At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Dr. Purwa Rojindar for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Dr. Purwa is a MetaCognition and Inner Image Coach, TedX Speaker, Advaitin and Oneness Ambassador for Govt. of Madhya Pradesh. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Dr. Purwa:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
My journey has been quite diverse and enriching. Academically, I began as a microbiology graduate and was preparing to pursue a PhD in the same field. However, due to certain circumstances, that plan could not materialise. Soon after, I transitioned into content writing and teaching, and began working as an ESL trainer, coaching students for IELTS, communication skills, and copywriting.
Alongside this, I was also running a textile business focused on handlooms—something very close to my heart, as handlooms have been part of my life since childhood. For several years, I managed both: coaching and training on one side, and entrepreneurship on the other.
At the same time, I invested heavily in self-development. I pursued multiple courses in psychology, soft skills, image consulting, and behavioural sciences, continuously upgrading my knowledge and capabilities.
When COVID struck, and with a young child to care for, it became difficult to continue the textile business at scale. Today, I still work with a few select clients on a very personal basis, but my primary focus has shifted completely to coaching, training, and consultation.
I no longer teach English or IELTS specifically. Instead, I work in the areas of image consulting, soft skills, communication, and personal development. Communication remains central to my work—especially in the Indian context, where English and professional communication often go hand in hand.
Eventually, I completed my doctorate in psychology, with my research focused on metacognition and image building. My years of experience in training, coaching, counselling, and psychology strongly supported this academic journey.
After my doctorate, Advaita Vedanta entered my life more deeply and consciously. It is a profound and non-dual philosophy—the essence of the Indian knowledge system and the core of the Astika schools of thought. I had always intuitively believed in oneness, but Advaita gave language, structure, and clarity to that understanding.
Today, I am an Advaita Ambassador under a program run by the Government of Madhya Pradesh, through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. The initiative works to spread the teachings of Adi Shankaracharya and the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta globally, through the Acharya Shankar Sanskritik Ek Tanyas trust.
Through this role, I help take forward the message of Advaita—of unity, consciousness, and self-realisation—to wider audiences and new seekers. That, in essence, is what I do today.
How did you discover your true passion for coaching and transformation?
I believe there were two fundamental elements. The first was always within me—a natural inclination to listen deeply. I have always been drawn to people, their stories, their struggles, their inner conflicts.
I don’t believe anyone can solve another person’s problems, but I do believe we can show them the direction in which healing and clarity lie. That ability to listen without judgment and to reflect possibilities back to people was something innate.
When you step into the world of psychology, leadership, or human behaviour, listening becomes sacred. It becomes a doorway.
The second element was my relationship with myself.
I have always been deeply interested in self-inquiry—why I react the way I do, why certain situations trigger me, why my response system is wired a certain way. This constant self-evaluation, this willingness to question myself, has helped me grow not just as a professional but as a human being.
When you understand yourself better, you naturally begin to understand others better. That combination—deep listening and deep self-work—eventually shaped my path. I realised that my role is not to “fix” people, but to walk beside them, to point towards the light they are already seeking. They do the work; I simply hold the mirror.
What strategies have helped you grow consistently as a person?
Growth, to me, is a lifelong discipline. Some of my core practices are:
> Self-inquiry and constant self-evaluation – regularly asking, Why did I respond this way? What belief is driving this reaction? What can I do better next time?
> Observation – being a keen observer of people, systems, and patterns.
> Reading and learning continuously – not just books, but perspectives.
> Thinking in multiple dimensions – looking at situations from all sides, staying open to viewpoints that challenge my own.
One concept that is very close to my heart is metacognition—thinking about your thinking. Awareness of awareness. I constantly watch my thought patterns, emotional triggers, and behavioural loops.
I won’t say I have mastered it—none of us have. We are all works in progress. Even the greatest minds are. But whenever I notice a pattern that doesn’t serve me or others, I pause, reflect, and course-correct.
I also deeply believe that all answers live within us. The process of self-inquiry is the key to accessing them.
There is a Rumi quote I love (loosely paraphrased): What you seek is not outside you. It is already within you. That philosophy guides much of my work and life.
In your view, what are the true keys to success?
Success is profoundly subjective.
For one person, it may mean wealth and material achievement.
For another, it may mean inner peace.
For someone else, it could be raising emotionally healthy children, or building meaningful relationships, or mastering a craft.
There are infinite definitions.
But I believe there is one common thread across all of them: Satisfaction and inner gratification.
If a person is genuinely content with their choices, aligned with their values, grateful for their journey, and at peace with the path they are walking—they are successful.
Not according to society. But according to life. And that is the only success that truly lasts.
What advice would you give to readers who are searching for clarity, growth, or purpose?
This is always a difficult question, because every human being already carries immense wisdom within. But if I were to share one truth with complete conviction, it would be this:
If you are looking for success…
If you are looking for happiness…
If you are looking for answers…
Go inward. Sit with yourself. Meditate. Journal. Drink your coffee in silence. Sit on your balcony and watch the sky. Let your thoughts come and go. Observe them gently.
In that stillness, in that quiet, something profound begins to unfold. You start hearing your own truth. And slowly—very slowly—the fog lifts.
The answers emerge. The path becomes clearer. Everything you are searching for already exists within you. You just have to create enough silence to hear it.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
