Shaktishali Foundation
“There are a lot of things that go into creating success.
I don't like to do just the things I like to do.
I like to do things that cause the Shaktishali Foundation to succeed.
I don't spend a lot of time doing my favorite activities.
Have fun, work hard and money will come.
Don’t waste time – grab your chances.
Have a positive outlook on life.
When it’s not fun, move on."
Eralokkumar
SHAKTISHALI FOUNDATION
How It All Began
I like to tell this story because it tells a bit about who we are and how it all started. My lovely and inspiring Mother, being the wonderfully organized person she is, set about answering every question in the book.
She gave it back to me on my birthday in September, nearly two months later.
I remember opening the book and seeing her answers to so many questions I never would have thought to ask her.
I burst into tears (I've only done that one other time in my life) and realized that I was holding one of my most prized possessions from my life — my Mother's life story.
I remember asking My happy, joyful Papaji to finish his but he would always say that he was too busy, that he just couldn't remember all the answers, or that - okay okay - he'd someday get to answering all those questions.
This story is not about the pain of losing a loved one but the sense of loss was immense.
I didn't think about the book until one day I was sorting his things and found the book I had given to him.
I remember flipping the pages and smiling and laughing, feeling him near me as I read his answers and then I could almost feel his life stop on page 25 as the rest of the book was blank.
Mine was a feeling of profound regret that I would never know the answers to all the questions I should have asked him.
And so I set about trying to recommend To Our Children's Children to loved ones, friends, and colleagues so that they wouldn't experience that deep, deep regret.
I felt of not asking, not knowing, and not being able to pass on the details of someone's life.
But I kept thinking, there's got to be a way the book could be put online so that biographies were easier to write, easier to share, and easier to publish.
I finally talked about how it could be done.
The rest is best told over a beer of how two determined women started “The Remembering” Site with great younger brother who believed in me — who is the technical designer of the site.
I have access to a cadre of wonderful, caring, and listening writers to write your life story.
You may select from the following two options:
Question & Answer Format
You will be asked a series of questions from childhood to present day.
Your answers will be printed into a question and answer (Q&A) - type biography.
With 35 chapters and about 30 questions per chapter, the time involved to have someone interview you, scan and caption up to 50 of your cherished photos and prepare your biography will range from Rs. 10, 000 to Rs. 15, 000.
You will receive professionally printed book, just like you would find in a bookstore.
Biography Format
Others prefer a more biographic account that would not be written in a Q&A format.
A professional writer will be assigned to work with you to create more of a traditional biography written by a ghost writer.
The printed biography will include up to 100 cherished photos and important documents from your life.
The cost of this service ranges from Rs. 100,000 to 1500,000.
You will receive at least 20 professionally printed books but could print into the hundreds to give to friends and loved ones.
About Our Writers
Our writers are professional, award-winning writers with extensive experience serving as biography writers, professional editors, and authors of several books.
CVNotes are your micro-updates to your profile about your achievements at work.
You can quickly and easily note down recent targets you may have achieved, any promotion you just got, a conference you attended, a project you completed, or anything else that adds value
Remember, CVNotes cannot replace the importance of your profile and your resume document.
We encourage you to update your profile and CV document regularly.
It is now better that CVNotes will be available for your easy reference when you do that update.
Through self-assessment and reflection, participants look beyond the horizon.
I do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programmes and activities.
I designed a chapter to enable you to simply cut and paste the document and then order printed copies of the biography. Simply register with SHAKTISHALI FOUNDATION, and then go to the Dedication chapter where you will answer five simple questions and paste your document into our file.
Then go to the Share / Print Your Biography button to order professionally printed paperback copies of your biography.
How long will it take to answer the questions?
You can answer just one or all, so the time it takes depends on you.
Only you will know when you're done.
Work at your own pace.
Some will finish it in one week; others may take a year.
Can I add my own questions?
“The Remembering” Site allows you to ignore questions that don't appeal to you, and you can add your own questions at the end of each chapter.
This way, you will create a biography that is relevant and personal.
Are my responses confidential during the writing process?
Yes.
Can I keep my biography confidential?
Yes. Respecting your privacy is important to us.
At the end of your writing, you will be able to decide if you will make your biography available to the public and / or to friends and family.
Confidential or not, be honest, reflective, and unafraid to share your hopes, your dreams, your accomplishments, your set backs, your experiences, your thoughts, and your lessons learned.
What if I decide to make my biography available to the public?
People from around the world will be able to read and relate to your thoughts, ideas, and experiences.
You can make it private at any time.
Is there a limit to the length of any answer?
You will find that some questions can be answered in one or two sentences; other questions will inspire you to write an entire page. There is no limit to the length of any answer.
Is there a limit to the length of my biography?
No. Some biographies are thirty pages or less; others are 300 pages or even more.
What if I want to change my biography?
We recognize that your life will continue to change and so should your personal history.
You may change your answers and photos as many times as you would like at no additional fee.
Will my answers be edited?
With highest respect for our right of free speech and expression, only in the most extreme circumstance will biographies be prohibited from being published.
Of course, inappropriate photos will not be allowed and we have a filtering system that will not allow offensive language.
