Winning Stroke: Interview with Saumya Chandra, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft

1) If not in the current Profession, You would be? 

Writing or pursuing my love for fashion

 2) One tune you always hum?

Don't worry, Be Happy Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be, will be…

3) One Book to read when you want to motivate yourselves? 

'Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World' by Adam Grant

 4) One Dialogue of a movie that motivates you or you like the most?

 "Haar ke jeetne waale ko Baazigar kehte hai" - Baazigar "There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. We are all different. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope." - Theory of Everything

 5) The Place you never been to and always want to go?

 Leh Ladakh! Every summer Facebook reminds me I should plan, but it's always too late to do so.

 6) An animal that signifies you & why? Does a Mermaid qualify? 

The way waterfalls, lakes and the sea make me feel - I probably might be one in a parallel universe!

 7) A Movie Character you most resemble or resonate with?

Drawing a blank on this one…

 8) Choose one from each below:

 a) Marvel or DC Marvel - they have more fun

 b) Batman or Superman Batman - love his undying spirit 

c) Tom or Jerry -Always been on the edge about this one. Jerry made me laugh, but I felt bad for Tom coz he was invariably at the receiving end

 d) Chacha Chaudhary or Super Commando Dhruv Chacha Chaudhary - he made me curious about computers :D

 9) If your life was to be turned into a movie who would you like to play your part? 

Not that a movie is shaping up, but is it too cheesy to say Sushmita Sen? Always had a girl crush on her. 

10) Luck or Hard Work, What do you think weighs more in defining a successful Person?

If you haven't worked really hard for something, it's never going to feel like success. A sprinkling of luck every now and then is welcome bonus!

 11) One best decision you ever made? 

To not drop Product Management for Fashion Management after B-school. I even went to Milan to "figure it out". But I'm a geek at heart, and I'm glad I finally acknowledged it. 

12) A strategy that you always use to take your decisions in Personal or Professional life? 

Get all the inputs I need (facts + perspectives from my trusted advisors) and then weigh out the pro and cons. If it's a straightforward choice, it's easy to pick the best outcome. But more often than not - it isn't. In such cases, I attempt to zero in on whatever I can live with (on my conscience) and never regret.

 13) Whose advice you seek when in dilemma? 

Family and friends are the first line of defense. But when the going gets tough - it's always my Dad. He is my sounding board, my oracle and go-to person during my growing up years and still in times of internet outage. He never tells you what to do, but gives excellent frameworks / life nuggets to think through situations.

 14) What has been your biggest achievement?

 Being strong in the face of adversity.

15) One thing that you want to change in yourself?

 Need to be a little less satisfied, and a little hungrier!

 16) A line said by your closed one that you never forget?

 What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger