Heera Nawaz is a 64-year-young Teacher, Writer, and Poetess from the beautiful Garden City of India, Bengaluru. Over her career, she has won several awards for her teaching and writing at both a national and international level. Though an introvert, Heera can be extremely social and fun-loving when in the correct environment. She has spent years watching webinars on her smartphone and hopes to be a source of inspiration and motivation to those around her. Her dream is to leave a legacy by writing a nonfiction book on Jesus Christ and the Bible. Before embarking on her corporate journey, Heera’s childhood was a carefree, happy-go-lucky phase where she lived life to its fullest. She received her early education at UN International School, which offered a holistic curriculum where she learned values, research, and developed congenial attitudes and mindsets. After this beautiful phase, she returned to India and joined Bishop Cotton Girls School to complete her high school education. With an excellent foundation, she excelled in her ICSE exams and secured the second rank in her school. Even from early years, Heera enjoyed helping her classmates with their studies and felt sincere joy when they did well.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
My childhood was a carefree, happy-go-lucky phase of my life where I lived life to my fullest and had also a lot of fun. My early education was at UN International School where I did my primary school education. The fathers of the children all worked in the United Nations, so I had friends in my class from countries around the world. It was an extremely holistic education where we learned about values, research, and honing congenial attitudes and mindsets. When that beautiful phase was over, I returned to India and joined Bishop Cotton Girls School to complete my high school education. Needless to say, having an excellent foundation, I did well in my ICSE and secured the second rank in the school. Even from early years, I loved helping my classmates in their studies and felt sincere joy when they did well.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business/initiative? What motivated you within to say YES, go for it!”
I have worked as an English Teacher for over 25 years. I have given my sincerest efforts, time, and energy to my students. I loved to excel in teaching them and used to water down difficult concepts and help them to assimilate these concepts. I knew that true education is education of the heart. I tried to inculcate noble habits, traits, and values in my students in order to make them the best versions of themselves. I taught them to think logically and to always use their common sense. I wanted to be a role model for my students, and I sincerely wanted to create a ripple effect so they could influence and inspire other students of the school. With this sincere approach to education, it’s no surprise that after my retirement four years ago, I want to start a coaching business where I teach housewives and school children spoken and written communication. I am in the process of doing my training for this under the tutelage of Siddharth Rajsekar, who is an excellent and enterprising coach and mentor.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
Yes, I would like to see far-reaching changes in the world through my teaching, tutoring, and coaching. I really want to be a source of inspiration and motivation to my students. I know that there are many housewives who come from rural sectors and villages and who don’t know English, though it is absolutely essential in huge metropolitan cities. In order to keep up with the Joneses, it’s absolutely essential for them to know and communicate in English. I hope to be a catalyst for their growth and development. I would also like to coach school children of all ages, and this will not be too difficult for me since I have been an inspirational teacher for the best years of my life.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
Yes, I do have thoughts on this as I have been chosen as one of the top 100 inspirational leaders and teachers of the country. Women constitute almost 50 percent of the population and therefore they should be given 50 percent of the jobs. But we know this is not so. Women should fight to be equal to men for they have several leadership qualities which will be useful to corporate jobs and businesses. Changes can be wrought by starting to educate them on their rights. Also, they should be given an important place in the legislature and judiciary, as then more women leaders will come to the fore to make equal laws for women to see that they get equal rights. Men and women are deemed equal as per Article 14 of the Indian Constitution. We should see that this equality permeates down to the grassroots to see that women are treated without discrimination and as equals in the society.
What’s the most important thing you have learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
My personal motto is, “Rise and Shine and give God the glory.”
In my personal life, the most important lesson I learned is to be kind and compassionate. As Maya Angelou rightly said, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I fully endorse Jesus Christ’s teaching: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” My message is to always be kind because everyone is fighting some battle or the other. Being kind is a language that even the deaf can hear and the dumb can speak and understand. My professional motto is to never give up and to never quit. Always be determined, and if things go wrong, not to quit but to rise from the ashes like a beautiful Phoenix.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
I would say to young people to work hard so that you can relax later in your retired life. Be hard-working for there’s no substitute for hard and sincere work.
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