My role model is my mother who has endured great hardship in her life to become a successful architect today. As the saying goes: “God can’t be everywhere, so He invented mothers!” She is the perfect example of an ideal mother.

She is a multi-tasking goddess, who manages household works and her career with equal ease. She is the most efficient person in the house and illness cannot break her down. When she is not there, the house is just in a mess.

She tells me to be persevering. She tells me to dream of an ambition and constantly reminds me of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s saying: “Dream. Dream. Dream. Dream. Transfer into thoughts. Thoughts emanate into action.”

She tells me that there is nothing wrong in being different and unique and gives me the courage to be ambitious. She tells me to be dauntless in times of despair and reminds me that every cloud has a silver lining.

She is happy with my success and does not lose hope when I fail, but tries to make it a pillar of success for me. She asks me to strive tirelessly to achieve perfection. She asks me to improvise in everything and wants me to be an all-rounder.

Shrestha Mohapatra,
Class IX,
Loyola School,
Bhubaneswar