Any suggestions on how truthful I should be about other people?
Keep in mind that you will decide who will read your biography - just those personally close to you or the entire world.
We encourage you to be as open and honest as possible but not hurtful to others.
Sometimes you will want to mention the name of the person who may have caused you pain along the way, but it's probably best to mention the hurt without denigrating the person.
Then just move onto the next question.
Writing about difficult times.
Many people ask, "But what about the bad stuff?
How do I write an autobiography that is open and honest but doesn't hurt the ones I love or doesn't damage the ones I might not love anymore?"
Everybody has darker moments.
Do they belong in a family history?
No one leaves this life unscathed. We goof up. We shame ourselves. Tragedy happens. We've been hurt. We can't pretend life passed by with no potholes or wrong turns.
And yet not every story is for public consumption.
You don't get points for pulling skeletons out of the closet and rattling them in your unsuspecting loved ones' faces.
But the whole point of life is to learn.
If you learned something that might help a family member during difficult times, it might not hurt to pass it along.
Chapter Titles and Sample Questions
Following is the complete list of chapters and sample questions for selected chapters. We can't show you all the questions for copyright purposes but we know you understand.
Keep in mind you do not have to answer any question or chapter that is not relevant to your life.
1. DEDICATION
Title of Your Autobiography
This autobiography is dedicated to whom?
Date of completion.
Words of wisdom, favorite quote, or words to live by:
About the Author:
2. JUST THE FACTS
In a few pages, what is summary of your life story?
Please enter the date you began answering these questions.
What is your name?
Do you like your name?
If you could, would you choose another?
What name would you choose?
Who were you named for?
Are you male or female?
In what country, state, and city were you born?
What hospital?
What is your birth order?
How old are you today? How old do you feel?
Do you speak any foreign languages?
What is your birth date?
Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Are you near-sighted or far-sighted?
What is your height, your weight, your eye color?
Do you wear corrective lenses?
What is your mate's name?
What was your maiden name?
If you are a woman and married, was it difficult to give up your maiden name and take your husband's name?
What is your anniversary date?
How many years have you been married or were you married?
Are you overweight or underweight?
How many children do you have?
What are their names?
How old are they?
How many grandchildren do you have?
What are their full names?
How old are they?
What is, or was, your occupation?
What is your race?
What is your religion?
What is your political affiliation?
Do you live in the suburbs, a city, a town, or in a rural area?
What is the population?
Do you live in an apartment, a house, a condominium, or a retirement home?
Are you allergic to anything?
What is your blood type?
Please add a question or fact that you would like to answer or share.
How would you describe yourself?
3. YOUR FAMILY AND ANCESTORY
List the names and birthdates of your mother, father, maternal grandmother, paternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, paternal grandfather and other great grandfathers and grandmothers.
What did you call them?
Do you have brothers and sisters?
What are their names?
When were they born?
Do you remember the first time you saw them?
Where was your mother born?
Where was your father born?
What circumstances brought your parents to the place where you were born?
Were there people already there whom they knew, or did they come into the community alone?
Was the community welcoming to them?
Tell about your aunts and uncles.
Did they play an important part in your growing up?
Do you remember any special aunts and uncles?
Did you play with your cousins?
Who are some of the cousins you know best?
Was there someone your family was particularly proud of?
If you could do anything differently about your family, what would it be?
Did the family get together much casually, or did you have to travel and dress up to spend time together?
Was yours a religious family?
Did you attend services together?
Were these dress-up affairs?
Did your family say grace?
Did you sit down at the table together for every meal?
Did your family take vacations? Did you go to the same place every year; a summer house or resort?
Do you remember any special stories your grandmother or grandfather told you?
Do you tell any of the same stories to your grandkids?
What was your relationship with your parents like?
Would you describe it as warm?
Formal? Loving? Stern? Demonstrative?
Did your grandparents live nearby?
How often did you visit their homes?
Did their homes have a special cooking smell? Onions? Cookies?
What did their couch feel like?
How big was the kitchen?
Describe their home as you remember it.
Did your family ever have a reunion?
What were some of the best reunions and why?
Can you remember any stories you heard about your grandparents when they were children?
Do you feel as if you knew much about their lives?
As a teenager, did you get along well with your parents, or was there trouble?
How about your brothers and sisters?
Did you get along with them?
Do you remember ever playing a trick on your brother or sister?
What pictures come to mind when you think about playing together?
Did someone in your family cause your folks more trouble than the rest?
Have your pets been like family members, or just like animals?
Did you ever have a dog that ran away?
Try to list all the pets you've had through the years and their personalities.
Did anyone in your family do handiwork? Needle work? Wood work?
Was anyone particularly mechanical or artistic?
What did your dad do for a living?Your mom?
Your grandparents?Your brothers/sisters?
Were you considered rich, poor, or middle class?
Were times ever tough for all of you, or was it always smooths sailing?
Did you have to go without things that your friends had?
Were your parent’s fancy dressers?
When you think of them, what do you remember them wearing?
Did your mother wear a special perfume you remember?
Did your father wear cologne or after-shave?
What was it like when you took your mate to meet your family?
Were they welcoming or standoffish?
