- Hi, I am Vinita Gupta. I was studying to be a Chartered Accountant but then I got married and had to quit.
- Unfortunately, my marriage did not work out, and I had to move out with a 1-month-old baby.
- A few years later, I decided to resume my CA journey so I could have a better future for my child and me.
My journey from a single mother to a Chartered Accountant
“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens
Tears roll down when I recall my past which is almost a decade ago.
Today I am a Chartered Accountant by profession and successful in my own right, but it has not been a smooth journey for me.
Growing up I was an average student who loved finance and accounting. My Dad recognized early on that I would be a great Chartered Accountant and encouraged me to pursue Chartered Accountancy from the prestigious ICAI.
After completing CA Inter (2nd level CA Exam which is now known as CA Intermediate) in 2005, my family insisted that I settle down and get married. I took a break from my CA studies and got married in 2006.
I was blessed with a daughter in 2007. Unfortunately, my in-laws were unhappy as I gave birth to a girl. In fact, when I got married I was harassed for dowry as well. Due to all these issues, my marriage did not work out and we got separated in 2007 when my daughter was only one month old.
This entire situation made me realize that the only solution for raising my daughter and giving her a good life was to complete my CA studies and become a Qualified Chartered Accountant. And so I did.
Finally, after overcoming a lot of failures and emotional challenges I qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2008.
I am so proud to say that my daughter has grown up seeing her Mom always piled up with books.
How did I study with a one-month-old baby?
I got the strength to pursue my CA studies again when I used to see my 1-year-old innocent daughter sleeping beside me.
Giving her a comfortable life is all I wanted. I did not get any support from my husband/ in-laws financially so I knew I had to be financially independent and had to become a pillar of support for her.
And qualifying as a Chartered Accountant was the only way out. That kept me going.
Luckily, my family supported me and took care of my daughter while I used to study for my exams. My family was and is my source of strength and support. They kept motivating me and pushing me at every failure.
It was a challenging phase in my life to devote more time to my studies than to my child. Sometimes she used to crawl to me while I was studying.
At last, I cleared CA Final Group 1 in May 2008 and gained my confidence back. Now I was sure to clear CA Final Group 2 as well. And I did.
I was finally a Chartered Accountant, a dream come true! It was a turning point in my life.
Key takeaways from my journey
- Focusing on the Goal is very important
- Only Determination and Hard Work can bring you success
- If you fail don’t get disheartened. Get up and forget the past and start studying for your future
- Remember, Failures are the stepping stones to Success
- Make ‘I CAN’ your greatest resolution
- Be mentally strong and emotionally stronger. Find support from family/ friends.
- Do not worry about failures. No one will ask you the number of attempts once you become a CA and get your first job.
- Last but not least, God is there – He will definitely pay you for your Hard Work.
Don’t think about what society says
I want to tell everyone that irrespective of your circumstances you can achieve your goals. So DO NOT give up on yourself.
Studying as a single mother and listening to the 100 things society had to say was never easy. When everything was going wrong, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant was the only thing that could save me.
The so-called society demotivated me by passing comments that I was incapable and that I should drop my studies and start working to support my child. However, my father insisted that I have to clear my CA exams no matter how many attempts I take.
He told me ‘Do not worry about society and stay focused on your CA studies’.
I have worked very hard to become a CA. Today my daughter is 13 years old and I am able to support her and myself really well.
Wrapping up
My advice to all women (even Men); Go out there.
Do not give up your dreams for the sake of society. If I was not a CA I would have had a difficult life depending on my parents.
Also, believe me, once you become a CA, all those people who tried to demotivate you will learn about your capabilities.
So get up and go after your goals.
Now It’s Your Turn…
Challenges come. Challenges go. The goal remains steadfast. The resolution remains steadfast. YOU remain steadfast.
Do you have a goal that you want to achieve? Or are you feeling bogged down with the challenges?
Tell us your story in the comments.
Vinita could be reached at vinita_gupta25@yahoo.com/thecastory@gmail.com
