It Was Not the Man I Saw. It Was a Force Bigger Than Him That Was Speaking.

This story was submitted to the Ashoka 30th Birthday Card by Jyoti Sharma, the founder of FORCE, and an Ashoka Fellow from India since 2009.

When I met Bill Drayton for the first time, I was disappointed – he was thin, his suit was crumpled, he seemed in a world of his own. I found it difficult to believe he was a visionary…

…And then, after some time, he got on stage to share his vision of the social entrepreneur with us, and he was a transformed man! His idealism shone through, his belief in the power of social transformation resonated through all of us. It was not the man I saw – it was a force much bigger than him that was talking on stage. It was mesmerizing.

That day, I realized the power of passion and unflinching faith. I remember and cherish what I learnt in those few minutes. 

We are social entrepreneurs because we have a dream that is bigger than all of us…simply because it centres not on us but on all of humanity. Our strength comes from our conviction – everything else is secondary. 

Ashoka gave me the strength to give my vision the wings it deserves. I am proud to be an Ashoka Fellow!  

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