Sandeep Pandit - I Was Just 8 When I Had to Leave My Home in Kashmir Due to Terrorism (Founder - Tell A Story)

 

“Mindset is your inner voice when no one else is clapping. It’s what tells you—‘Try again. Hold on. You’re built for this."

Q. Can you take us through your journey of personal and professional growth? What were some pivotal moments that shaped the person you are today?

I was just 8 when I had to leave my home in Kashmir due to terrorism. It wasn’t a choice, we were forced to. What followed were years of uncertainty - small rooms, borrowed spaces, being called refugees in our country.

But more than what we lost, I remember what we held on to:
Hope. And the belief that education could be our way out.

A big moment for me was getting selected into the Tata Group after my MBA (campus recruitment).That changed something inside me - for the first time, I felt like I had arrived somewhere. I had made something of myself.

Years later, I decided to start my own ventures - KraftJar and Tell A Story - not just to chase freedom, but to create meaning on my own terms. Looking back, everything I’ve done was born from pain, but shaped by purpose.

Q. What are some effective strategies for overcoming procrastination and staying focused?

I’ve realised that we don’t always lack time - we often lack clarity. When you don’t know why something matters, it’s easy to delay it. What helps me is starting small.

Even on days I don’t feel like showing up, I tell myself: just give 10 minutes.
And most of the time, once I start, the momentum carries me.

Also, we have remove the pressure to be perfect. Action is more important than perfection.

Lastly, I go back to the "Don’t You Quit" poem I read as a child. It still reminds me why I started.

Q. How does storytelling enhance the way we connect with life lessons and moral values?

Stories make things real. We don’t remember facts. We remember how someone’s story made us feel.

When you hear that someone else struggled, broke down, stood up again - it hits differently. You don’t just learn a lesson. You feel seen.

That’s why I share stories from my life - not to teach, but to connect.
And through that connection, the learning becomes personal.

Q. How do you maintain strong moral values in today’s fast-paced world?

You don’t need to shout your values from a rooftop. You just have to live them - especially when no one’s watching.

For me, values come from where I’ve come from - a family that lost everything, yet never lost dignity. It’s easy to chase shortcuts or noise today. 

But I’ve learned that staying grounded, being kind, and doing the right thing - even when it’s hard - is what keeps your heart clean.

At the end of the day, peace matters more than popularity.

Q. One piece of practical wisdom you wish you knew earlier?

I wish someone had told me this - It’s okay to go slow. Just don’t stop.

In a world that’s always rushing, I thought I was behind. But I’ve learned that slow progress is still progress.

Consistency beats speed. Every small step adds up. And even the longest journeys begin quietly.

Q. Can you share a short story that deeply influenced your transformation?

There are plenty of stories and incidents that helped me at various junctures of my life. However, here is a one, that might help.

For a long time during school, I (including my other Kashmiri Pandit friends) was bullied badly. I was called names because I was a Kashmiri Pandit. Some even said I would never become anything.

It broke me.

But one teacher took me aside and said, “Remember the struggle and pain you and your parents have gone through. Use that pain. Don’t quit. And you will find a way out of this.”

That emotion stayed with me.
It gave me the push to keep going - through pain, through rejection, through uncertainty. Sometimes, one kind sentence can change the direction of someone’s life. That was mine.

Q. How does mindset differ from raw talent when it comes to success?

Talent can open doors. But mindset keeps you in the room.

I’ve seen brilliant people give up when things got hard. And I’ve seen average people go far because they refused to stop.

Mindset is your inner voice when no one else is clapping.
It’s what tells you - "Try again. Hold on. You’re built for this."

In the long run, mindset isn’t just important - it is the difference.

Bio

Sandeep Pandit is a storyteller, entrepreneur, and speaker who grew up as a displaced child from Kashmir - and turned his journey of struggle into a platform for personal growth, identity, and voice.

He is the Co-Founder of KraftJar, an experiential marketing agency, and Founder of Tell A Story, where he helps CXOs, Founders, and Creators build powerful personal brands rooted in authenticity.

Over 200,000+ people follow his work across platforms for his real, relatable life lessons and quiet courage.

But at heart, Sandeep is still that ordinary boy from Kashmir, who dared to dream - and is still living it.

Follow Sandeep on Instagram and LinkedIn

Interviewed By Irene Elina Eldhose