Discovering Yourself: Monisha Vaish Shares Her Journey of Art, Dance, and Self-Love

“I have enjoyed myself on every stage. Over the past few years, my artistic soul has been nourished and has blossomed.” Today’s woman dreamer, Monisha Vaish, shares her exciting journey of self-discovery through the arts. From various acting opportunities at SETU and Hindi Manch, Bollywood and Belly Dancing, and the visual arts, Monisha shares how she fuels her passion for creativity and embraces the true essence of single life. She writes, “At this point, I feel that life is like a blank canvas as I enter this new phase of life; it is up to me to throw color on it and paint the picture I want.” Enjoy her story below!

1) Tell us about your upbringing & background that has made you who you are today.  

I was born in Jaipur and raised in New Delhi, India. I went to an all-girls convent school and was a very shy kid growing up. Although my family was a traditional Hindu family, my parents— especially my dad— believed that a woman, just like a man, must be independent and self-sufficient in every way.

He always encouraged me to have a professional career and provided me with an equal education to my brother. I went to Bangalore to study engineering and focused on Computer Science. After my marriage, he pushed me to pursue additional education and I ended up doing a Master’s in Computer Science from UMass-Boston.

While a full-time student at UMass, I also took on a full-time job as a Java developer to provide health insurance for my family for a year. It was one of the toughest times of my life.  In my childhood, I had seen my dad work hard to grow his technology business. Unknowingly, he had instilled in me the perseverance needed to cope with such a life situation. In the end, all went well and I embarked on a successful new career like my dad had always hoped for and wanted for me.

On the other hand, my mother was a housewife by choice and had many talents. She had learnt kathak through rigorous training. She was known for her exceptional knitting, sewing and embroidery skills. She continues to be an excellent gardener. While I may not have all her talents, I did inherit her love for the arts.

2) You are a multifaceted woman with a passion for art, dancing and acting.  Tell us about your artistic journey and how it came about?

Since I can remember, I have been drawn to the arts, whether theater/acting, dancing, or painting. However, like most Indian children of my generation, I was told to focus on my education and not to distract myself with the arts. As a result, I never received formal training in dancing or singing. In high school, I learned commercial arts as an extracurricular activity. Yet again, when it came time to choose a college, I was sent to an engineering school; in my heart, I had wished to pursue fine arts and become a painter like M.F. Husain. 

I finished my degree, got married, completed my Masters, started working, had children, and nearly forgot about my love for the arts.

But as fate would have it, when my kids were young, I had to take time off from work and began teaching Bollywood dance to children in the neighborhood. I would juggle teaching dance to 4-5 different groups with serving as cultural coordinator of the annual Diwali celebrations in Sharon. I did that for 10 years; even though I stopped both activities after returning to a full-time job, the bug for the arts had bitten me once again. 

Instead of coordinating performances and teaching an art, I began performing myself. Exposed to the world of theater for the first time through involvement in SETU, I discovered the hidden actor inside me and was fortunate to get some good roles. In 2016, I had the privilege of playing Sita in SETU’s Ramayan and wrote a powerful monologue, Sita’s Agnipariksha, which was a defining moment for the character. As per our director Subrata Das’ progressive vision, it was written through the perspective of a modern woman. Writing this scene and playing the part of Sita were experiences I will cherish forever. Along with some serious dramatic roles with SETU, I got a few great opportunities with Hindi Manch to do comedy. I soon found that making people laugh and honing one’s comedic timing are more difficult than they seem. Luckily for me, wonderful direction by Preetesh Shrivastava and hilarious scripts like Mirchi Cola made the job easier. 

In 2020, COVID struck and our lives ground to a screeching halt. Nothing was normal; we were constantly working from home and unable to practice, perform or socialize in person. However, the pandemic’s limitations also afforded me a much-needed break from a busy life. 

I used this time to broaden my horizons. Through online classes, I began painting again and even learn Indian classical dance (Kathak) for the first time. I even created a Facebook page called Mo’s ART to showcase my art and my passions. It had been my dream to have a personal virtual art gallery and this dream came to fruition. 

