By Prof. (Dr.) Deependra Kumar Jha, Vice Chancellor, Manav Rachna University
On their way to becoming adults – realizing their true potential – young students undertake a daunting journey. The road ahead isn’t marked well – there’s no streetlamps, no signals, no respite. The road is often either lonely or ruthless. Each step is a measured risk. Each challenge rewrites the goal. Each reward defines the purpose.
This journey never ends.
I remember standing at the starting line. I don’t remember a map, or a compass, or a guide.
I imagine I would have felt at ease if I’d had either one. A quiet reassurance – no matter what, I’ll make it.
That’s your mentor. Your compass, your map, your guide. Someone to build you up – to remind you that you’ll be lost before you find your own way. Someone who wishes to see you succeed in ways they couldn’t.
Mentorship is not just about academic resilience – or even career milestones. Really, mentorship transcends these momentary triumphs; it’s about building a well-rounded leader capable of taking on the journey (of life).
- Instilling Confidence – Someone Who’s Always in Your Corner
When it comes to taking the journey, we’re daunted by what could be. The loneliness of The Great Journey – a vast road untraveled, unmarked, undone. There’s often the uncertainty of whether we’re going the right way.
How do you decide?
You don’t. You put your step forward anyway.
A mentor’s primary role is to stand in your corner. You make your own way, of course, and no one can walk the road instead – but you have a constant in this effort. To talk through your doubts, your fears, your life. To mitigate the pressures – academia or industry.
It allows you to face your problems head-on. You’re no longer looking to bypass it.
It gives you the courage to take the leap. To step outside of your comfort zone, knowing there’s someone who’s always in your corner.
- Learning from Life
As people, we learn the best from other people – from their success, their failures, their journey.
Often, the role of a mentor is to offer mentees perspective. To borrow lessons from their own life. This perspective is holistic – invaluable and human. It’s a simulation of all the ‘what ifs’ with a seasoned answer.
In terms of knowledge, they offer a nexus; all that has come before you, and what is to come. It allows you to put yourself in context – to find your footing. It allows you to learn, to be curious, to innovate.
With the right mentor, these insights are tailor-made. You’re learning from life.
- Best of You
You don’t know what you’re capable of. Chances are, if you do, you’ve grossly underestimated yourself. We often undersell ourselves – to avoid failures, to confront disappointment. But a mentor learns your traits – and they recognize the best parts. They see, in you, their greatest achievement yet.
None of us are built equal – and the right mentor will use this to highlight your value.
They’ll bring out the best of you.
- The Ripple
True success is measured by the lives you touch. The lives you impact. It’s the difference you make.
Mentors aren’t simply a guide – they nurture a compassionate leader. They reiterate kindness – they underline empathy. They create a ripple through their communities. They offer a deep understanding and a meaningful connection.
This sense of belonging will carry you – and you will carry it. It’ll create a network of support for future students/professionals. It’ll allow us to grow and lift.
Your mentor is a mirror of what you will be. The ripple.
- A Friend, an Alumni, an Mentor
A mentor’s role is undeniable. But a mentor doesn’t wear one face – doesn’t play one character. A mentor is a reflection of the student’s profile – how they learn best, how they understand the world, how they communicate.
A student’s personality decides what mentorship they need – whether a friend to hold their hand, an alumni to reassure them, or an industry veteran with wise quips. Truly, you need someone who’s been in your shoes – someone who’s already where you dream of being.
