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By:

Asha Tripathi

14 April 2025 at 1:35:28 pm

Stop Comparing, Start Growing

Success does not grow in comparison; it grows in focus. Over the years, women have made significant strides in every sphere of life. From managing homes to leading organisations, from nurturing families to building successful careers, women have proved that strength and resilience are deeply rooted in their nature. Financial independence has become a significant milestone for many women today, bringing with it confidence, dignity, and the freedom to shape one’s own destiny. However, along...

Stop Comparing, Start Growing

Success does not grow in comparison; it grows in focus. Over the years, women have made significant strides in every sphere of life. From managing homes to leading organisations, from nurturing families to building successful careers, women have proved that strength and resilience are deeply rooted in their nature. Financial independence has become a significant milestone for many women today, bringing with it confidence, dignity, and the freedom to shape one’s own destiny. However, along with growth has come another silent challenge — the tendency to constantly observe, compare, and sometimes even compete with the journeys of others. But a crucial question arises: Is it necessary to track the growth of others in order to grow ourselves? From my personal experience of more than two decades as an entrepreneur, I have realised something very powerful — true growth begins the moment we stop looking sideways and start looking within. A Small Beginning I had a flourishing career of teaching abroad, but when I restarted my career after moving back to India, my beginning was extremely small. My very first assignment was a simple home tuition for a single student, and the amount I earned was meagre. There was nothing glamorous about it. No recognition, no large batches, no big earnings. Just one student and one opportunity. But instead of worrying about how others were doing, how many students they had, or how much they were earning, I made a conscious decision—my only focus would be on improving myself. I focused on teaching better, preparing better, and becoming more disciplined and consistent. And slowly, without even realising it, things began to grow. One student became two, two became a small group, and gradually, over the years, the work expanded beyond what I had initially imagined. Looking back today, I can confidently say that the growth did not happen because I competed with others. It happened because I competed with myself yesterday. Comparison Creates Noise When we keep watching others' journeys too closely, we unknowingly divert our own energy. Comparison creates unnecessary noise in our minds. It brings doubts, insecurities, and sometimes even negativity. Instead of walking our own path with clarity, we start questioning our speed, our direction, and our worth. True success grows through focus, not comparison. Every woman has her own story, her own pace, and her own struggles that others may never see. The path of one person can never be identical to another's. So comparing journeys is like comparing two different rivers flowing towards the same ocean — each with its own route, its own curves, and its own rhythm. As women, we already carry many responsibilities. We balance emotions, relationships, work, and society's expectations. In such a life, the last thing we need is the burden of comparison with one another. Instead, what we truly need is support for each other. When women encourage women, something extraordinary happens. Confidence grows. Opportunities multiply. Strength becomes collective rather than individual. There is enough space in the world for every woman to create her own identity. Each of us can build our own niche without stepping on someone else's path. Choose Encouragement Envy weakens us, but encouragement empowers us. Rather than questioning how someone else is progressing, we can ask a more meaningful question: "How can I grow a little better than I was yesterday?" Lift As You Rise Today, after twenty years of experience, the most valuable lesson I have learned is simple yet profound — focus on your own work with honesty and dedication, and success will quietly follow you. We, women, are capable, resilient, and creative. We do not need to pull each other down or compete in unhealthy ways. Instead, we can lift each other up while building our own dreams. Because when one woman rises, she does not rise alone. She inspires many others to believe that they can rise, too. And perhaps that is the most beautiful form of success. (The writer is a tutor based in Thane. Views personal.)

The Forgotten Chapter: RSS In the Quit India Movement

It is often claimed by selective narratives that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had no role in the Quit India Movement. However, events in Maharashtra demonstrate that many RSS volunteers, motivated by national loyalty, did participate both directly and indirectly. For years, Congress-leaning platforms and leftist historians have mainly credited Congress leaders, overlooking other revolutionaries.


A notable example comes from Vaduj in the Satara district, a key centre of resistance. Dr Shankar Ambike—Vaduj’s RSS branch leader and a respected doctor—made a significant but largely forgotten contribution. His involvement, along with that of other volunteers, challenges the claim that the RSS was absent from this phase of the freedom struggle.


In 1942, the Chale Jav (Quit India) movement swept across the country after Mahatma Gandhi’s call to “Quit India” and “Do or Die”. The agitation, which began in Mumbai, soon intensified in Satara. Resistance grew so strong that a parallel anti-British administration emerged under Krantisingh Nana Patil. Between 12 and 15 August, protests peaked across Satara. Demonstrations in Vaduj, Khatav, and Wai turned violent, and despite British crackdowns and arrests, the uprising continued with remarkable resolve.


Vaduj's battle

The Chale Jav movement in Vaduj, Satara district, began on 9 August 1942. Students, farmers, and freedom fighters gathered to protest against British rule, holding demonstrations, raising slogans, and issuing boycott calls.


British police tried to disperse the crowd, but people refused to retreat and continued shouting “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Chale Jav”. Lathi charges failed to break their resolve.


When the situation escalated, the police opened fire on 13 August. Several protesters were killed and many others seriously injured. During the firing, Dr Ambike, the RSS branch leader of Vaduj, bravely treated the wounded and was fined by the British for doing so. Because of the scale of the violence, Vaduj is remembered as the second Jallianwala Bagh in India’s freedom struggle.


British action

In 1942, the Chale Jav movement gained strong momentum in Vaduj, Satara district. People from Vaduj and nearby areas joined the protests, and the call of “Chale Jav – Quit India” quickly spread. Vaduj soon became a key centre of the movement.


One of its leading contributors was Dr Shankar Ambike, a respected doctor and committed patriot. He used his clinic to treat freedom fighters injured in British firing, despite pressure from the authorities. His family also participated — Ramchandra Ambike supported the movement alongside him.


Both were fined by the British government. Dr Ambike was externed from Satara for two months, and his clinic was temporarily shut. Ramchandra was detained for four months. Their names are now recorded in the Satara district’s official gazette of freedom fighters.


Start of RSS

During the Chale Jav Movement, the RSS operated as a nationalistic organisation similar to the Congress, though smaller in size. Even so, RSS volunteers actively joined the agitation—some participating openly, others helping underground freedom fighters.


RSS founder Dr Hedgewar visited Satara in 1932 and appointed Shri Ganesh Aaltikar of Karad as a branch leader and Shri Uddhav Dattatray Kulkarni as organiser. In 1935, Kashinathpant (Kaka Limaye) became the Western Maharashtra Provincial Leader. By then, RSS work had grown steadily in Satara. Many RSS volunteers took part in the movement. Uddhav Kulkarni of Wai joined the protests and was punished by the British; his name is listed in the Satara freedom fighters’ gazette. Vedmurti Shripad Satwalekar, the Aundh branch leader, also participated. He was later honoured by Shri Golwalkar Guruji and received the Padma Vibhushan in 1966. Dattopant Gokhale, the Wai branch leader, contributed to the movement as well.


People's doctor

Dr Shankar Ambike was a remarkable example of public service, courage, and patriotism. He is still remembered with pride in Satara’s freedom struggle, and his name appears in the official district register.


His work extended far beyond medical service. He helped organise society, promote national unity, and inspire people. As an RSS branch leader, he showed discipline, commitment, and strong organisational skills—qualities that earned him the titles “Vaduj’s Patriot Doctor” and “People’s Doctor”.


Even after independence, Dr Ambike remained active in social service. He dedicated his life to the nation and attained samadhi on 10 November 1993.


(The writer is a resident of Akola. Views personal.)

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