm currently studying in the last year of graduation and soon, I was planning to study more about painting and graphics on my own, so that I can start working, he wholeheartedly expressed his support that "I have seen you since you were a little kid. I really appreciate your efforts. I have seen many patients but you are the one who is always studying, reading or drawing and I really love that!". That was the first time, I felt that probably I was on the right track.
Our former school-principal retired and the new one, our maths and geography teacher, Shri. Joy Sebastian Sir became principal, who had witnessed this injustice and told me to attend the school daily and to be in the batch of students studying for the 10th standard exam with score of 70% and more in 9th standard, as my score was eligible for it. That was the first time, I was able to attend school full time. But, worst was I had lost an opportunity of being taught the basics of drawing and painting at primary level and secondary level of school. I also loved science and languages and scored well in those subjects. I loved drawing the diagrams for science journals and experiments. In return of teaching me algebra (which I found hard), my friends would tell me to draw science diagrams for them.
Till then, I was always told by my family that you'll be cured one day just not to make me depressed and that made me dream more and more. I would dream to be either a fashion designer or doctor or scientist or an astronaut. Love for astronomy was stronger than anything else and so, being an astronaut was my biggest dream. After 10th standard of school, I realised that this disorder won't be cured and it's a permanent condition which will end only with me. That was extremely frustrating to see the dreams of higher education broken to pieces as there were very few colleges at my town and there were only three options to choose : science, commerce and arts. As I found maths and accounting hard, I simply didn't feel to graduate in commerce. Science was my top preference but again I was misguided that I wouldn't get assistance in getting apparatuses arranged in laboratory to perform my experiments. So, I had to leave it from my mind. Only option was to graduate in arts with very few subjects available that time. I had to choose it. I had also tried to gather information about graduating in fine arts and psychology. But, as those colleges were away from town and in cities, it was impractical to commute daily as would waste time of studying or to stay temporarily out of town near the college with the help of my mother or a maid meant that my father would have to manage our home and our spices factory alone.
During high school and graduation, there were difficulties at each step. First was a complete change in the medium. I had studied in English medium at school while at high school and graduation, the only medium available was Marathi. At our home and in surroundings, we speak and use Marathi language only. Even I love my mother tongue Marathi. I also love writing in Marathi language. But, considering the competitive limited time for exams, I found my speed for writing in Devnagari script of Marathi was slower for all the subjects than writing in Roman script of English as I was used to it. I discussed with my parents and professors about this issue. They told, "you can switch the medium but the only issue is you'll need to teach yourself those subjects as we don't teach both mediums". Challenging it was, but I studied Economics, Geography and History that way for five years total (2 years of high school and 3 years of graduation). I was able to keep myself engrossed in reading books from our college library. There were not much availability of books or guides for the medium I had chosen nor was anyone there to guide me. My professors found it bit hard to guide me in English as I was the only one student from our Taluka who had chosen this medium for graduation. Yet they supported my decision in every possible way by helping me. I converted the notes they provided us at class after listening to their lectures.
Once I was taunted by a well-known, well-educated editor (of a famous newspaper in Konkan) who was my eldest uncle's friend, visited our home for condolences, few days after my granny's demise. As our exams were nearing, my cousins and I were studying together in another room. Some of them are engineers. I know, my arts graduation wasn't glamorous and prestigious as is engineering or any other field. But, we never compared. Our guest asked them all what they were studying currently. They told about engineering. He turned to me and asked. I told I was studying for my majors, English and History. He mocked, "तुझ्यासारख्यांनी असे अवघड विषय कशाला घ्यायचे?!" (people like you shouldn't opt for such difficult subjects). I politely but firmly told that I love doing difficult things only.
I was completely engrossed in getting my graduation completed and to get my degree in English as language and History. Yet, there was something that I felt was missing in my life. I kept sulking over broken dreams. Those broken dreams kept hurting my mind like shards of glass....
For first 6 months almost of the first year of graduation, I didn't even know who were my classmates as I focused completely on studies only. Later, I really found my friends for life at college....
Unfortunately since my childhood, some so-called relatives from maternal family taunted me directly and indirectly as a burden for my parents and worst was one of the famous gynaecologist who had been our distant relative from our town kept spreading lies to break the nuptial ties of my elder sister, that I'll be her burden in absence of my parents in future. Just to seek a revenge of an incident in past to which I wasn't at all related.
This all kept frustrating me and I found hard to concentrate on anything. I kept sketching and drawing on the back pages of books and notebooks, in the area of margins of pages even during the lectures. Those were just simple sketches but that soothed my mind. I found that Artist Shri. Rahul Deshpande and Artist Shri. Gopal Nandurkar from Pune provided correspondence course through 'Kalaakalp', a private art institute. I enrolled into it and completed two 8 months courses of basics and landscape. It made me feel better.
Just after my 2nd year of graduation completed and 3rd, final year was about to start, I lost both of my grannies and a tragic accident of my father and some family members which led to the demise of my uncle. It was extremely hard phase to face.... Only art was the resort.... Without firm support of eldest sister Leena tai, my graduation wouldn't have been possible that year in that tough phase.