Already feeling encouraged, this year provided me another avenue to succeed. I submitted my painting ‘Rising Women’ for IAGB’s digital magazine cover competition. To my delight and honor, my painting was selected for the front cover.

This is my artistic journey in a nutshell. I have enjoyed myself on every stage. Over the past few years, my artistic soul has been nourished and has blossomed.

3) What advice would you give someone who is looking to find the time to follow their passions?  

Chasing one’s passions and hobbies enriches our lives, makes us feel accomplished and can even turn into rewarding careers. I am happy to see many women in our community these days following their passions. To anyone who is apprehensive about taking that leap, I would say that it may never seem like the right time. We are all busy juggling demanding careers, family life or both. So make it a priority and find time for yourself. Also start small. Setting very high expectations can overwhelm and discourage us before we even begin. Most importantly, never take anyone’s uninformed advice to heart, and surround yourself with people who encourage you and help you succeed. And finally, enjoy the ride!

4) Any life event/events that has shaped you and what you do?

After getting a divorce, I knew my single life would not be a walk in the park. Single people still face the stigma of not being truly “complete” without a significant other. After going through some necessary self-reflection, I understood the true essence of being single. Besides taking full control of my life, I now appreciate the importance of being happy from within whether I am in a relationship or not.  

Close friends and family know that I am a more of a doer than a talker. If I believe in something, I like to pursue it with passion and sincerity. Expressing myself through arts has been healing and meeting new people in the process has helped fill the absence of a special person in my life. Single life has taught me to be independent and focused; it has allowed me to think practically and understand that I may not always have the luxury to solely pursue my artistic passions without worrying about my full-time job. Therefore, I like to keep a balance; this means making tough decisions at times, to forgo opportunities which might conflict with my job.  

Nonetheless, whether performing on stage in front of a large audience or creating an art piece in the silence of my home, art is a stress reliever and therapeutic outlet which rejuvenates me. I do not know what the future holds for me, but I am sure art will be part of my life in some shape or form.

5) As a dreamcatchers platform, please share with us what your next big dream is?

As of this fall, I will be an empty nester and can devote more of my time to activities that I enjoy without feeling guilty about neglecting my children and hopefully find a companion who can enjoy it with me. 

Additionally, I have a few ideas for taking Mo’s ART gallery to the next level. I have plans to get professional training and, potentially, direct a movie someday. I would also like to devote time to create paintings for charities. 

At this point, I feel that life is like a blank canvas as I enter this new phase of life; it is up to me to throw color on it and paint the picture I want. 

Thank You Monisha for sharing your story with us! We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!

Bio: 

Education:

Bachelors in Computer Science from Bangalore Institute of Technology

Masters in Computer Science from UMass Boston.

After working as a software engineer for 5 years, took a break to be a stay-at-home mom. During that time, I started teaching Bollywood dance to children and adults in the area.

After 10 years, I returned to the corporate world as a Business Analyst in the financial domain. I worked as a contractor for companies like Ameriprise Financials, Bank of America, Omgeo and currently at Fidelity Investments as a permanent employee for past 6 years.

Arts & Hobbies

Stage Ensemble Theater Unit (SETU) – Once Upon A Time Not in Bollywood, Ramayan, The Fire and The Rain, Devdas, Monishyapa, Yerma & WEAVE monologues, Anything For Love (currently)

Hindi Manch Natya Vibhaag/ Preetesh Entertainment- Chitrahaar, Lailaaz Ilaaz, Fully Filmy Funny, Mirchi Cola, Pati Patni

I attribute a lot of what I know about acting to the many performances and relationships I have gained over the years with both groups.

Online Kathak & Belly dance classes are keeping my passion for dancing alive.

In 2020, I started painting again and created a Facebook page called Mo’s ART, which is my personal art gallery to showcase all my artistic passions. 

Award & Recognition

IAGB Republic day 2018, Theater competition, second prize for two-person skit

IAGB Republic day 2020, won the digital magazine cover competition