Faces of WEST
Aruna Koushik
Legacy
“I believe in the humanity and that if you serve the world, it becomes an amazing place.”
- Tell us about yourself.
One of the things I love is meeting people – they fascinate me and I’m always intrigued by the variety of people we meet in our lives. My profession is that I’m a conflict resolution specialist and a mediator. I have spent over 40 years in this business. If you break down what is most important to almost all of us it is family, safety, work ethic, kids, good food, great friends – you get my drift. We all work to achieve those goals. My passion has been Indian dancing and I taught that for 40 years in Canada though a lot more years in India. My volunteerism started when I was 12 or thirteen in my convent school and it molded my career. I enjoy watching crime and law shows intermittently with Bollywood films. I love to cook, bake and feed my friends. When I reached a milestone birthday I decided to support my husband and did skydiving for Polio twice. - What does WEST mean to you?
WEST is a dream come true for all the founding members and me. A fervent belief in the capacity of women to shine like beacons of hope in the employment arena the founding group founded WEST. We were bang on!! - What motivated you to get involved with WEST, and how has it impacted your life?
The concept of WEST inspired me. I have always been a women’s advocate from my days in India and had some incredible mentors like Mother Theresa, my dance teacher, Sucheta Joshi, and a few other strong women and I was inspired to continue that pathway for others to follow. So, when we knew there was an opportunity to craft an organization to support women into becoming professional we seized the moment. - What advice do you have for women striving to achieve their dreams?
My advice to women is as follows:- Believe in your dreams
- Never give up
- Stay strong but be kind
- Gather like-minded women around you
- Be patient and flexible
- Work hard and plan every detail
- Stand up tall always
- What makes you a strong woman? What fulfills you?
I believe in humanity and that if you serve the world, it becomes an amazing place. I laugh a lot and my life was blessed by my late husband and my two incredible kids. I draw my strength from my family and my friends and that is my strength.
