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Is it an office, is it a business house, is it a charitable institution?

No, Banjara is none of the above

Banjara Academy just happened, and its reach has grown over the decades. It currently touches more lives than it ever did before. The fact that the number of people benefitting from our association is ever increasing is what we would like to claim as our major achievement. The fact that we have made many people sit up and pay attention to many hitherto ignored or misunderstood issues involving human relationships, child upbringing, etc is what we regard as our foremost achievement.

Our efforts have been acknowledged by many organizations over the years. Our online short-term and long-term courses and classroom courses on counselling skills have been appreciated and recognized as very useful and at times indispensable in the understanding of human relations by many academic institutions, corporates, hospitals, etc. It has been very heartening to see that many of our students have been employed for their counselling skills in different organizations around the country, and the world. Here are just a few of them:

Rotary International, Kidwai Institute of Oncology, Institute of Human Resources Development, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, YMCA, Sudatta, Defence Institute of Quality Assurance, Navabharath Trust, the Indian Air Force, Acharya Patashala, Senior Citizen’s Clubs, various centres for disabled, most reputed universities and educational institutions have appreciated our services and have associated with us frequently in the conduct of our many programs. We would like to proudly and humbly acknowledge that some of the most prestigious institutions and organizations invite us frequently to conduct training, provide counseling, or train their trainers.

Mission

Banjara Academy wishes to be known as an institution with a heart. It is committed to improving the quality of life of the people it touches in its journey. We believe that every human being is unique, with immense untapped potential. Our mission is to open the doors for the flow of emotions, energy and release the potential. Do join us on this road less travelled.

We are playing, and we will continue to play, a role in helping human beings understand each other better, thereby helping improve interpersonal relationships. This significantly enriches lives through empowerment.  It is our constant endeavor to help individuals build their self-esteem, again a very crucial element in improving the quality of life.

The doors of the Banjara Academy are – and will always remain open to individuals who seek guidance in child, adolescent, family, and inter-personal emotional issues. We consider ourselves blessed whenever we make a positive difference to the well-being of anyone who comes to us.

We believe in the mission -
“Enriching Life Through Empowerment”

We not only provide free counselling to anyone who walks in, calls us, or writes to us, but also extend our services to nine public hospitals where patients and care givers need emotional support.

We believe that anyone can be trained in the vital fields of psychological counselling, life skills training and career guidance. Hence, we have constantly been endeavoring to train as many people as possible, so that the ripple effect reaches out to people at large. We have very convenient face-to-face part-time programs suiting people of all backgrounds and ages, and for those who cannot come and attend, we also have on-line programs.

Banjara Academy

We are available for you.....

Your attitude towards life

Some time or the other we come across a horrible person. Whenever you encounter a person who is rude, selfish, hypocritical or out to cheat you, become aware, protect yourself, and deal with it the best you can.

…….but after that, look out for someone who is nice, serene, polite or compassionate. When you spend time with the nice person and have pleasant interactions, it reduces your hurt or bitterness which you may carry from your earlier experience.  It also reaffirms to you that not all people are bad, and that there are actually good humans around you who you can build positive relationships with.

Your attitude towards life and your motivation to form healthy long-term bonds increases.

Understanding your abilities and strengths

Left-Brained or Right-Brained        

Left Brain Skills:  If you have strong left brain characteristics, it means that you think logically, in sequential order and can handle mathematical calculations.  These attributes are very useful if you choose careers related to individual and technical work e.g. engineering, technology, surgery, research, law, chartered accountancy, decision making, planning, etc, where more of logical, sequential or analytical thinking is required, and where you keep learning through experience. You have the ability to look at issues critically without allowing emotions to come in the way, and can take quick and calculated decisions, and you will do well in MCQ, logical and analytical questions in competitive exams.

Right Brain SkillsIf your right brain characteristics are very strong, you are capable of using your emotions to your advantage, you will balance your needs with those of others, will do well in group and team work, where emotional maturity is required, and in creativity-oriented activities e.g. design, people-management, project development, administration, education, life sciences, marketing, mass communication, media, physicians, humanities, HRM, etc.  Students who are right-brained generally do not score high marks in academics since the education system caters more to left-brain skills.

Balanced Left and Right Brain Skills:  If you are one of the rare lucky ones who have equally sharp left and right brain characteristics, then you will be able to adapt very well in future to changing technology and lifestyle, and will never get outdated. But at present it is quite likely that you are a very confused person. Due to equally strong characteristics in both the above sides, you may get pulled in different directions.  You may feel like changing your mind now and then, and get attracted to completely different careers.  You will require extra attention, patient dealing, and opportunity to explore diverse fields before selecting.  If you just cannot decide at the 10+2 level, you may opt for a sound base in science or technology, and then move into management, creative, or people-oriented careers, thus getting the best of both worlds. Today there are plenty of opportunities to combine two extreme interests and create a career.

Though people who have equally developed left and right brain characteristics may appear to be confused and fickle minded due to their wide range of abilities and interests, eventually they do better than others because they can adapt themselves to changing technology or lifestyles, which will be very important in the 21st century.

  • Parents are advised to understand such children and support and guide them, starting with an early exposure, wide discussions, opportunity to meet varied professionals.
  • Children with predominant right or left brain characteristics blossom out best if they pursue careers that suit their style and capabilities. If forced into the opposite direction, they not only lose out on grades, but also on self-confidence and motivation.

Most common skills in each side of the brain include:

  Left Brain                                                                      Right Brain

Analytical          Mathe-logical                          Emotional Rhythmic, kinesthetic (bodily)

Experiential         Intra-personal                            Instinctive, intuitive Literary

Critical                Sequential                                  Creative, imaginative Interpersonal

Sequential           Verbal                                        Spatial, colour, 3 dimension

 

Ali’s Notes:

Most people who are sensitive and caring, inevitably go through many setbacks and challenges in life.  Those who are totally self-centered and do not care for others manage to find the path of least resistance, and keep going up the ladder of success. 

The world admires and praises the second category of people because of their “achievements” – but I have a deep interest in the first.  Whenever I come across someone who gives value to emotions and who thinks beyond the mundane, I love to make them talk, and can listen to them for a long time – for every one of them teaches me something about life and its meaning.

Look around, identify such people, and listen to their experiences of life. You will be enriched.