Was there one moment when you felt that your parents and siblings accepted your mate as a family member?
What are the treasured pieces of furniture or family heirlooms that belonged to your parents or grandparents?
How did the Great Depression affect your family?
When you think back on your mother and father now, what do you realize about their lives that you didn't understand when you were growing up?
Looking back, do you think your parents were happy with the circumstances of their lives?
Did your father have a favorite saying you can remember him repeating?
Did your mother have a favorite saying you can remember her repeating?
What memories would you like to share with your children or grandchildren that you never have before?
Can you describe your paternal and maternal family history in a page or less?
Is there anything else that you would like to share about your family?
4. THE HOUSE OF YOUR GROWN UP
Do you have warm feelings about the childhood home that you remember the most?
What did your home look like? Apartment, walk-up, condominium, or house?
What was the color? Was it stone, wood - other? One story or two?
What did you look out onto?
What was your bedroom like?
Did you share it with your siblings, or was it cozy by yourself?
Can you remember the pictures that hung, wallpaper, carpeting, etc.?
Can you remember your telephone number and address?
What did you do to make your room your own?
Did you sleep with a stuffed animal or doll?
What was your animal or doll's name?
Can you remember what you daydreamed about in those days?
What time did your mail come?
Was it exciting anticipating the mail?
Can you remember anything in particular that you received that was special?
Was security an issue?
Did your parents keep the door locked or did family and friends come and go with the door unlocked?
How old were you when you were first trusted with a key?
Did your family eat at the kitchen table or in the dining room?
What food conjures up the best childhood memories for you?
What do you remember having in the refrigerator growing up?
Could you graze freely or eat only at meal times?
What was your parents' room like (beds, bedspreads, easy chairs, etc.)?
Did you spend much time in their room with them?
Were you allowed to rest in their bed when you were sick?
Was there much music in your house or was it relatively quiet?
What type of music, if so?
Did you play a Drama, radio, record player, boom box, CDs?
Was there a lot of talking going on?
Did you feel part of the adult conversation?
Was there any place in your house that scared you (the basement, attic)?
Was there any place you felt was really "your spot," felt comfy alone or maybe a hiding spot in Hide'N Seek?
Did you have a lawn? Have to mow it?
Did you have gardens of flowers, vegetables or herbs?
Did you help care for them?
What kind of chores were you required doing for the family?
What was your favorite season at your house?
Do you remember summer as too hot or exhilarating and perfect?
Did you swim a lot in the summer?
Did you ski or do winter sports in the cold weather?
Were there books in evidence around your house?
Was there a special room in the house considered the "library"?
Which of your parents' books and magazines do you remember reading?
Were you or your parents interested in the news?
Which news stories made the greatest impression on you?
Where were the telephones in your home?
Were you allowed to stay on the phone as long as you wanted or were there a time limit?
Which door did you use mostly?
Front door , back door , kitchen door , side door?
Was there usually someone there to greet you when you came home?
What time did you usually eat dinner? Was the family all together?
Were you proud of your house or shy about having friends over?
Did your parents have friends over often?
Can you remember them having parties?
Where did everyone gather?
Did company come often for meals?
What time of the night do you remember your house getting quiet and preparing for sleep?
Did relatives or borders live with your family?
What were their quarters like?
Were you allowed in there?
Do you remember your house having a particular scent (cooking smells, aroma of flowers, laundry scents)?
What was the street like where you lived?
Did you have a front stoop or porch? Informal or formal?
Can you remember excitement about a certain purchase (washing machine, phone, addition to the house) or repairs to the house?
If you could now move back into the house you grew up in, just the way it was then, would you?
Why or why not?
5. CHILDHOOD / NEIGHBORHOOD
Who were your best friends in your neighborhood?
Do you still know them or know what happened to them?
Did you play at your home, theirs or mostly in playgrounds, the streets, fields?
What do you remember about your friends' houses and families?
Did you have a secret path you used to take to meet your friend?
Did you play house?
Were you the mother, father, doctor, etc?
Did you play Cricket, Football, Hockey, Chess, Lawn Tennis, Basketball or Baseball?
If yes, what position did you play?
Did you go to the library?
Was there a neighborhood bully?
Did that bully ever hurt you?
Did you have a nickname?
How did you get it?
Has it stuck with you?
What sidewalk games did you play?
Did you collect anything (bugs, baseball cards, marbles, etc.)?
Did you have pets?
What were their names?
Were they usually strays?
How did you acquire them?
Do you remember having the chicken pox, mumps or other childhood diseases?
Were you ever seriously ill as a child? Who took care of you?
How did you go downtown and get back home? By Trolley, bus, car, horseback, walk?
Can you remember your first trip?
Why did you usually go?
Did you ever have a natural disaster in your town like a tornado, flood, or immobilizing snow storm?
Describe your neighborhood - rural or suburban? Lots of grass or concrete?
Did anyone have fancy gardens, a horse, or something "different" from the norm?
Do you remember a new family moving into your neighborhood?
Did your family welcome them by sending food; were they hard to get to know; did they join your circle of friends?
What were your favorite board games?
Did you ever go door-to-door selling anything to your neighbors?
