Sona M S

Brainstormer, Designer, Educator/Teacher, Engineer, Idea generator, Student

My name is Sona M S, a student of civil engineering and a karate teacher for over five years. Making an impact as a martial artist trainer has transformed my mindset for better, developed discipline in me and also the confidence that small steps taken consistently can lead to significant transformations. I believe in taking baby steps and do not get carried away by the emotion of making attempts to make a major difference in the society. Apart from self-defense practices, I trained my students to have the honor and never give up through perseverance. These experiences made me understand my ethics in a better way and made my determination stronger to contribute towards the development of people. I seek new challenges in each opportunity I have, be it enhancing my abilities in the field of engineering or trying to do a connection with another person in a different way. For me, success is the work which is done on daily basis to better the person and around the person.

I want to empower others and make a difference through what I love. Through being an instructor in karate, I learned the transformation of discipline, confidence, and strength in people-which gives me a drive to teach more and share more. Alongside that, my passion also extends to civil engineering, which I like the most because of the ability to create structures in service of a community and improving lives. I believe that small, intentional actions make a difference-in guiding my students, designing sustainable solutions, or just inspiring others through meaningful conversations. For me, learning and growth go hand in hand with serving others; hence, I aim to approach everything I do with optimism, high standards of ethics, and commitment to positive change in the world.

The Ripple Effect of Small Actions Big changes don't necessarily have to be created by big gestures; even tiny efforts cause ripples that influence people and create huge transformations. Right from an encouraging word to an oblivious act, these minute efforts build up and reshape the communities and change the same perspectives over a period of time. The idea worth spreading is that anybody can make a difference by focusing on small, consistent actions rooted in purpose and intention-be it teaching discipline through the karate belt, engineering solutions for a sustainable future, or simply being kind. In short, acting because small steps lead to big shifts in the world.

For years I have been listening to TED Talks, and some of them were just great and really touched me. Among them was "The Danger of a Single Story" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which brought home to me how easily we reduce people and cultures to one narrative and thus miss all the richness and complexity of their story. So it was a good reminder to be more open-minded and seek more background information. I have also been inspired by TED Talks on sustainable engineering, where one can see innovators share how we might design the world in ways that are efficient and conscious of the environment. I found myself intrigued by finding solutions that balance progress with sustainability-a concept that I am doing along with being a civil engineering student. Besides hearing these talks, I also had the opportunity to engage with the TEDx community. It was first through being a volunteer of TEDxFISAT. It turned out to be an excellent eye-opener for me. I was working both in the Program Committee and in Hospitality. It was richly fulfilling to form part of the team, collaborating with passionate people in bringing an event to life. The energy and the creativity of the team are infectious, and I learned plenty from team work, organizational skills, and the power of distributing ideas. I look forward to organizing the next TEDxFISAT with much enthusiasm, eager to contribute in larger ways and help bring forth new ideas to the stage. I was part of an inspiring community where ideas can make a difference and am committed to playing my role in telling these impacting stories to many others.

Most people don't know everything about me. For instance, I have been learning Carnatic for six years and I have been blessed with a good singing voice; but most people however do not know that I can sing. I, however, keep it dearly to me though very rare. Similarly, once people know that I am a martial artist, they tend to jump a lot, thinking it's just karate. Karate, though very essential in my martial arts journey, is not the only discipline I train in. Kung fu, kalari, aikido, and weapons techniques make up the rest of my training. All of these disciplines added a different layer to my skill and me as a well-rounded martial artist. Another thing that people don't know about me is that I'm just a partial introvert. This often makes people assume that I am arrogant or unapproachable when they first meet me. But the truth is that I am only a bit reserved for the first time. Once they get to know me, their impression changes. They often wonder why we didn't meet a bit earlier and become friends sooner. It is a reminder that there's more to a man than what pops out at the first glance, and sometimes takes time to realize each other better.