Passion dictates destiny

Passion often defines an individual. It is something that you cannot fake. You either have it or you don’t. For example, consider 30 construction workers who fought their way to fame. Their passion steered them through adversity, propelling them towards a successful and different career — that was away from cement, steel, dust and grime.

I’m talking about the Prince Dance Group that outperformed many professional dancers on a television programme called India Got Talent. Over the weeks, dancers showed their agile feet in every competition. The organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi are currently negotiating with the troupe to perform in the games’ glittering opening ceremony on October 3.

The dance troupe consists of daily wage labourers and hails from a tiny village close to Berhampur in Orissa. The troupe is unique because all 30 members of the dance troupe work on various construction sites, some as young as 15 and none are professional dancers. Their eagerness, fire in the belly and single-minded aim that their feat would open doors for the future did wonders for them, when they first took part in the reality talent show.

The group went ahead and won the prize money of Rs50lakh and a car. For those 30 construction workers, Rs1lakh each (after Rs20 lakh tax deduction) was a big amount. Moreover the workers had a large heart and they donated their car to their village, so that it could be used in case of an emergency.

This shows that the troupe was not distracted by the lucre of money. They were passionate about winning and cementing their own legacy. They performed not for moolah, unlike many of us who simply wait with bated breath for a pay check, although their fame paved way for wealth. Passion has become a very acceptable buzzword used throughout our corporate culture to describe various things. But for me, it means if you decide to follow your dreams passionately, then that ardour will eventually propel your destiny.