There are certain things, like dreams and beliefs, that we can never let go of.
For Sarala, who raised Rakesh Kumar, a student of TUM Asia’s MSc in Green Electronics, the day she decided to turn away from her marriage so that her children could have a better one was a day she knew she would have to let go of her dreams.
And if making the choice was difficult, the aftermath was unimaginably brutal.
“To explain and seek their understanding that life would be starkly different from then on was no easy task. To support my family, I returned to the workforce, and my parents became my kids’ main caregivers,”
said Sarala. With the abrupt change of roles—from the nurturing caregiver to the primary breadwinner—one could only imagine the turmoil she underwent to arrive at where she is right now.
Today, Sarala shows no sign of ageing or baggage with her infectious smile. The 48-year-old full-fledged accountant with a Master of Science in Business channels her past travails into a figure of strength, inspiring others to stay optimistic regardless of what curveballs life has thrown their way.
Fast-forward 28 years, and her two kids have both achieved success in their respective domains. Rakesh’s sister currently holds an accountant position, residing in Australia with her husband and newborn. At the same time, Rakesh is well on his way to graduating with a Master of Science in Green Electronics at TUM Asia.
“I was very fortunate to have very understanding children, especially Rakesh. Even at a tender age, he displayed a sense of maturity for all the changes in this life,” said Sarala.
Indeed, Rakesh has gotten his tenacity and positivity from his mother. With a solid academic pedigree, having graduated from one of the most prestigious private universities in Bangalore, India, PES University, Rakesh was already rising within the ranks at the company based in Bangalore. But instead of climbing the corporate ladder at his pinnacle, he chose to return to school to pursue a master’s in Green Electronics.
“He always wanted to pursue his master’s degree in Green Electronics, but it was during the COVID-19 pandemic when he applied. The COVID-19 lockdown thoroughly impeded his admission. I encouraged him to explore courses from other countries. But he was resolute and even convinced me that this was the best course for him. He deferred his admission and worked for another year before returning to full-time studies in Singapore,” said Sarala.
Now that the storms seem to be subsiding and the reassuring shore is within sight, Sarala looks visibly upbeat about how life has panned out for her.
“When everything looks so gloomy and difficult, it’s easy to beat ourselves up. But we should treat ourselves with more kindness and appreciation. We should take a moment to appreciate ourselves for having done enough at this point and focus on the things that we are grateful for. No matter how small it is, the fact that we are still standing strong is a cause for celebration, said Rakesh Mum.
As Rakesh is about to begin his next phase of a challenging but rewarding entrepreneurial journey, he hopes to give the same kind of support as his family did – unconditional love and support.