Tanya Pinto Dias was invited by the Royal Commonwealth Society to attend the Commonwealth Day service held recently at Westminster Abbey, London. NT KURIOCITY learns more from Dias who is currently pursuing a PhD in a subject relevant to the Goan educational ecosystem

NT KURIOCITY

Having grown up in Dona Paula, Tanya Pinto Dias who moved to UK for studies around six years ago was invited by the Royal Commonwealth Society to attend the prestigious Commonwealth Day service held on March 9 at Westminster Abbey, London. The event was celebrated in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, senior members of the British royal family and dignitaries from around the world.

Dias says that she was pleasantly surprised when she received an invite by the Royal Commonwealth Society. “Each year, a select handful of top dignitaries and youth achievers are selected from across the Commonwealth to attend the cultural gathering. I was truly humbled to have been featured on the guest list for the Commonwealth Day service,” she says.

Describing the experience as ‘fantastic’, Dias tell us that the event had traditional music and inspirational speeches from highly accomplished personalities, including a ceremonial procession of the royal family and flag bearers from different nations. “I felt extremely proud to be a representative of my Goan heritage at the event, amidst talented youth from around the world,” she says. “From growing up amidst the natural beauty of my hometown Goa to watching the honourable Queen enter the Westminster Abbey, I thought to myself — anyone can achieve anything they want to, irrespective of where they come from or what their circumstances are. All you need is a little faith and lots of focus and hard work.”

Dias has previously brought laurels to the state. When she was fourteen years old, she entered a national children’s competition organised by Bal Bhavan, where she participated in a year-long selection process to identify India’s top talent. Dias says: “I was absolutely thrilled when I won the National Balshree Award in Creative Writing, presented by then President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This was a turning point in my life, making me realise what my passion truly was.”

Thus, she chose to follow her creative interests in the Arts stream and completed BA in Sociology at Fergusson College, Pune, where she also trained in advanced French language at Alliance Française. “When I achieved top marks on completion of my degree, I was awarded an excellence scholarship by London School of Economics to pursue my Masters degree in the United Kingdom. In recognition of my academic calibre, I was also conferred the Goa Scholar’s award by the former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar,” she says.

Following this, she was appointed as an Associate Fellow by the Royal Commonwealth Society in appreciation of her achievement as an Indian youth. “I promised myself that wherever life took me from this point, I would always make the effort to contribute to Goa in whichever way I could,” says Dias.

Besides this, she has published three novels — two are part of a series with a Goan cop Inspector Pinto as the protagonist, while the latest one, ‘Nothing to Regret’, is about a young girl who beats depression and finds meaning in life, while she travels the world to fulfill someone’s last wish.

Alongside her writing projects, she is also pursuing a PhD at Anglia Ruskin University. And her research subject is based on the educational experiences of certain groups of students in Goa. “My PhD project is on children in childcare institutions. My mother who is a high school teacher inspired me to explore this subject, as she has worked with vulnerable children living in childcare institutions and felt their needs are not well understood,” she says.

And indeed, Dias credits her parents’ upbringing for whatever she is today. She states that her mother has always been positive about anything she wanted to pursue, encouraging her to focus on building her professional capabilities rather than complying by the social norms that restrict what a girl can achieve.

And for youngsters who nurture a dream, her advice is really simple. Firstly, she says they should have the courage to dream big. “Don’t worry about how you’ll get to your destination, simply visualise what you want to achieve and work towards your goal diligently. With confidence and positivity, you can unlock the boundless potential you have within you. Don’t let the world’s rules decide what you’re capable of,” says Dias.