As graduation neared, all my friends aimed for post graduation in languages or social sciences by completing M.A. or PhD, B.Ed., etc. and to be a teacher or professor. I didn't feel that way though everyone including my professors, friends and my parents too (at the beginning) were insisting me to follow this same path, to be a teacher at school or a professor at college or to start coaching students from home. I know it's really a noble profession and gives stable life with stable income as well. But, making myself tied to a same routine, same syllabus for years and years, that too not of the subjects of my choice, would have been very 'boring'.
As my father is businessman and industrialist and observing him since my childhood, listening to the struggle he and my uncles faced always fascinated me. My whole paternal family is business oriented. I have those genes. I felt I must make a decision by considering all the aspects. I also had considered working with my father in our factory as per his suggestion. But, he has done such a great work already that how would I be of use there, I thought. My creativity needed little channel of itself probably.
I had previously seen the printed proofs of package designs created by a designer for our spices factory and later found out it was done in software CorelDRAW!
I felt the short introduction of DeskTop Publishing wasn't enough. So, after completing graduation in 2006, I told my parents that "I will not apply for the job anywhere nor will I follow an old treaded path, I will work on my own, I will try to strike a balance of art and business together. I wish to pursue drawing, painting and graphic design but I need few years to study on my own for it, please let me follow my own path of dreams". They were at first shocked, stunned and also anxious how I will be able to do it. They told me to rethink. I gave it a second thought but couldn't imagine anything else. The only person who by whole heart supported me in this since beginning was my elder sister Kshama, in every way! Even my eldest sister Leena tai was at first anxious probably but always encouraged. So, did my whole paternal family. I kept studying on my own by reading, observing, practicing and creating for almost four years. The internet service was improved yet costly till then. I had started using GPRS for internet on mobile and accessed internet on computer by tethering. So, I used it only once or twice a week, just to download tutorials or to check emails of subscriptions of study materials. I also completed a correspondence course named 'Diploma in DTP' from a private institute in Pune. But, it was too short for learning graphic design. So, I kept studying in details.
The self study was tedious but what tried to drain my energy was worst taunting and insults like 'she must be playing games on computer', 'a good timepass for her', 'who will give you work here in the small town?!', 'what is the use of graphic design now?! Print is dead. Only animation and web design is trendy and gives good income', etc.
My elder cousin Kaustubh bhai meanwhile introduced me to his ex colleague who is hardware engineer and a very expert technician Shri. Mansoor Nadkar. Since then, he has been my technician and a perfect guide who not just provides technical solutions but also helps me to install my softwares. He has simply became a family member. He always has a perfect solution to each and every technical issue and guides me throughout, always and is just a phone call away, any hour of the day... He is a witness of all this journey of graphic design....! Without him, I can't imagine how I would have managed and he too is always very enthusiastic about new upgradations and even proud of my work...
In 2009, my artwork was given third prize in a competition by well-known senior Artist Shri. Ravi Paranjpe. Life started changing again.
But my whole life crashed down once again. Doctors sealed the fact after one final treatment of bone disorder that it won't cure. Being young, I too had felt the touch of love in my life for almost four years but in 2009, it ended in a heartbroken way with worst insult. I fell in a deep depression. My mother was away in USA with my eldest sister who was expecting twins. So, I had learned managing home in her absence. Just few days ago before she left for USA, I was badly insulted once again by my maternal uncle and aunt that I hadn't tried enough to be cured, to stand up and walk like normal, and I was kind of burden for my parents. Depression grew worst.... I simply did nothing about my career and wasted whole year almost in the phase, sulking till half of 2010. My health deteriorated once again. An ailment related to abdomen resurfaced which was had started in 2007 and was cured previously. Also, as I didn't pay attention to my health, my bone disorder led me to its consequence: my kidneys got affected by the accumulation and deposition of calcium in kidney. It led to many surgeries and painful treatments as well as frequent draining of kidneys and bladder to save them for next 3 and half years. My family-doctor and my brother-in-law Dr. Shri. Upendra Talathi guided me throughout and helped me to bring myself out of this phase by his statement, "flow like a river, Yogita, don't stagnate yourself". His guidance worked wonders for me....
I restarted my life in a new way. I completed my study. My vector graphics 'Yellow Flower' won 5th prize and 'Wild Flowers Branch' in 'Corel Asia Pacific Digital Art Competition' in 2010 and 2011-2012 held by Corel Corporation (Taiwan), a division of Corel Corporation (Canada). This competition was for the countries in Asia and the countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean. I had the documentation and I started my work as freelance graphic designer and artist, under the name 'Dzyn Studio' since 4th April 2011 (on the festival of Gudhipadwa). I already had plans of bank loan for it but my father funded it temporarily and I repaid it in another way by earning.
I officially started working from my home office, my own legal workspace, though from a little corner of home.
Yellow Flower
Wild Flowers Branch
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