Integrating Social change through Media & Performing arts

Sreyashi Sen, Managing Director – Darpan Singapore Pte Ltd.

Sreyashi Sen, Managing Director of Darpan Singapore Pte Ltd., believes that in life, every moment matters, every second matters and we can’t waste any. That’s how she sees herself in entirety and she is the kind of person who never gives up.

Sreyashi grew up in India in the city of Kolkata in India, where art thrives. Her turning point in life came in many ways while doing her Masters in English Literature where she chose a special subject on the “bad” woman in literature. She says, “There has always been a ‘can’t toe the usual and normative’ in me”. She chose to go to the red light districts, meet the women in the sex trade rather than read pages in libraries of third person accounts. Those were the 1990s when there were no mobile phones and only land lines. Sreyashi says that she was fortunate that her parents were visionaries and supported her bold steps. She would be in the areas till late and refused to avail any special transportation to get back. A known taxi driver would be given the task every day to reach her home. The children in the red-light district area would wait at a public local phone booth to get her call once Sreyashi reached home and to wish her goodnight.

Sreyashi feels that is the love of the common man in the most uncommon way. That’s what pushed her to make up her mind to pursue social work as a profession and to move onto the prestigious institution in Mumbai, Tata Institute of Social Sciences to pursue her second Masters in Social Work.

Sreyashi moved to Singapore 15 years ago and she has only looked at marrying her interests and her education. She has worked in government and semi government organisations, been part of the UN for a while and moved onto to a calling of the heart and soul. She has spent a fair bit of time in areas struck by the worst disasters like the Tsunami and the earthquakes and have seen how difficult life can be and how resilient people are. She is also the Honorary Secretary of Southeast Asia Audio Visual Association (SAAVA).

While being enmeshed in a world of social change, coming from a family of film makers and artists, Sreyashi then moved into looking at media and social change. Thus was born Darpan, an initiative to integrate through the arts, to bring meaningful art to create change. A dream that took shape 8 years ago in Sreyashi’s mind and could see fruition in 2012 with the first ever Bengali film festival in Singapore. She says that very few people believed in her initiative. She was even told by very senior media consultants that she was fighting the battle on one side and a war on the other and she would be stupid to think that she would succeed!

“My work and interest of reaching people to do good is what moves me on everyday rather than a money making objective and the eternal truth of ashes to ashes dust to dust helps me remain rooted in reality and recognise the need to be humble always”, says Sreyashi.

High point in career

“I think on two instances mainly. One was in the second year of Darpan Film festival where from a first year of almost empty theatres, in year two we had to turn people away as shows were sold out. It was also to see the support of some of the biggest name in the media industry from India and Singapore to believe in my craziness and take time out to help, advice and support.

The other was every time in my social work activities I see a smile and get a message to say…’because of you I didn’t give up’.”

Most challenging assignment

“To get together an entire film festival with Indian films, with social messages, in Singapore. The funding, the support the planning of an entire 5 day festival purely depending on volunteers, requires energy enough of a few Sreyashi-s and her clones!

Motivating people who are helping only out of a passion for the arts isn’t an easy job. Whilst making sure the funds are in place and the event is one of quality and finesse without any compromise takes careful planning and relationship management. It’s been challenging too as profits and making it monetarily big has never been a sole objective and passion and love of the arts has always taken priority.”

Greatest inspiration

“My mother. She is truly a woman of substance and even in her 70’s she continues to pursue a PHD and research in varied subjects on women’s empowerment. I have seen how she has managed a home and work environment almost in ambidextrous ways. Our childhood wasn’t easy in any way with an ailing father who at the peak of his career had to retire. My mother’s advice on life is something I seek everyday even today. And her greatest lesson of all is that no experience in life goes to waste. And what I’ve learnt from her most is to smile in the greatest adversity. Because it’s not about putting on a front. It’s about making sure the message to self is always of joy. That gives strength to the soul.”

Most important milestone in life

“It has been those 6 months spent immediately post tsunami with the people who had lost all they called their own. To be able to be with them and learn with them what life is, is what I see as a milestone because it taught me the greatest lessons of life. It taught me to value relationships above bank balances, it taught me to value moments above long drawn future plans and it taught me the unpredictability of life and living. It also was a turning point in my life where I emerged stronger, more resolute in pursuing all my work towards social good, be it as a social work professional or in the world of media.”

“Women are the better halves”- Have we moved beyond this?

“It’s when we stop looking at “betters” or “halves” that this will change. It’s when we stop comparing a man and a woman in the same situation that it will change. We need to redefine definitions and labels and conditioning. The root in it all is how we choose our words. Some women are privileged to have in life, significant others who always believes in motivation and discussion. That’s where the change needs be. When we move beyond being defined in gender and into an area of being human, alive, capable and unique. We don’t need to shout out and rebel as women if we know what we want and firmly so. Unfortunately most relationships, be it personal or official, are stuck in the terms we set.”

Experiences on being a woman entrepreneur

“Liberating yes and at the same time extremely difficult as many a times, as a woman there is much expected than just a coffee meet! I have been told subtly and in the face that there’s many a favour I may need to say yes to if a job needs done! But what was difficult to work around (and I have never compromised) at the beginning, where walls could only be torn down with a road to the “bed and breakfast” has changed. People learn to respect the struggles and the values. Especially as a single woman entrepreneur it’s a step more into the hurdles where we are still unfortunately gauged by who the man in your life is and what support systems you have. When I started out I had none! All I had was me and my dreams.”

How do you / did you believe in making dreams come true?

“There is a motto that always pushed me on and always makes me believe in dreams coming true. “You are not given a dream without being given the power to make it true” I guess once you believe in that the paths work out themselves.”

Challenges faced

“There were challenges of venturing as a woman, and a single woman without any savings or funds. There were times when there were business pay outs and debts. They were times where competition was extremely tough as I didn’t believe in pulling strings. There were times when as an SME with zero staff I didn’t stand a chance to the bigger organisations. But in the end determination, hard work, integrity and grit always have seen me through. Its only when we roll up our sleeves and do things from scratch and honestly so we know how the entire process works.”

Setbacks faced and lessons learnt

“Yes, in life sometimes we suffer setbacks in various proportions. I have too where I have been cheated in business financially and to the tune of cunning and malicious moves. But I have always believed in my efforts vision and capabilities. While twice in my life I have had to start from scratch, inspite of having spent years to build a dream and see it snatched away. I have always seen the setbacks as signs where the Universe is trying to teach me deeper lessons and those that have cheated and broken my trust as the greatest teachers. It’s from these experiences that I have learnt prudence, caution and making sure that all are not to be trusted equally and it takes variety to make this world.

I have also learnt balance and belief in sharing ideas, thoughts and paths with people who deserve the same in trust. These experiences have also shown me the bigger plan of the Universe and proven that hindsight is indeed 6×6.

One such experience has been when with shrewd moves my own company has been snatched away from me by very careful planning. Sometimes we don’t realise till things are done and sealed that we have been part of bigger games. But I see that as a boon as from the shedding of the old does the new get a way in and I have been able to spring back.

I have also realised that while generosity is what we need to have in all spheres not everyone is kind enough to expect it, but that only means having the magnanimity to let everyone start on a clean slate without judgement calls on past experiences.”