'Wonder Girls' - A truly inspiring read

‘Wonder Girls’ by Varsha Adusumilli by Juggernaut Books was a splendid read. I highly recommend it to all girls and women, regardless of age. This book outlines the childhoods and choices of 15 remarkable young women who are from fields as diverse as rugby, neurosurgery, rock climbing or the film industry and the media.

Many of these young achievers featured here had several qualities in common. They followed their heart, were strong, persistent and often had to face challenges such as a lack of money in their childhoods. Some of them are introverted, some of them from small villages and towns, some of them extroverted. What stands out is their commitment to their careers, their strength, their ability to go out of their comfort zones and excel.

Each story is preceded by a statistic. For example, the story about the rugby captain leads with the statistic that only one per cent of Indian girls have played any kind of organized sport in their lives. But what follows each statistic is a story straight from the heart of the achiever in question. She talks about her parents, siblings, if any, her relationship with them with respect to career choices, interest in a particular subject and influence of peers or role models. Her personality is also revealed.

Take this advice by Radio Jockey, Sucharita Tyagi, for instance, “My advice to young women is to have clarity on what their unique strengths and skill sets are. Stay true to your strengths. Don’t do something because someone else wants you to. Pick a career where you can play to your strengths. And once you do that, work your ass off. Be financially independent. Economic independence gives you the power and freedom to chart your own path without needing anyone’s approval.”

At the end of the book, the author has put together 11 success mantras gleaned from these achievers that include working out to keep fit and picking a supportive spouse.

There are some truly interesting stories shared here. There’s something for everyone. If you want to know how the cast of Bajrangi Bhaijaan was chosen, that story is in here, too. This book could well serve as a must-read for young women who will soon be faced with similar choices. I look upon it as a desi ‘Good night stories for rebel girls’, which took the world by storm a while back. Although I’m 41, I find these millennials have seen a lot of the world and have much wisdom to share.

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