I was born in a middle class business family. My parents Shri Dwarka Prasad Jalan and Smt. Sharda Devi lives in #Laxmangarh (#Sikar, #Rajasthan). I was the youngest among their four daughters. We sisters were blessed by the Goddess of wisdom,Maa Sharda. Hence, we all turned out to be bright and intelligent. Right from my kindergarten days, I always stood first in my class that too scored very good numbers . As we are Marwari,numbers always play an important role in our life. I cleared my 10 th board exams in 1995,but missed the merit by just three marks. Though I got dejected,however this did not hamper my spirits and I started studying with more focus and dedication and was set for a great journey ahead. My efforts eventually bore fruits and two years later in 1997, in my 12 th boards, I ranked first in the entire state of Rajasthan. For this, I was awarded a gold medal by the Chief Minister of Jaipur, Shri Bharosingh Shekhawat Ji. This was the most glorious time and every scholar aspire to have one.
This event had a major impact and was a stepping stone in my life and gave me lot of confidence and made me quite popular. Several newspapers and magazines,across the city and state interviewed me. All of them had a common curiosity about my future plans. They wanted to know my aim in life. Frankly, I had not given any thought to it until then. I had no plans, yet I replied to all of them that I wish to be a Chartered Accountant one day, as it was the most prestigious degree which every commerce student wants to have (without even exactly knowing how to become one). My teachers feared that like my three elder sisters who inspite being brilliant were not allowed to pursue higher education as we had a tradition of early marriage and my father followed it . They kept asking my father as to what was his plan for my future studies and where would he send me for it, as our small town lacked the facilities for good higher education. My father was ardent that his daughter should study as much as she can, so that they she can progress in life. But he did not possess enough knowledge to guide me for my career.
Here, my maternal uncle came to my rescue. He is a CA and lived in Hyderabad. He requested my father to send me to his place, where he would guide me to become a CA. But my father was adamant. He had decided long ago that he would never let his daughters to go and live with relatives or in hostels. Rather, he insisted that whatever education was required had to be completed by us from Laxmangarh itself. Even in my case, he did not bend his rules. He insisted that, if wanted to pursue Chartered Accountancy, I will have to do it, right in Laxmangarh. He would not allow me to migrate anywhere else. At that moment, even I was anxious as to how will I be able to pursue my higher studies in Laxmangarh. There was hardly any coaching class which imparted training for CA exam (Here, I would like to mention that without coaching it is almost impossible to clear the CA exams. In cities atleast we have some friends/relatives who are doing classes and can help us, but in mine case, there was none except me myself.)
Having all these thoughts in mind, I decided to at least start my B.Com and graduated within three years (1997-2000). In the span of these three years, I mentally prepared myself to go ahead and train myself to be a CA from Laxmangarh itself. I was determined that, come what may, but I will become a CA. I prepared myself for self-study and dedicated my efforts to achieve my goal. Many wondered, how would I achieve such an impossible feat without any support or guidance from coaching classes because no one had ever even dreamt of it.
In 2000, I applied for the CA intermediate exam. This required me to do articleship under a CA but there wasn’t a single CA firm in Laxmangarh. After much thought and many sleepless nights, I met Shri Prahlad ji Jhuria, a well-known CA, in the nearby town of Sikar. He, impressed by my academic record and dedication, immediately granted me an articleship. This was my first job and also family’s first girl doing a job. I was overjoyed, but for this I had to travel daily, 60 kms, to and fro from Laxmangarh to Sikar. This was not all, there was another challenge as I had received education, upto my graduation in my mother tongue, Hindi but I desired to do my CA in English medium. However, I was unaware of the tribulations of this decision. The voluminous study materials, the thick books of Intermediate exam and on top of that, a change in the medium of education, frustrated me beyond measure. Often, I was unable to understand anything from those books. But then, I kept going and read the books again and again till the concept was clear to me.
In Nov 2001, I successfully passed in the Intermediate Exam’s both group in my very first attempt. My morale boosted drastically and I was motivated to prepare for the finals. My zealous efforts aided me to pass the CA Finals,again, in the very first attempt i.e. in May 2003. This was like a dream come true for me.
Here I would like to mention that we had to appear for the CA exams from the city of Jaipur as that was the nearest exam centre at that time. My parents would accompany me and we were compelled to take lodgings for nearly 10-12 days in hotels while I appeared for the exams. Also, the city bred students would look down upon us, as we belonged to small
towns or villages. Yet, I was able to prove that if a person is passionate and determined enough, then sky is the limit for him/her. I went on to prove that even without classes or support in academics, one’s progress cannot be hampered.
As soon as I became a CA, a new journey began, both in my personal and professional lives. I was married in November 2003 to CA Vimal Agrawal, who belongs to Jhunjhunu and did his CA from Mumbai. In 2004, I landed in the financial capital of India to prove myself professionally and personally in a new home and had lot of dreams for my future as I was in dream city.
We set up our own office and began practicing as Chartered Accountants. We both quickly learnt how to win over, engage clients and establish our practice. We unanimously worked
to achieve our common goal of being the best in our field. Our tireless efforts came to fruition.
I am a firm believer that learning is a continuous process so one can enhance his/her knowledge. In 2011, with the motivation of my life and business partner, I cleared Information System Audit course and was awarded with the degree of DISA. In 2014, I followed it with a certification course in Concurrent Audit of Banks. By 2017, I passed the Insolvency Professional Exam of IBBI. This skill set now enables me to handle new avenues of Insolvency Practice as well as my CA practice, unhindered.
Taking advantage of this lockdown in 2020, I studied for and cleared the Independent Director exam for Listed Companies. As a result, I have been appointed as an Independent Director of Hindustan Composites Limited.
My husband is my source of inspiration and he always believes in working for the profession. He was appointed as the chairman of the Vasai Branch of WIRC in 2016. In 2018 he contested in the election for WIRC and with God’s grace he won and he is now serving the profession through his presence in the Western Indian Regional Council (#WIRC).
Today, our firm, VP Agarwal and Co. is well established and sought-after in the city of Mumbai. Inspired by this, we have now opened a branch in Surat, as well.
I firmly believe that, a person can achieve, whatever they passionately desires and pursues it with wholehearted commitment and perseverance. If we are strong willed, we will surely achieve our goals sooner or later.
I learnt from my life –
अटल रहा जो अपने पथ पर।
लाख मुसीबत आने पर।।
मिली सफलता उसी को जग में।
जीने और मर जाने पर ।।