“Study well, become a doctor or engineer, or prepare for a government job.” These words have served as more of a blueprint for success than advice for generations of Indian children.
Following the NEET-UG paper leak, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest brought the strain around these traditional professional paths back to light. The controversy sparked widespread anger among students and renewed conversations around the immense academic and career pressure faced by young Indians.
But beyond medicine, engineering, and government jobs, however, lies a growing universe of careers, including music, culinary arts, design, content creation, and entrepreneurship.
The journeys of guitarist Aniket Mitra and chef Sadiya Khan offer a glimpse into what it takes to step outside the conventional career paths, and why passion, while important, is only the beginning.
From classroom guitar to the music industry
At 25, Mitra is a guitarist and Artist Executive for indie musician Aditya Rikhari. Yet, becoming a professional musician was never part of his original plan.
“Honestly, I didn’t grow up thinking that I would become a professional guitarist,” Mitra told The Tribune. “Like most Indian kids, I was exposed to the usual idea that you study well, get a good degree, and then find a stable profession.”
Music began as something he enjoyed alongside academics. But performing, working with artists and gaining an understanding of the industry gradually convinced him that it could become a career rather than merely a hobby.
“I wasn’t choosing music because I thought it would be easy. I was choosing it because I felt that I would regret not giving myself a real chance at it,” he said.
The decision brought the uncertainty that often worries parents. There was no fixed salary or predictable career ladder.
“Their questions weren’t necessarily about whether I was talented enough. They were more about, ‘Will this give you a stable life? What happens if things don’t work out?’”
Mitra admits that he also questioned his decision at times, especially when he saw peers following clearly defined career paths. He soon realised that making a living from music required far more than being able to play an instrument.
“The biggest challenge was understanding that being passionate about music and making a living from music are two very different things,” he said.
Rehearsals, soundchecks, travel, equipment, arranging music and unpredictable schedules form the largely invisible part of a musician’s life.
“People mostly see the two hours you’re on stage. They don’t see everything around those two hours.”
The music industry, he points out, also offers several career options beyond performing, including session work, touring, production, songwriting, teaching, content creation, brand collaborations and artist management.
His own journey took shape during his years at Delhi University. There was no single moment when he decided to become a guitarist; rather, it happened through a series of small decisions.
His advice to young people considering an unconventional career is practical: do not choose something because it is different.
“Choose it because you genuinely care about it and are willing to put in the work.”
For parents, he suggests that young people demonstrate their commitment through a plan: understanding the industry, developing skills, gaining experience and starting to earning, even if the initial amount is small.
From potluck dinners to professional kitchens
Chef Sadiya Khan’s entry into the culinary world was almost accidental.
Growing up in Jhansi, Khan had cooked from a young age but never imagined it as a career.
“Mostly because in Jhansi only three options were available back then,” she recalled. “People used to either go for engineering or doctor or biotech or CA.”
Her introduction to culinary education came almost by accident. While studying and preparing for biotech, Khan regularly cooked for potluck dinners organised by a professor. Her food caught attention, and her professor suggested that she appear for the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT) examination for admission to hotel management institutes.
Khan eventually cleared both the NCHMCT and biotech routes—and chose culinary education at Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition, Pusa, New Delhi.
A decade later, she is working professionally in the culinary industry. But her experience has also exposed her to the difficult realities behind the glamorous image of chefs often portrayed on television.
“It has become very glamorous over time because of the shows, but it is not at all so glamorous,” she told the Tribune.
Long hours, intense pressure and working during holidays are part of the profession. While families celebrate Christmas, Diwali and New Year, restaurants are often at their busiest.
“You miss out on a lot of personal happiness,” Khan said.
Her early years were particularly demanding. As a trainee with Massive Restaurants, she recalls arriving in the kitchen at 8 am and sometimes leaving at 9 or 10 pm. The training lasted around one-and-a-half years.
“It was really difficult, but again, like it is either you do it for your passion, or you leave it,” she said.
The experience took a toll on her mental and physical well-being, making a strong support system essential.
Yet some moments made the sacrifices worthwhile. One was her work at Masala Library, which allowed her to be part of a culinary event in Spain. Another, more personal milestone, came when she was able to bring her mother’s cooking into her professional work.
“I have got a lot of chances to put, you know what she used to make, her legacy out on my menus,” she said.
At Pincode by Kunal Kapoor, where she currently works, one of her mother’s recipes is featured as Chef Sadiya’s mother’s kitchen, something she describes as a particularly meaningful moment.
But, passion is not enough
Despite coming from completely different fields, Mitra and Khan share a common message: unconventional careers are not shortcuts. They require discipline, resilience and continuous learning.
For Khan, “passion, consistency, perseverance” are essential. She believes young professionals must keep showing up, remain open to learning and build strong relationships with colleagues.
“Always be in the learning and development phase,” she said.
Mitra similarly believes that young people need to approach their ambitions responsibly rather than simply telling their parents they want to “follow their passion”.
The internet has also made unconventional careers more visible, Mitra says, allowing young people to see others build successful lives as musicians, filmmakers, designers, creators and entrepreneurs. Yet the belief that a career must have a clearly defined path to be considered safe remains strong.
For Khan, greater awareness could have changed her own journey. She wishes she had been introduced to the range of career options while still in school.
“I really wish I had that kind of awareness back in school, from anybody in my family or from my schooling time,” she added.
Perhaps that is where the idea of success is changing. It is no longer necessarily about choosing the safest profession available, but about understanding the options and making an informed choice.
There is still uncertainty, financial risk and social pressure in choosing an unconventional career. But for Mitra and Khan, the reward is the chance to build a life around work that means something to them.
“You don’t always need to have your entire life figured out at 20 or 21,” Mitra said. “Sometimes you just need to take the next step seriously, and the path becomes clearer as you walk it.”
Discover more from PressNewsAgency
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.