Mini Nayani and Jyothi Bezawada, the programme co-ordinators of Alliance Francaise and Goethe Zentrum respectively have a lot in common — an IT background, passion for music and a positive attitude to let go of things to embrace something new. Another similarity is that they both, independently, switched careers to similar job profiles in the same year. Talk about coincidences!
Creative endeavour
Mini’s first shift of streams came as a student, when she left science to pursue arts. She first pursued software courses and began her journey with Hyderabad Science Society, a DoE sponsored project, where she used to teach software and develop programmes. She then joined ISS, a sister concern of SQL Star International. “ I used to take classes for engineers on how to use data bases and link the software part and also how to generate reports for later use,” she recalls.
In a long stint with IT, she also did her MBA. Over a period of time, she felt she was overloaded with work. “My husband has an electronic industry and my children were very young. I felt I tried to balance different things for quite long. My children needed me and finally I decided take a break; I was also yearning for time to do things I always wanted to do.”
After that, she learnt Carnatic music and also enrolled herself in French classes and enjoyed the cultural activities. “Through Prince Rama Varma, I learnt a lot about French poets and poetry,” she points out. Once when she was casually browsing through Facebook, a job opportunity at Alliance Francaise popped up and she decided to give it a shot.
Mini calls Saptaparni, her ‘second home’ where she discusses programmes and the artistes to be invited with Anuradha Reddy there.
Although her monetary benefits now are less than in her previous jobs, Mini realises one has to let go of something to gain something else. “I loved teaching and the development part but there was also pressure; sometimes, I handled teams of 30-40 people. After a point, we draw a line; that work was strenuous and I feel it is not necessary for me to do that now. That phase is over; I enjoy what I do now and I feel happy to have met so many creative people here at Alliance Francaise.”
Mini states the love for her work now can be gauged by her husband’s statement. “He said, ‘You come late but don’t crib about it.’”
Best of two countries
“My journey has been filled with plunges,” exclaims Jyothi Bezawada. She initially started out to be a doctor and got a good rank too. “I was offered dentistry in Osmania Medical College but didn’t want that specialisation,” she recalls. She completed her BCA and went to Germany as it ‘it is the mother of inventions.’ She was working in Munich for four years as a software developer in Dotnet and got married at that time. The couple decided to move back to India two years ago to be closer to their parents and in- laws.
Also a Carnatic singer, Jyothi had given a couple of concerts in Germany and sang in a German film too. When she saw an advertisement for a programme co-ordinator for Goethe Zentrum, she just decided to take a chance. “I had no clue about the role of a programme co-ordinator. I was interviewed by Amita (Amita Desai). Although I was selected, I wanted to know what my job was, as I had never been to a single Goethe Zentrum event before that,” she laughs.
Jyothi enjoys the people connect here as one gets to see what is happening around. “In an IT job, you know that you are working and producing so much but you just don’t see the physical effect of it. One knows that one is contributing to the company and that it is going somewhere but you don’t see the people involved.” She remembers how in the initial days, she kept wondering what an easel is. “I have never heard of it and I was constantly asked about it,” she laughs.
She maintains the switched in profession should never be discussed monetarily. “There is a cosmic connection that if one earns in dollars, one spends in dollars. One should definitely tap once in a while to see what one wants to be. There is never a perfect job ever but you will find something close to it and when you find such a job, orient all your interest towards it and work. A plunge should never be talked of in a negative way but it is an essential thing for an individual thing to grow.”
She admits there are still challenges, especially with her kids being 6 and 8. “But it is a warm place and I love that I can combine the best of both countries and put it forward.”
The column features people who dared to give up their lucrative jobs in pursue of their dream