Born and raised in Goa, Anjali’s journey reflects a unique blend of corporate leadership and literary exploration. Growing up in St. Cruz and later Caranzalem, she was deeply influenced by Goa’s culture of balance, simplicity, and openness, values that continue to shape her perspective today.
Professionally, Anjali serves as Vice President – Human Resources with a global investment bank, where she works closely with leaders and teams through periods of growth and transformation. Alongside her corporate career, she has emerged as a thoughtful author through her book, Awakening Within: The Unlearning Journey.
Her passion for writing grew from a long-standing curiosity about human behaviour, beliefs, and the stories people tell themselves. Years of observing individuals navigate personal and professional challenges eventually inspired her to share those insights with a wider audience.
Understanding the Human Experience
Working in human resources has given Anjali a front-row view of the human experience. Beyond job titles and achievements, she has witnessed the fears, aspirations, doubts, and ambitions that shape people’s lives.
These experiences reinforced her belief that personal growth does not happen only through books or workshops. It often unfolds through everyday moments, career setbacks, leadership challenges, difficult conversations, and unexpected life lessons. For Anjali, self-awareness is one of the most valuable skills anyone can develop, helping individuals respond to challenges with greater clarity and confidence.
The Journey of Unlearning
The inspiration for Awakening Within came from a simple observation: while people spend years gathering knowledge, they rarely question whether the beliefs they hold are still serving them.
The book explores the fears, expectations, assumptions, and inherited narratives that quietly influence decisions and behaviour. Rather than focusing solely on learning more, Anjali introduces the concept of “unlearning” as a pathway to growth.
She believes that many limiting beliefs are inherited from family, culture, society, or past experiences. While some are helpful, others become invisible barriers. By questioning and releasing outdated patterns, individuals create space to discover who they truly are beneath external expectations.
Impacting Readers
One of the key messages readers have connected with is that self-worth should not depend on external validation. Another powerful takeaway is that awareness often creates change more effectively than willpower alone.
Many readers have shared that the book helped them recognise recurring patterns in their lives and understand that meaningful growth does not always require dramatic action. Sometimes transformation begins simply by noticing what has been operating on autopilot for years.
Recognition and Achievement
Anjali’s work has earned notable recognition, including the Best Young Author Award from the Entrepreneurs Forum of India and the Best Newcomer Author Award at the New Delhi Book Fair.
For a first-time author, these honours were both encouraging and humbling. They validated her belief that authentic, thought-provoking ideas can resonate deeply with readers and reinforced her confidence to continue writing.
Living the Message
The principles Anjali writes about are practices she actively incorporates into her own life. Reflection, journaling, reading, and spending time in solitude help her maintain self-awareness and perspective.
She approaches life with curiosity and makes a conscious effort to challenge her own assumptions. This commitment to ongoing self-discovery allows her to remain aligned with the message at the heart of her work.
Balancing a demanding leadership role with writing was not without challenges. Time constraints and moments of self-doubt were inevitable, but she overcame them by focusing on authenticity rather than perfection, allowing the writing process to become both meaningful and rewarding.
Goa’s Lasting Influence
Anjali credits her Goan upbringing for teaching her the importance of balance long before it became a workplace buzzword. Growing up in Goa nurtured an appreciation for meaningful relationships, simplicity, and living in the present moment.
That influence is evident throughout her writing, which encourages reflection and mindful growth rather than constant striving. The openness and curiosity she developed during her early years continue to shape both her personal outlook and creative voice.
Looking Ahead
Outside her professional and literary pursuits, Anjali enjoys reading, travelling, exploring new cultures, and spending time in nature. Many of her ideas emerge from observing people, experiences, and everyday life.
Looking ahead, she plans to continue exploring themes of self-awareness, resilience, identity, and personal transformation. Inspired by the response to Awakening Within, she is excited about future projects that spark meaningful conversations and help readers see themselves through a new lens. She also hopes to explore fiction writing in the years to come.
Through both her corporate leadership and literary work, Anjali continues to champion a powerful idea: true growth is rarely about becoming someone else, it is about becoming more fully yourself.