Meet the SHEROES - Lakshmi Bhardwaj

Lakshmi Bhardwaj is a Biomedical engineering student with specialized interest in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at University of California, Davis. She was a TEDXUCD Student Speaker Contest Finalist. Lakshmi is the author of An Amateur’s Attempts, Ties and Verbiage of Love and Co-author of Photobook ‘Unfaded Expressions’. SHEROES catches up with this young researcher, author, photographer and speaker:

Tell us something about yourself and what you do?

I am a senior Biomedical Engineer with Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine specialization. I am very involved in the academic world, conducting research on microbial environments, machine design, and regenerative medicine. I love to present at and attend conferences. I also occasionally like to speak and was recently shortlisted as a finalist for TEDxUCDavis, an independently sponsored TED event. I worked as a Radio Jockey in 2010 at Radio Zindagi.

You do a lot more than attending college, what interests you and why?

My hobbies are largely divergent from my core academic competencies and I pursue them simply because I enjoy them and I am considering lucrative benefits out of my hobbies even though that is not my primary objective when it comes to writing. By hobby, I am a creative writer, poet and storyteller. And sometimes indulge in photography as well, although that is just an emerging hobby.

How and when did you start writing?

I started creative writing when I was 14 and began blogging when I was 16 and since then have never stopped. I enjoy most lyrical abstraction for my poetry. I experiment with free verse and enjoy fiction writing, songwriting and interpretive essay writing. I have published 4 books so far, one of them a NaNoWriMo Novel Writing Challenge Winner (Verbiage of Love), one a Blook (An Amateur's Attempts), one an independently published Anthology (Ties) and a co-authored photobook (Unfaded Expressions).

What keeps you going?

I have been featured in Indian newspapers such as MysoreMail, Deccan Herald, in magazines such as The Students Mag and in comics such as Tinkle. All this provides me motivation and apart from that like I told you these are my hobbies.

We hear you have worked for social causes as well, more on that?

Yes, I like to work for social causes, especially those that relate directly to education, girl adoption and medical issues. I was marketing chair and executive board committee member of Project RISHI (Rural India Social and Health Improvement Initiative) for 2 years. It (RISHI) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the sustainable development and growth of rural Indian communities.

Who for you is a SHERO?

According to me, a SHERO is someone who values the rights that should be given to every human being--someone who believes that the values of independence, choice and understanding belong to everybody. She should be someone who believes everyone should be given the space to grow to their full potentials and self-actualize.

Advice for SHEROES out there

My advice for girls is to be uncompromising, to prioritize and never ever stop believing that they can be whoever they want to be. To keep their hearts open for dreaming big and having strong ambitions.