Did you have a lemonade stand?
Would you like to have raised your children in a neighborhood like the one you grew up in?
Why or why not?
Did you have any imaginary friends growing up?
Did your parents play along?
Were you afraid of the boogeyman or the monster under the bed?
What were your favorite books, poems or bedtime stories as a child?
Did you go to camp?
Did anyone from your neighborhood go with you?
Do you remember any of the counselors or groups of kids?
What did you do at camp?
What did you ever do that got you into trouble with your parents?
What did you ever do that got you into trouble at school/College period? What were the punishments?
Did you attend a religious school?
Did you bring those values with you into adulthood?
Was your neighborhood a good, safe place in which to take walks?
Do you remember any incidences?
Did you ever want to run away? Why?
What was a perfect day when you were a child?
What is your first memory?
What were the names of neighborhood landmarks?
The ice cream store? Drugstore? Barber shop? Grocery store? Flower shop? Shoe repair shop?
What do you remember most vividly about them?
Now that you are an adult, what advice would you give to a child about childhood?
Is there anything else you would like to write about your childhood?
6. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEARS
What were the name of your schools?
How big was it?
What did it look like?
Was it a private or public school?
Did you ride a bus to school?
If so, did you like riding the bus?
Do you remember anything that happened on that bus?
What did you learn in school that you still use to this day?
Do you remember being afraid to enter first grade?
What did you think when you first saw the classroom?
Do remember "getting" a concept?
Cursive writing, maybe?
Do you remember the moment when you realized you could read?
Was school work hard or easy for you?
Did you like physical education / gym class?
Did you feel you were good at sports?
Were you picked first or last for the teams?
Do you remember shopping for school clothes?
Getting excited at what you would wear the first few weeks?
Did you ever go to school where you wore a uniform?
Did you eat lunch at school or go home?
Did you bring your own lunch?
Did you have a lunchbox?
If so, what did it look like?
How did you get to school...walk alone, with friends, bus, parent, neighbor?
What did you do in the summertime when there was no school?
What was your first grade teacher's name?
Were you in awe of her?
How about your second grade teacher or third grade teacher...or others?
Do you remember any visitors that came to your classroom like the mayor, an actor, a cowboy star?
Do you remember any field trips your class took?
If you lived in the city, did you go to a farm, factory, and big museum?
Did you say the "Pledge of Allegiance" to start the day?
Did you say a prayer?
How did you feel about those topics as a child?
Were you ever the new kid in school?
Did you win awards at school?
Were you ever a star in music?
Who was your best friend in elementary school?
Do you remember the names of any school books?
Do you remember the illustrations in them?
Did you have a hobby during those years?
Did you ice skate, build things or perform magic, etc.?
Did your school mates know about it or did you keep it to yourself?
Were you in a scout troop or any other organization?
Do you remember the leader?
Any projects?
Any impressions?
Who was the principal at your elementary school?
Were you ever called to the principal's office?
If so, why?
What did you think of the older kids?
Did they seem sophisticated to you?
Were they doing some activity that you just could hardly wait to do?
What was your attitude about school?
Were you excited about it, bored or just tolerated it?
Do you remember kindergarten?
What do you remember?
Did you have any friends who went with you all the way from elementary school through high school?
Are they still your friends?
Did you have a favorite teacher?
Do you ever remember your mother coming to your school for any reason?
What was the usual punishment at your school for wrongdoing?
Do you remember having to stand up in front of the class to read a paper or a story?
Can you remember a historic event that happened when you were in school?
Is there anything else you would like to write about the school years before high school?
7. LIFE IN A SMALL TOWN
What was the name, state and population of your town?
What was the main source of the town's income?
Did you have the pride of having a farm or business handed down from generation to generation?
What types of food were generally considered for dinner time?
Have you raised your family with the same types of foods?
If you lived on a farm, what was the week like?
What was Sunday like?
How did friendships differ from rural life vs large city life (if you have experienced both)?
Did you ever dream of leaving your small town?
What invention came last to rural areas from the cities?
What did you raise on your farm?
How large was it?
How many acres?
How many buildings?
How did things change seasonally?
Who helped your family on your farm?
Hired hands or neighbors?
Did you ever raise an animal and show it at a fair?
Did you have to sell it?
How did you feel about that?
What time did you get up in the morning?
What were the sounds of the farm, fields, farmhouse, and barns?
What were your working conditions during the different seasons?
What animals did you witness giving birth?
Were they vet-assisted, or did the family hold the vigil?
What do you remember about your veterinarian?
You likely saw some death, too. How did you learn to handle that?
Did you take your crops to market? Tell about the good and lean years.
Who were your neighbors?
Did the neighbors form a tight community?
Did you ever have to help out in an emergency?
Do you think weather is the most important component in a farmer's life?
Did you ever win the "largest" category with your produce or show a prize steer?
Did you win ribbons, or stuffed animals, at the fair?
What are some of the biggest differences between living in a small town and a big city? Pros and cons?
8. HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS
Do you like your birthday or dread it?
What birthday do you remember the most?
Did you get to choose the meal on your birthday?
Were birthdays considered a "big deal" when you were young?
