Eisenhower Fellowship: The Story of The Beginning

It is beautiful how the dots connect and life always has a way to bring you to the place where you seek to be or where you need to be.

The story actually starts in 2007 or atleast that's how far back I can remember it. I am sure it started much before that. An article written about Dream A Dream in a newspaper caught the attention of a person from Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) who wrote to me and invited me to his office for a meeting.

In anticipation for some funding for Dream A Dream, I land up at his office on my rickety Bajaj Chetak scooter and signature business clothes. As I walk into the reception area and ask to meet this gentleman, the secretary is a little perplexed and asks me if I have an appointment with him. I say yes and yet she does not seem to believe me. She goes in and announces my arrival and I am escorted into this very senior and warm gentleman's office. He takes one look at me and looks very confused. He asks, "If I am Vishal Talreja?" just to make sure and I answer in the affirmative suddenly doubtful if I had worn something wrong or had some lunch leftover on my face or clothes.

The gentleman says he was expecting someone much much older than me. Definitely not someone who looked younger than his son. I blush a little and try to make the best impression possible. He listens to me with patience and warmth and I like him very much for giving me this time and listening about my work. 

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I am invited to speak at the CII conference at Bangalore where another gentleman from ITC listens to me and later sends me an invitation to speak at the National Human Resources Development Network (NHRDN) Conference in Kolkata. I agree in prospect of meeting many potential corporate donors at a single platform. A senior person from the ITC office is reaching out to me and taking care of my stay and logistics and it all seems very strange to me. I get an opportunity to stay at the Chairman's guesthouse where the ceiling is as high as two floors and I have a person taking care of all my needs. I feel special and overwhelmed. I speak at the conference and I must have left a deep impression on the organizers and participants. This is 2007 or 2008.

In 2012, I get an email from this senior gentleman from ITC whom I met in 2007/2008 and he invites me to participate in another NHRDN Conference as a panelist to talk about Youth in India. I agree out of deep respect for the hospitality and respect they accorded to me in the earlier conference. 

I sit on this panel with 3 others with much experience and wisdom. I am thinking in my head, "If there is one idea that I can leave this audience of 300 people or one thought that will make them reflect or One opinion that will make them question their view of their world and explore a different view, what would it be?". I believe it could be if they start looking at Youth as Empowered Citizens of this vibrant democracy and active players in shaping our country and world around us. I share my ideas and as I answer questions at the panel, there is a senior gentleman from Aditya Birla Group sitting in the audience and he asks me a question.. 

He says, his biggest concern with young people in India today is that they don't seem to have any fear of anything. In earnest honesty, I answer, the biggest strength that Indian youth have today in this complex and rapidly changing world is that they are fearless and if anything, lets nurture that. 

At the end of the panel, I end end up having lunch with this wonderful gentleman and I enjoy our conversations deeply. As he leaves, he says he would like to nominate me for the Eisenhower Fellowship. Till that moment, I hadn't heard of this fellowship. 

I go back to Bangalore, do some research and it seems like just what I needed at that moment of my personal learning journey. As promised, he sends me an application form and gives me 3 days to complete it since the deadline had just passed but he thought my candidature might be quite strong. I work on this intense application over 3 nights and off it goes. I soon get invited to an Interview with the Eisenhower Fellowship Alumni Network in India and then an interview with a global representative.

And voila, In a month or so, I get a message of selection to the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship Multi Nation Program for 2013. Their website says, Eisenhower Fellowships identifies, empowers and links outstanding leaders from around the world, helping them to achieve consequential outcomes across sectors and borders. Eisenhower Fellowship provides a transformational experience leading to lifetime engagement in a global network, where dialogue and collaboration make the world more prosperous, just and peaceful.

I didn't understand the true meaning and impact of the above words till now when I have completed my intense 7 weeks in the Fellowship, traveling to over 14 cities in the US, meeting over 85 individuals, all inspiring and insightful and most importantly making 21 friends for life from 20 different countries as my colleagues in the Fellowship.

As they say, our life is a series of dots and when connected it all makes sense and brings you exactly where you were meant to be today. I wonder how the dots of my EF experience will shape my future. I am eager and excited to find out.