Growing up in a small town in India, my knowledge about Pakistan was limited to cricket, history books, and the media. All revolving around rivalry and hatred.
Decades later I met this girl. She is from Islamabad, Pakistan. I met her on Day 1 at Harvard Business School. It took us 5 seconds to like each other and by the end of the first semester, she became one of my closest friends on campus.
Over multiple chais, biryanis, financial models, and case study preps, we got to know each other. Her stories of growing up in a conservative Pakistani backdrop, but being blessed with supportive parents who gave her and her younger sister the courage to break the norms and chase their dreams, resonated with me. Her stories of fearless ambitions and bold choices inspired me.
I realized that while pride for your individual nations stands strong, your love for people transcends geographies and boundaries. People, fundamentally, are similar everywhere. Boundaries, borders, and spaces are built by humans, and while it all might make sense to the head, the heart often fails to understand them.
Look at us on the famous flag day at #harvard – flaunting our flags and smiling away at the joy of “breaking barriers” – not just literally between India and Pakistan, but also for the countless little girls from India and Pakistan who are scared to shoot for the stars.
Credits: Sneha Biswas (Linkedin)