Did you raise your children to think they were a big deal?
Did your family make birthday cakes or did you buy them?
What were the favorite flavors?
What kind of birthday parties did you give for your children?
What were the most important religious holidays you celebrated throughout the year?
What was the significance of the holiday (i.e., why were you celebrating it)?
How did you celebrate each major holiday?
What holiday did you especially like?
Which holiday was really not much fun for you?
What were some of the best memories from any of the holidays you celebrated?
What was served at your holiday dinners?
What do you remember about these dinners?
What are some of your memorable birthdays from your life?
Were any birthdays particularly difficult because you reached a certain numerical age?
Is there a holiday present or birthday present that especially sticks out in your mind?
Did you have a shower for a wedding or baby?
Do you have special memories of these events?
Who was there?
How did you celebrate New Year's Day?
How did you celebrate Valentine's Day?
Did you and your schoolmate’s exchange Valentine's in elementary school?
What was the best Valentine's Day for you and why?
Did you ever get flowers or candy for Valentine's Day?
Any other unique present on that day?
Do you still send and receive Valentine's card to this day?
How did you celebrate Dushera or Passover?
Did anyone ever dress up like the Easter Bunny to surprise your children?
Was temple in your schedule at Dushera?
Did you color in Holi?
Was Mother's Day an important day?
How did you typically celebrate it?
How about Raksha Bandhan?
What did Raksha Bandhan mean to you and your family?
Was Father's Day an important day?
How did you typically celebrate it?
As a child, what did you do on the First of January?
What do you do now?
Labor Day signified the end of summer. What were some of the best Labor Day weekends you experienced?
Do you like Bahurupia?
What have you gone dressed up as?
Did your parents make your costume or did they buy them?
What was likes in growing up?
Do you remember the pals you Trick-Or-Treated with your girl friend?
What do you pass out?
What did you usually do on Thanksgiving in your youth?
What do you do now?
What do you do on New Year's Eve normally?
What was the fanciest New Year's Eve party you ever attended?
Do you remember a holiday you had to spend alone?
Which was the best holiday of your life? The worst?
Any advice to a new parent about celebrating the holidays?
Any regrets?
What did Holi morning feel like when you were a child?
Was it hard getting to sleep the night before?
What are some of your holiday religious rites and traditions?
9. HIGH SCHOOL
Where did you go to high school?
What was your mascot?
What were your school colors?
Do you remember any of the cheers?
What was your favorite song during high school?
What type of music was popular?
Who were your friends?
What did you like about them?
Who were your favorite teachers?
What kind of extra-curricular activities did you do in high school?
Were you on the school paper?
A sports team?
Were you a class officer? A cheerleader? A nerd?
Were your friends involved in the same activities as you were?
Were you ever honored at school?
Varsity letter? Home coming court? Valedictorian?
Do you remember the students who were?
Do you remember any students you felt sorry for because other students made fun of them or took advantage of them?
Were you a diligent student or did you have a more casual approach?
Did you study a foreign language?
Did those lessons stick with you?
Were you ever able to use that language on vacation or in your community?
Did science or math come hard to you?
Did art or English come easily?
Do you remember any long papers you wrote or any special projects?
Who did you go to your prom with?
What did you wear?
Did you dance much?
Were you a beatnik, hippie or rebel?
Did you have hobbies, read a lot, and enjoy political debates, bands, or just hanging out with your friends?
Did you have a part time job?
Did you babysit?
Did you do volunteer your time?
Were you popular?
If not, did it bother you?
Did you buy a class ring?
Was it a big expense for you?
Where did your crowd hang out?
Did you go to a diner, drugstore, library, friends' houses, etc.?
What were the clothing trends when you were in high school?
Did you follow the trends?
Who was your principal?
Who was your gym teacher? Coaches?
Did you spend much time at the library?
Was homework easy for you?
Did your parents like your friends?
Were you happy in high school?
Were you in a clique or sorority?
Was it a good decision?
Did you ever skip school?
Where did you usually go after school?
Did you do homework after school?
Did you work in high school?
Did you ever get disciplined in high school?
How did you usually spend your weekends?
Did you do chores around the house?
Did you spend more time at one friend's house than anybody else's?
At whose house did people gather?
How did their parents like having all the kids around?
What did you discover about yourself in high school?
Did you learn a skill that you could take out in the world with you?
Were you sad when it ended, or were you ready to leave it all behind?
Were you philosophical - a deep thinker?
Have you ever attended a high school reunion?
What truths did you learn about your classmates, if you attended?
What truths about your community that you might not have thought about before?
How important were your high school years in your life?
Do you ever dream about those years?
If you could have one conversation now with yourself when you were a high school student, what would you say?
How would the young adult you were view the person you've become?
Is there anything you would like to add about your high school years?
Perhaps the best day of your high school years?
10. COLLEGE
If you went to college, where did you go?
Why did you choose that school?
How much was tuition?
Was it difficult to afford?
Did you receive financial assistance or a scholarship? A loan?
Was your school large or small?
What was it known for?
What was your living situation?
Did you live in a dorm or a room off campus?
Who was your roommate?
Did you get along?
