It’s not an everyday occurrence that you run into people like Parul Arora. This young lady is synthesized of so much inspiration that one conversation with her left me wondering whether I have done something productive in my life or not.

An engineer. A former social worker in Teach for India and a Consultant with Quality Council of India now. She possesses the permanent glint of ambition in her eyes!

Did you always want to be an engineer?

“chuckles” No! The original plan was to do Economics Honors from Delhi University but at that time, I was getting admission in very less known universities. My father’s advice at that time was very wise. He said that I should pursue a course that would guarantee me a job in the future and hence, I did my engineering from the Global institute of Technology, Jaipur.

For all it is worth, I have finally left the technical aspects of engineering behind. I have switched paths by doing social work and trying to make the world a better place to live in!

What is your dream job?

Only some people are able to quickly say, “I am doing my dream job!” I am one of those people. I am the on-field non-profit consultant in an organization called Quality Council of India.

However, sometime in the future, I want to have my own startup and understand the intricacies of consulting even more closely.

Tell us about your World Business Dialogue experience.

I was a 3^rd year student when I stumbled upon a conference that promised to provide a remarkable and worthwhile experience to all those people invested in the cooperate sector.

I have always been inquisitive about how a business functions, how decision making happens and how a startup is born. This conference was everything I asked for. I was also honored to have conducted a 45-minute small workshop on augmented reality advertising by the permission of Mr. Michael, one of the organizers of the conference.

The World Business Dialogue is an impulse-congress, on which current innovations and social trends are analyzed and discussed regarding their impact on prevailing and chances on generating new business models. The Conference is held in Cologne, Germany.

Social work is a virtue. But many people do it only for the sake of enhancing their resumes. Thoughts?

I know that some people easily get tempted to apply to nonprofit organizations that use various approaches to sell themselves in the market. So, enhance your resume with social work experience but be genuine and loyal to the cause you are working for. That will establish synergism for both you and the organization.

Best moment from all the social work you have done?

Hmm, so many fond memories that it is hard to choose one! Okay…oh! This one time, the children I work with organized a conference, not as extravagant as World Business dialogue. It was on a small scale with radical ideas plaguing it from every side. The theme of the conference was ‘Religious Tolerance and Interfaith Friendship’ and it was held in a Madarsa. Every idea, every survey and every debate that took place in the conference reinforced that I had managed to instigate a lot of awareness and perceptiveness in my children.

What are you most looking forward to right now?

I now work with Quality Council of India and in 20 days, we will be launching a website that will monitor thousands of teaching institutions, a platform to garner complaint accreditation and improve the teaching standards. We have designed a dashboard which will filter institutions which really provide excellent quality of teaching from those who don’t.

True data will be published based on prefigured logic.

What is that one thing you wish you knew before taking this job?

I, as an Associate, did not know that we are responsible for a LOT of things! My job contains 3-hour meetings with renowned people and IAS officers and waiting outside the office of Smriti Irani. Also, you better know that if the government expects you to do a job, you better do it!

Paril was also selected for United Nations Alliance of Civilization & Education Summer School held in New York in 2015!

Tell us about your summer school experience?

It was an eye opener! A life changing experience, even. Most of the people there belonged to the social sector. I had certain epiphanies because other people that I met were doing so much more than I was. For instance, I met a female Human Rights Activist who had saved girls from being trafficked. Other than that, the experience was challenging and fun at the same time. We got to meet Ban Ki Moon. We also had a pass that enabled us to visit the real Security Council!

(Every MUN’er’s Dream!)

The cherry on the cake was that it was a fully funded trip, and now, I have a 10 year American visa too!

Parul is now preparing for GMAT!  This just goes on to show how she is one of those people who stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Her thirst for success and happiness at the same time creates a healthy balance in her life.