‘Keep taking a step forward’

Lead the way, don’t follow, says former Miss Universe and actor Sushmita Sen

Updated on: Oct 13, 2010, 09:07:02 IST

Hindustan Times | By Vandana Ramnani, New Delhi

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Your first major professional success
I’ve never had high points in my career. My life has moved at more or less a sauntering pace and I find that amusing. I believe that I can fail and succeed in life but I can never fail to be what I am. Besides, I am happy to have tried everything in life — evenfailure.

Which personality has had a major impact on you?
I first wanted to become famous when I saw my dad lauding Rakesh Sharma when he went on a space mission and was shown speaking to the then prime minister Indira Gandhi on television. That’s when the thought of becoming famous first hit me.

How do you deal with failure?
You don’t tackle failure, you only take a step forward. The premise that you failed has to change. It should rather be — what you tried has failed, so keep taking a step forward. Never be scared of failure. You don’t tackle failure, it tackles you.

Your advice to youngsters who want to make it big in life
Lead the way, don’t follow. Be inspired by people and don’t be clones of others. Make mistakes. Celebrate being different

As told to Vandana Ramnani

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vandana Ramnani
Vandana Ramnani leads the real estate vertical at Hindustan Times Digital, bringing over two decades of journalism experience across real estate, education, human resources, and foreign affairs. She specialises in India’s real estate sector, covering residential and commercial markets in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with in-depth reporting on regulatory developments, urban policy, housing trends, and interviews with industry leaders. Her work has also appeared in the Hindustan Times newspaper and HT Estates. Earlier, Vandana played a key role in establishing the real estate vertical at Moneycontrol (NW18 Group), shaping its editorial direction and market coverage. She has also written extensively on international education for HT Education, tracking global study destinations, policy changes, and student mobility trends, earning the Singapore Education Award 2009 for Best Media Coverage (Print). Her reporting portfolio includes human resources and employment trends for HT ShineJobs and PowerJobs, as well as lifestyle and interior design features for HT Premium Homes. Vandana began her career with the Press Trust of India, gaining strong editorial and reporting expertise. She was also selected for a prestigious fellowship at Fondation Journalistes en Europe in Paris, where she wrote for EuroMag. One of her notable reporting assignments included covering Germany’s capital relocation from Bonn to Berlin. Outside of journalism, Vandana is a passionate traveller, constantly seeking out charming hideaways across India and the lesser-known, offbeat corners of Southeast Asia.Read More

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