Words create your world - Use them wisely

It was just another school day.

I was in the 8th grade, sitting quietly at my desk, waiting for the physics test to begin.

Our class teacher, Mrs. Gidwani, was conducting the test that day.

I had prepared more than usual. For some reason, I wanted to do well.

I don’t know what it was — maybe a desire to prove something to myself.

Maybe I just needed to feel… capable.

Until then, I had always been the quiet one, the average student who barely got noticed.

I wasn’t good at sports.

I wasn’t the teacher’s favorite.

I wasn’t the one with a friend circle.

In fact, I was more often the subject of jokes than conversations.

Because I was overweight, classmates often called me names like “Motu” or “Jaadiya” — words that still echo somewhere deep inside.

Even the adults — with no bad intent — would grab my cheeks playfully.

They’d laugh.

I’d smile.

But deep down… it hurt.

I began to shrink. Not physically, but emotionally.

My self-esteem was low. My confidence — almost invisible.

I often wondered if I’d ever amount to anything in life.

Then came that day.

We gave the physics test.

I remember writing with focus, going question by question, checking and rechecking.

It felt good.

And then I forgot about it.

A few days later, the results were announced.

I had scored 40 out of 40.

Perfect score.

I was stunned.

No one else had even come close.

And then something happened that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Mrs. Gidwani walked up to me, smiled, and said these words:

“Sunil, you are amazing! You scored 40/40. I can see that one day, you will shine and do something special in this world.”

It wasn’t just what she said…

It was how she said it — with warmth, with sincerity, with belief.

Genuine. Unscripted. Straight from the heart.

Those words landed somewhere deep within me.

Something stirred. Something moved.

It was as if someone had switched on a light in a room I didn’t know existed inside me.

And from that moment… there was no looking back.

•  First rank in 8th, 9th, and 10th

•  Board Topper

•  IIT Gold Medalist

•  Master’s in Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech

  
  

And today — I help others discover their own light — just like Mrs. Gidwani helped me find mine.

This experience taught me one of the most profound lessons of my life:

"Words create your world."

They can ignite a transformation or shatter a spirit.

Be careful with your words — they carry more power than you think.

Today, I feel truly blessed to do for others what one teacher did for me —

To awaken their spark.

To remind them of their brilliance.

To help them believe again.

Who was that person for you?

Who said something that changed everything?

Let’s celebrate those angels who showed up when we needed them most.