How did you decorate your place?
Were you comfortable there?
What was your major?
Why did you pick it?
Were you ever able to use anything you learned in college in real life?
Did you change colleges or majors partway through? Why?
Did you join a sorority or fraternity?
Was it important to you?
When you first got to college, were you thrilled to be away from home?
If you were homesick, what did you do about it?
Write letters? Cry? Confide in someone? Or try to hide your feelings?
If you were thrilled to be at college, were you quick at making friends?
Who was your first friend there?
Did you remain close through the years?
Were you on any sports teams? If not, did you follow them?
Were any of your team’s champions or near-champs?
Was there any professor who made a special impression on you? Good or bad?
What subject did he or she teach?
Were you able to take more than one class from this person?
Did he or she ever make a comment about your work that stuck in your memory?
Why was it important for you to go to college?
Was it an expected step in your community, or were you the first in your family to go for a degree?
What motivated you most?
Love of learning, or just getting through?
Were you able to get home for the holidays?
What do you remember about going home once you began college?
Did you change much at college?
Did your parents notice?
Did you friends back home notice?
Did they mention it to you?
What define college life during the years you were there?
Did you go to coffee houses? Did you attend poetry jams?
Did you remain friendly with anyone you met at college?
Did you visit each other over the years?
Did you keep in touch by letter before affordable long distance and e-mail?
Did you have a number of casual love interests or one special person throughout college?
How did this experience change you?
Was your class work difficult or easy for you?
What were your study habits?
Did you pull all-nighters?
Did you cram with friends, or work alone?
Were you involved in campus politics?
What issues "impassioned" you?
Did you protest?
How did you feel about politics during your college years?
Did you have a part-time job while you were in school? If yes, what did you do? If no, why not?
What did you notice about students from other parts of the country?
Are you Accents?
Different taste in clothing?
Religious differences?
More conservative or liberal ideas?
Did you learn to be more tolerant?
Do you have an example of how you learned to be more tolerant?
Was there one class that particularly inspired you?
Was there one that felt just impossible?
Did any famous performers or lecturers appear at your college?
Who were some famous graduates from your school?
Anyone you could tell would be a big success even then?
Did you graduate from college?
What degree did you get?
Did you attend graduation?
Did you win any accolades at college? Phi Beta Kappa? Valedictorian? Magna cum laude?
Do you think you made the most of your college years, or would it have been more advantageous for you to have gone to school later on?
Which do you have fonder memories of - college or high school?
Did college ever start to feel like home to you?
Or was it always just a stopping-off place?
Did your friends back home who didn't go to college treat you differently when you came home for holidays or the summer?
How did it make you feel?
Were you the same person when you got out of college as when you entered as a freshman?
Have you ever been to a college reunion?
Was it fun, or sort of sad?
Did you see anyone there whom you were surprised and happy to see?
Anyone you did not care to see?
Did you attend any kind of graduate school?
Please share your graduate school experience.
Is there anything else you would like to add about your college years?
Any advice you would like to give to someone just starting out?
11. CAREER IN MILITARY / NCC/SCOUTS
Name, rank, and serial number?
Were you drafted or did you enlist?
What was the first you saw of the service - the enlistment center?
What did you see there that made you want to sign up?
What was it like at the draft board?
How quickly did you move up through the ranks?
Who was the first officer you admired?
What was the name of your company?
Did it have a nickname?
Where were you stationed?
Describe what it was like.
Did you win any medals or citations?
What for?
Where do you keep that medal now - is it prominently displayed in your house, or is it stashed away in a drawer?
What entertainers did you see perform?
Which of your buddies did you sit with when you saw the program?
What songs do you remember hearing during the war?
Which song most says "war years" to you?
What did your uniform look like?
Did wearing it change your attitude?
What supplies and weaponry was you issued?
How long did it take you to learn to use your weapon?
What was the situation on the practice range?
Were you a pretty good shot?
Where did you go through basic training?
Were you with any of your hometown buddies?
How tough was it?
Which part did you excel in, in which part did you lag behind?
Who was the officer in charge?
Describe your barracks - from basic training on up. Who were your bunkmates?
Were you close with any of them?
Was military food as bad as it's rumored to be, or was it okay?
What were some of your typical meals?
What were your duties and assignments, in camp and on the field?
Who were your best buddies?
Are you still in touch with any of them?
Who did you write letters to?
Who did you get letters from?
What time did the mail come every day?
What was that like?
What commander did you get along the worst with?
Was there one you were friendly with?
When did you first see combat?
Did it take you by surprise, or did you know it was coming?
When did you first see death?
Did you lose any of your good friends?
Where did you go for rest and relaxation?
Was it a debauched time, or was it fairly good, clean fun?
What did you see on one of these trips that you had never seen before?
Who took you to the train when you were to report for duty?
Was it a teary farewell?
What was the date of your swearing in?
What was the date of your discharge?
What was your theater of operation?
What did you learn about the culture of that country?
How did the citizenry differ from the citizenry of your country?
Where did you go on maneuvers?
Were they a reasonable facsimile of real warfare?
When you get together with buddies to tell war stories, what stories do you tell?
