Somy Ali on Guru Purnima: Every single man or woman, who has risked their lives to help others, inspires me

 On the occasion of Guru Purnima, we pay respect to our academic and spiritual teachers and mentors for helping us learn and grow. The day, July 24, is also known as Vyasa Purnima. Actor-turned-humanitarian Somy Ali shares that there are people she looks up to in her life.  “To be honest, I don’t place anyone on that pedestal, however, I am inspired and motivated by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Malala Yousafzai, Princess Diana, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson,” says the former actor, who now runs her US-based NGO, No More Tears.   Not just these eminent personalities, people in general too encourage Somy to strive for the best, for she believes that every act of kindness and help are next to godliness.

 “Every single man or woman, who has taken a stand by risking their lives to help others, inspires me as well. No one knows everything and no one is perfect, including myself. We are all far too imperfect to be uncritically admired. But, what matters is our realization, repentance and good intention,” she explains.