A Harvard graduate has opened up about years of being bullied over his voice and how one teacher helped him reclaim something he had once felt ashamed of. The post was shared by Deepak Ramola, a writer and educator, on Instagram. In the caption, he reflected on how far he has come in accepting himself and thanked the people who helped him along the way.
‘You have to own your voice’
In the video, Ramola recalled how people had mocked his voice throughout his school years, saying it sounded like a child or a girl and was not deep enough.
“All my life, I have been bullied for my voice. It sounds like a kid. It sounds like a girl. It’s not baritone enough,” he said.
He explained that a recent comment brought back memories of being mocked and belittled at school. However, he said one conversation with his English teacher in Class 11 changed the way he viewed his voice.
Ramola recalled how his teacher, Pragati Kapoor, found him crying and asked him a simple question: “Do you like your voice?”
When he told her he had never really thought about it, she asked whether he would be okay if he could no longer speak from the following day. He replied that he would not, because he had so much he wanted to say.
{{/usCountry}}When he told her he had never really thought about it, she asked whether he would be okay if he could no longer speak from the following day. He replied that he would not, because he had so much he wanted to say.
{{/usCountry}}“Okay, then it’s settled. You like your voice, and if you like your voice, you have to own your voice, and you have to own your story,” he recalled her telling him.
His teacher also reminded him that other people could not make him feel small or defeated over something he had already accepted about himself.
“Since that day, I have never felt sorry for my voice,” Ramola said.
He went on to say that he has since used his voice to travel the world and teach at some of the best universities across 40 countries.
“And for every hurtful comment, there are these love notes that remind you to keep speaking. Keep speaking,” he said.
Watch the full video below:
How did social media react?
"Deepak, you are above all these comments. You are such an achiever, darling. Just don’t get affected. More strength to you, love and hugs,” one person wrote.
“It’s always the English teacher,” another commented.
“I’ve been made fun of for my voice too. I worked it to my advantage,” a user shared.
“Phew! Another relatable post. Mirror image. You are inspiring,” another wrote.
“You have the voice that motivates others. Nothing more precious than that,” a person said.
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“I know exactly what you are talking about and how it feels. More and more power to you. Your voice is beautiful,” another user added.
Many others also thanked Ramola for speaking openly about bullying and encouraging people to embrace the things that make them different.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)