What was the biggest act of courage you saw? By an ally? By an enemy?
What did it add to your life?
When you think of your years in the service, what landscape describes it?
Mountains? Sand? Jungle?
What route did you take in your homecoming? Who was waiting to meet you?
Can you remember what your parents first said to you?
Was there a love waiting for you when you came back home, or were you unattached?
Did the war make you ready to settle down, or did you come home in a crazier, celebratory mood?
Did you have dark days?
Did you ever consider re-upping?
What were your thoughts about enlisting again?
Who were the pinup girls of the day?
Did you believe in what you were fighting for?
When you look back on your own years in the service, are your personal memories predominantly good or bad ones?
What did you think about people who protested against the war?
How difficult was the transition from the military back to civilian life?
Are you a member of a veterans' organization?
Are you active in it?
What does it add to your life?
Is there anything else you would like to add about your military career?
Any advice you would like to give to someone considering a career in the military?
12. HOME FRONT
Questions about life during school time.
13. ENTERTAINMENT
Questions about how you had fun.
14. CAREERS
What was your first real job?
Did you start out in an after-school job that had any relation to what you ended up doing?
Describe your career.
Has anyone helped you up the ladder, even with the first job?
Was it easy for you to ask for or accept this help?
Are you union or management?
What career would you have chosen if you didn't have to think about money or education (just assuming both were taken care of)?
What got you the most upset at work?
Did you get along with your co-workers and bosses?
Did you sense anger and frustration at your work place?
Was there a feeling of teamwork?
Were you ever the boss?
Would you have wanted to be?
Did you ever run your own business?
How did it start?
What was a "power lunch" in your day?
What kind of meal was it - three martinis or the blue-plate special?
Were you friendly with your coworkers?
Is there one you particularly remember?
Did you have a secretary?
Were you very dependent on the secretary or administrative assistant?
What was your boss like?
Was he or she a frightening person or a benevolent person?
What lessons did you learn about your career and thoughts about work?
Looking back at your career, what is it that it meant to you?
Do you think your workplaces were friendly places for employees?
What was the overriding attitude in the place?
Did management mix with workers?
How did you feel on Mondays?
How did you feel on Fridays?
Were you dead tired at the end of the day?
Mentally or physically? Or spiritually?
Or did you often not want the day to end?
Did you have a mentor?
Were you a mentor?
When did you realize that there was someone looking up to you as a professional person in your chosen career?
Did you look forward to retirement?
Did they throw a party for you at work?
Did they give you a gift?
What was it?
Is there anyone still there whom you miss?
Did you ever ride through rocky times at your workplace?
Was your company sold or taken over?
Did you feel that you had a career, or just a job?
What is your greatest accomplishment at work?
Did you ride mass transit to work?
Did you see the same people every day?
Was there a place you went to lunch a lot at work?
Was it close by?
Was there one person you went to lunch with more than others?
Did you often go alone?
Did you ever socialize with your boss?
Did he take you out for lunch or drinks?
Would you call yourself ambitious?
Ambitious for money, power, influence, or something else?
Would you call yourself a leader or a follower?
What about you led to the career choices you made?
Special interests, or were your decisions purely economic?
Or did the choice just kind of happen?
Have the things you purchased been worth the work you have done to buy them?
Was your profession a respected one in your community?
Do you think you were paid fairly at jobs throughout your life?
Were you ever fired or laid off?
How did you cope with that?
Were you promoted?
Did it come unexpectedly, or did you let it be known you wanted the job?
Who told you?
How did you feel and react when you heard the news?
Were you ever passed over for a position you thought you deserved? Why?
Did you ever have to deal with a strike at your place of business?
Did you walk the picket line?
Did you have to cross it?
How did that affect things about the job?
Did you define yourself by your job?
Were you proud when people asked you what you did, or would you rather have been able to say something else?
Did you have a good balance of home and work?
Is there a business person you particularly admire?
Why?
15. GALL UP ORGANIZATION CHAPTER ON LEADERSHIP
16. ROMANCE AND RELATIONSHIPS
Do you remember your first kiss?
What kind of dating did you do in high school?
What is your favorite kind of date - even now?
Were you always attracted to the same type of person?
Did you like the strong, silent type, the bouncy blonde?
Who was your first love?
Did you think it was going to last?
Who broke whose heart?
Did you know when you very first met your mate that this would be your life's partner?
Did he/she know it?
Do you believe you can be in love more than once?
Describe your wedding, your outfit, your spouse's, your Mom's, your Dad's, the bridal party, the church or hall, the reception, the food.
If more than one wedding - tell all!
Was there anything unusual in your wedding vows?
Were your knees knocking?
Who performed the ceremony?
What do/did you like best about your mate? (A physical attribute, his/her being, his/her laughter, his/her smile, his/her mind.)
What term of endearment does/did you call your mate?
What were the hardest times of your relationship?
Was there ever a time that you thought it might really be over?
Who were the biggest crushes in your life?
Name your other heartthrobs through the years.
What song do you consider the most romantic?
Did you date much before your chose a partner?
What was your last relationship like?
Were you unhappy when it ended?
What did you learn in that relationship?
