I was still in college, just about to complete my Master’s in Public Health, when I came across the AIF Banyan Impact Fellowship application. At the time, my days were filled with thesis deadlines, final submissions, and the hum of campus placements happening all around me. My peers were mapping out stable futures with permanent jobs, while I found myself drawn into this unfamiliar path. I didn’t know if it is the right fit, or where it would take me, yet something about the chance to contribute to public health and leadership opportunities while recalling my grandpa saying “Kuch toh hoga, agar kuch nahin hua toh anubhav zaroor hoga” (“Something will surely happen, and if not, at least you’ll gain experience”). Looking back, that single step of “just going for it” became a turning point.
While the interviews and project allotments took place, my thesis still loomed in the background, and doubts grew louder. What would this fellowship mean for my career? Was I stepping away from the safety net of conventional jobs, the ones my peers were already celebrating? In my search for clarity, I reached out to AIF senior alumni. One of them told me simply: “You are lucky to come across this. You’re going to have one of the best experiences, learning and opportunities that will shape your future opportunities.” Those words silenced my hesitations. They gave me permission to stop overthinking and to trust that this uncertainty might, in fact, be worth embracing.
I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness upon receiving my project notification and reading the orientation dates. The opportunity felt both thrilling and daunting — a step into something unknown. As I prepared to meet my cohort from across India and the USA, I often wondered whether I would rise to the expectations of the project and contribute meaningfully. Traveling to Delhi for the first time added another layer of anticipation. Though I am from India, most of my life had been spent in the South, and Delhi felt almost like another country altogether. While many fellows grappled with cultural differences and questions of safety, I found myself reflecting on how each of us navigates uncertainty differently. For me, the experience was less about confrontation and more about learning when to adapt, what to observe, and when to simply trust.
In those first days, I realized the fellowship was not only about projects or placements, but it was also about people, spaces, and the courage to step into uncertainty. For me, Delhi became a symbol of this journey: intimidating at first but gradually revealing its opportunities once I allowed myself to stay open to everything. Each interaction- with fellows, mentors, and strangers alike, added new layers to my understanding of adaptability and empathy. The city’s energy, its pace, and its contrasts reminded me that growth often begins in discomfort. What initially felt overwhelming slowly turned into a sense of belonging, shaped by shared experiences, late-night conversations, and the quiet realization that learning happens as much outside structured spaces as within them.
Just as I was starting to feel settled, forming connections and learning through shared experiences, it was time to move again, this time to Roorkee, where my project work would begin. Off I went to a new city, new culture, and the Hindi language but with a different dialect.
I started this fellowship in confusion, questioning every step I took. Yet, with the support of the AIF team and the shared experiences of fellow cohorts, I am finding my way. Already, I can see how this journey is shaping my clarity, about my career, my impact, and my resilience. Sometimes the best opportunities are not the ones that feel “safe,” but the ones that challenge us to grow.
