Dream a Dream

Success is…

topping every exam
a big pay cheque
a fancy job title
what you dream it to be.

What If You Could Reimagine What Success Looks Like?

A space to question, reflect and explore the many possibilities of success.

Smiling children from Dream a Dream programmes
Young people pursuing different passions

Everyone's definition of success is different, contextual and personal.

Success is shaped by lived realities, access, identity, aspirations and circumstance. Fitting people into boxes can create narrow expectations, leaving little space for their diverse strengths, talents, and journeys. Dream a Dream is exploring Redefining Success as a movement that invites people to question the dominant ideas of success they inherit and live by. The intention is not to replace one definition of success with another, but to make space for more diverse, contextual and personal narratives of success to emerge.

How Are Young People Defining Success For Themselves?

Young people defining success

Success to me is about showing up, doing what I love, and being true to myself.

Bhoomika grew up in the town of Bangarapet and moved to Bengaluru in Class 6. Adjusting to a new environment was not easy, and it took her two years to catch up with her peers. Growing up, she often heard messages about what girls should and should not do, but she chose to forge her own path instead of letting those expectations define her.

Sports became an important part of her life, teaching her discipline, confidence, and freedom. Even when she is the only girl on the field, she continues to show up. Beyond sports, Bhoomika is passionate about photography and loves capturing moments that often go unnoticed by others. She dreams of travelling the world with her camera one day.

Bhoomika

If I can help one person feel safe, that is success to me.

Growing up, Mahendra's understanding of success was shaped by survival. After his father left when he was four years old, he was raised by his mother alongside his sister. His mother worked in a garment factory, supporting the family on a minimum wage income and ensuring they had what they needed to get through each month.

As a young person, Mahendra struggled to understand his sexual identity and often felt isolated, questioning where he belonged in a world that seemed to have little space for people like him. It was only in his final year of college that he began to better understand and accept himself, shifting from asking what was wrong with him to questioning what needed to change around him.

This journey led him to co-found Anveshn, an NGO dedicated to creating safe and inclusive spaces for young people. While Mahendra works full-time in IT operations, his work with Anveshn remains his deepest source of purpose. For him, success is not measured by income or status, but by the ability to create spaces where even one person can feel safe, accepted, and less alone.

Success is having the courage to take the first step, even when the path ahead feels uncertain.

Rajashekhara discovered his passion for acting while he was in school. What began as performing in a school drama soon led to opportunities to audition for television serials and films. Encouraged by those around him, he dreamt of building a future in the entertainment industry. However, despite being selected for acting opportunities, he was unable to pursue them due to family concerns about prioritising studies and choosing a more conventional path.

Rather than giving up on his dreams, Rajashekhara continued to nurture his passion while balancing part-time work and his studies. Along with his friends, he created BM Creators, a filmmaking collective that creates short films, recreates scenes from popular movies, and experiments with original content. Much of his free time is spent learning, creating, and collaborating with his team as they work towards bigger opportunities in the future.

For Rajashekhara, success is not about immediate recognition or reaching a final destination. It is about continuing to learn, embracing failure as part of the process, and having the courage to keep taking the next step towards what matters most.

Success is creating a life that feels true to me, not one that is expected of me.

After 12th standard, Prashalya discontinued her studies and began working to support her family. While she performed well in her job, she never felt that success could be defined solely by employment or financial stability. She wanted to build something of her own.

Driven by that aspiration, she founded Moonmist, a small business that creates realistic food-themed candles and handcrafted concrete products. One of the most difficult decisions she faced was leaving the security of a full-time job to focus entirely on her venture, taking a leap into uncertainty in pursuit of a dream she believed in.

Through her journey, Prashalya has often questioned the narrow expectations placed on women. For her, success lies in having the freedom to make her own choices, pursue her passions, and define her life on her own terms.

Every Story Adds A New Perspective To The Conversation. Browse Videos, Stories, And Highlights From Across The Movement To Discover How People From Different Backgrounds And Experiences Understand Success.

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Add your voice to the conversation by sharing your definition of success, or support the movement through a contribution.

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From, Priya Sharma

There is no single definition of success. I grew up thinking success was about academic excellence, but Dream A Dream showed me that emotional intelli...

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Why Your Support Matters To Us?

Dream a Dream works with state governments and partners to make thriving a possibility for every young person in India. Your contribution keeps the educators, spaces, and opportunities young people need to thrive.

Building A
World Where
Every Young Person Can
Thrive

Dream a Dream is a non-profit organisation working to transform the experience of education for 130+ million young people living in poverty in India. Our aim is to change the purpose of education towards the idea of Thriving for every child. Our work is spread across 7 Indian states, reaching over 2.3 million children through direct impact programmes, strategic partnerships with state governments and collaborations with other non-profits and funders in India.

The Redefining Success movement is rooted in Dream a Dream's vision of transforming education and creating spaces where young people can live with dignity, possibility, and agency.

Dream a Dream
Learn More About Our
Work
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Curious About How You Can Join Or Contribute To The Movement?
Feel Free To Reach Out.

Email: akshara.rao@dreamadream.org

Phone: 080 4095 1084

Address: 1st floor, 1st, Prema Gardenia, block, 357/6, 1st Cross Rd, Jayanagar 1st Block, Jaya Nagar East, Jayanagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560011