Everybody has bad habits -- what drives you craziest about your mate?
If you had to do it all over again, what qualities would you choose in a mate now?
Did you ever have an unrequited love?
Have you gone ahead and chosen a mate just because they loved you first?
Is there a fragrance/perfume/cologne that always brings to mind someone special (or not so special) when you smell it?
What anniversary gift do you remembering giving?
What anniversary gift do you remember getting?
Are you a romantic?
In words or deeds?
When you are not in a relationship, are you happy to be alone?
Did you have an engagement ring?
What does/did your wedding ring look like?
Would you trade it for a bigger, shinier one?
Do you wear both rings?
Are they inscribed inside?
What did your mate say when asking you to marry?
What was the answer?
Where were you?
How was it when you first met your spouse's parents?
Did you get along with your in-laws?
What did your own parents say about your mate?
Who is the most loving and romantic couple you know?
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Did you ever take a second honeymoon?
Talk about your first place together...was it a place you loved or were you making due?
Looking back now, did you get married at the right time or should you have waited longer or done it earlier?
In your years of being together what have you learned about your mate that you didn't know when you met?
What have you learned about yourself?
Describe your search for love.
What is the best way to enter your ‘key skills’?
Write your Technical skills, soft skills, and tools and software that you know well.
Fill the blanks in the following statements:
I am proficient in ________________________________-;
I have developed expertise in __________________________________;
I have done projects in the field of ____________________________;
I have a certification in ___________________________________;
I have a sound knowledge of ____________________________.
Those answers are your ‘keyskills’.
17. PARENTHOOD
Questions about your children and your parenting style.
18. THE HOUSE YOU RAISED YOUR FAMILY IN
19. FAVORITES FOOD
20. FAVORITES
21. MOMENTS FROM YOUR ADULT LIFE
22. POLITICS AND HISTORY
23. YOUR COMMUNITY
24. YOUR HOUSE NOW ( AT PRESENT )
25. EVERYDAY LIFE
26. HABITS
27. APPEARANCE
28. GRANDPARENTHOOD
29. TRAVELS
30. VEHICLES
31. MOODS, ATTITUDES, PHILOSOPHIES
32. LOOKING BACK OR 20/20 HINDSIGHT
33. HARD QUESTIONS
34. HEAVY QUESTIONS
35. Current Job Profile
36. ADD QUESTIONS AND FAMILY DOCUMENTS
37. Linguistic Proficiency: English , Hindi
38. Interest and Achievements:
- Listening to music
- Reading Novels
- Playing Chess.
Eralokkumar
Early career success often comes through specialization in a specific functional domain, but further advancement requires a more comprehensive, multifunctional perspective.
Without careful preparation, this transition can be risky and take years to complete—time that company can ill afford as they attempt to sustain and grow their business amid difficult market conditions.
Our Contents are well designed by Experts to smooth and accelerate this career transition.
Our executive education program nurtures new skills to drive innovation and enhance synergies at all levels of the organization.
“The programme will change the way you actually understood management.
The international exposure coupled with company visits and lectures added to overall thinking of management concepts.
I recommend this programme for all those who would like to understand the true meaning of the management in real sense."
“Beyond the tremendous learning and changing that takes place during the program, the excutive programmes at Shaktishali Foundation sponsored School results in an amazing network that would be impossible to build otherwise. | You will leave the Program with insight into management principles and practices with international perspective. | | | |||||||||||||||||||
| Today's challenging economic environment calls for managers who have a more holistic view of business, who can spot emerging opportunities and navigate through periods of decline as well as growth. The participants master new skills and explore diverse perspectives making them into outstanding business managers who have the judgment, confidence, and skills to lead their organizations in all economic environments. Practical and relevant content, delivered by our faculty will equip you with tools required to not only be better manager, but more importantly shape your perspective as a real leader in today's competitive environment.  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Our Programme is divided into 3 stages | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Stage one lays down the foundation for the course with focus on macro economy and general management practices and principles. The recent economic downturn illustrated the need for executives who can confidently lead their companies through difficult times. With live and most recent examples concerning all economies in recent time, the learning at this stage becomes easy to correlate. The course is supported by live examples cases and personal experience sharing at tall time making an ideal platform to move to next stage where insights and discussions are held on more specific organizational areas. Second stage gives the participants a deeper understanding of the general manager's job, with particular emphasis on assessing the current challenges related to building an organization. Areas such as Human Resources, Marketing Management and Operations Management are discussed through series of case study and personal example sharing. Examining strategy - concepts and frameworks at third and last stage makes thinking analytically about strategy in times of crises, and offers an enduring logic for setting a sound company strategy that leads to long-term competitive advantage. | |||||||||||||||||||||
That kind of support—both from classmates and faculty—will be invaluable to me as I continue to evaluate opportunities and grow my company's business."
The Program takes you through an intensive 90 days of self-discovery, one-on-one coaching, case discussions, industrial visits, tours and team exercises.
You will leave the Program with insight into management principles and practices with international perspective.
Practical and relevant content, delivered by Shaktishali Foundation sponsored School faculty will equip you with tools required to not only be better managers but more importantly shape your perspective as a real leaders.
