What it takes for giving back to the community?

Always as a child in me - everytime ask me what to do? What not to do? Shall I proceed ahead with this decision? Shall I execute this activity? Won't that be wrong to proceed with? Why should I do this if others aren't interested to proceed ahead?

I strongly believe, these questions may also come in your mind when you're onto achieving/executing some big plan maybe from small steps. If yes, let me share my journey as a volunteer here about "What it takes for giving back to the community?".

I volunteer under numerous organizations including IEEE, Youth for Sustainability, Atal Innovation Mission (NITI Aayog, Govt. of India) and Young India Challenge. This journey from "being an introvert to an extrovert", started from my early days in Primary School - Bright Scholar Senior Secondary School, Sonipat, Haryana, India. There were numerous chances given to me to speak up at School Assembly for a prompt-speech when all classmates of mine were stepping out - My Teacher always believe "Don't worry, we have Ramneek to take this speech this time again!". This motivation from these amazing teachers and being a blessed student maybe was the practice I was doing to jump out of my comfort zone again and again.

The breakthrough moment for me was when I joined my Undergrad School - HMR Insitute of Technology & Management, New Delhi, India. A moment to step out from my small city for the 1st time to the Capital of Nation came with a lot of challenges and opportunities. I still remember the 1st Day of my College Orientation - We had one Motivational Speaker: Manoj Ambike, who asked one question before his presentation ending: "Can anyone from this auditorium tell me which student is more happy - the person who achieved 90% or person who just failed below 60%?" - Everyone in the auditorium said "Yes! 90% achieved student will be more happy!" - But, there was a inner voice from my end and my shaky hands got up from the last seat of the room and mic was approaching me to answer to why 60% achieved student will be more happy - The answer was simple "Because he would be happy as he will get new chance to make it 90%!". These moments of stepping out from your comfort zone is what makes you unique and setting yourself as an example for others that "YES! ANYONE CAN GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY!".

After my 1st year of undergrad school, I joined IEEE which was another breakthrough moment for me to discover something global in terms of Technological Community where I haven't been known to someone or vice versa. The essence of conducting events/activities within College Campus was amazingly different. The Learning/Networking/Volunteering gave me more confident to share back to the community what I learned daily. This journey is still on and I am still a proud IEEEian.

From my peronsal experience, I would like to share my thoughts on how you can also step out from your comfort zone to share back to the society:

• As a Teacher: One of the most toppest respected professions which is "Teaching" is the amazing way to share back to the society. I am sure that you're also a proud student of your teachers because they are the ones who develop us what we're today. As today is 5th September - India celebrates this date annually as "Teacher's Day" to appreciate and shoutout the huge contribution that Teachers do to the Society to build the Next Great Personality of ones. I remember the day, when I took my 1st Workshop at my Undergrad School on "Basics of Programming using Scratch" - The moment of sharing back to the society of the learnings you have makes it double because you're also learning/revising those concepts again and more often you're learning from audience. So, "Grab the Mic and Go for it!!"
• As an Engineer: One of the most demandable professions across the Planet is being an Engineer. The changing phase of Technology is bringing up new opportunities daily to invent and simplify things for the community through Engineering/Innovation. Electricity/Telecommunication/Healthcare etc. are all what it takes to share back to the community. As an engineer, you're proud that you're doing some changes to this planet by helping the community to build something new or making it from your own hands. This can be in the form of Entrepreneur/Innovator from which you can always share back to the community and build some commendable products for daily use.

There's a lot to discuss on how you can share back to the community, but the list doesn't stop here, I would love to hear from you in the comment box - What you think that what it takes to give back to the community and how you're doing that?

Looking forward to hearing your wonderful stories below!! Dropping mic until next article/post :)