In a world that often celebrates the loudest voices and the smoothest journeys, Aruna’s story stands apart quiet, complex, and layered with grit. Her life is not one of easy victories or overnight success, but of resilience forged in silence, of rising from places many wouldn’t survive. Born into a proud Gujarati Rajput lineage and raised in the vibrant yet emotionally turbulent lands of East Africa, Aruna’s early years were marked not by love and protection but by hardship.
She was a child who grew up too soon emotionally neglected, often overlooked, and forced to navigate pain alone. But somewhere between the silence of those wounds and the ache of wanting to be seen, a fire sparked within her. That fire never dimmed.
Later, when she moved to India to pursue her education, it was not just about degrees or achievements. It was her first real act of reclaiming her life. She began to build a new identity on her terms. That journey would take her to one of India’s largest public sector enterprises, Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), and into some of the most defining and difficult battles of her life
A Legacy of Impact: From the Frontlines of Change
Aruna’s career with IOCL was a canvas of leadership, innovation, and fearlessness. She didn’t just show up to work she transformed the spaces she walked into.
At the Goa Terminal, when others had written off the unit as a loss-making liability, Aruna stepped in. With strategic planning, relentless drive, and an unshakable belief in possibilities, she turned it into a ₹100 crore-per-day profit-generating powerhouse. This wasn’t just a business triumph it was a symbolic reclamation of her worth in a system that repeatedly tried to sideline her.
Her contributions went beyond profits. She championed causes long before they became corporate buzzwords from women’s empowerment, to green energy, to disaster management, and safe workplace environments through the Vishaka Guidelines. She worked not just for performance but for purpose.
But behind this trailblazing career was a harsh, unrelenting storm.
Aruna’s career with IOCL was a canvas of leadership, innovation, and fearlessness. She didn’t just show up to work she transformed the spaces she walked into.
At the Goa Terminal, when others had written off the unit as a loss-making liability, Aruna stepped in. With strategic planning, relentless drive, and an unshakable belief in possibilities, she turned it into a ₹100 crore-per-day profit-generating powerhouse. This wasn’t just a business triumph it was a symbolic reclamation of her worth in a system that repeatedly tried to sideline her.
Her contributions went beyond profits. She championed causes long before they became corporate buzzwords from women’s empowerment, to green energy, to disaster management, and safe workplace environments through the Vishaka Guidelines. She worked not just for performance but for purpose.
But behind this trailblazing career was a harsh, unrelenting storm.
The Silent Battles: Strength in Solitude
Aruna’s greatest battles weren’t always in boardrooms or on paper they were the ones no one saw.
At home, she endured emotional and physical abuse. Love was conditional, if present at all. Trust was met with betrayal. She was constantly made to feel that she wasn’t enough not beautiful enough, not submissive enough, not deserving enough of affection or care. These weren’t just passing wounds they were deep cuts that shaped the very fabric of her early adulthood.
At work, she faced sabotage from jealous colleagues, bullying masked as seniority, and systemic attempts to push her out. Projects she pioneered were taken away. Achievements were credited to others. Harassment was swept under the rug. Even when she raised her voice, it was met with silence or worse, retaliation.
But Aruna never crumbled.
She developed a fortress within herself. She became emotionally independent—learning to validate her own feelings when the world wouldn’t. She refused to let the actions of others dictate her worth. She began journaling, walking, cooking, and praying. She channeled her pain into discipline, her rage into reform.
When the system forced her into premature retirement, hoping to erase her presence, she chose reinvention. Today, Aruna works as a freelancer, continuing to lend her knowledge, values, and vision where they’re respected. She remains fiercely independent and connected to the causes she has always believed in.
Aruna’s greatest battles weren’t always in boardrooms or on paper they were the ones no one saw.
At home, she endured emotional and physical abuse. Love was conditional, if present at all. Trust was met with betrayal. She was constantly made to feel that she wasn’t enough not beautiful enough, not submissive enough, not deserving enough of affection or care. These weren’t just passing wounds they were deep cuts that shaped the very fabric of her early adulthood.
At work, she faced sabotage from jealous colleagues, bullying masked as seniority, and systemic attempts to push her out. Projects she pioneered were taken away. Achievements were credited to others. Harassment was swept under the rug. Even when she raised her voice, it was met with silence or worse, retaliation.
But Aruna never crumbled.
She developed a fortress within herself. She became emotionally independent—learning to validate her own feelings when the world wouldn’t. She refused to let the actions of others dictate her worth. She began journaling, walking, cooking, and praying. She channeled her pain into discipline, her rage into reform.
When the system forced her into premature retirement, hoping to erase her presence, she chose reinvention. Today, Aruna works as a freelancer, continuing to lend her knowledge, values, and vision where they’re respected. She remains fiercely independent and connected to the causes she has always believed in.
The Soul's Expression: Music, Movement, and Meals as Sanctuaries of Joy
For Aruna, joy has always lived in the soulful, expressive corners of life.
Her deepest passion is music. Singing is more than a hobby it’s her spiritual language. She’s rehearsed with groups in the past, and every note she sings is a reclaiming of her voice literally and metaphorically.
She also finds lightness in dance especially Salsa and belly dancing. These expressive forms let her feel unrestrained and alive. In movement, she rediscovers the girl who once danced with abandon before the world tried to tame her.
Her culinary artistry is just as meaningful. Cooking is not a chore it’s a creative meditation. From Goan fish curry to internationally inspired dishes, she pours flavor, heart, and culture into every meal. Her kitchen is her sanctuary.
Travel has always held her heart. One of her fondest memories is her college trip through Germany and Belgium, with the Black Forest etched in her mind like a peaceful poem. She dreams of seeing Egypt, Croatia, China, and Cyprus places that mirror her own mystery and strength.
The Quiet Strength of Perseverance: Turning Adversity into Inspiration
Aruna’s story is a powerful reminder that courage doesn’t always roar sometimes it whispers, “try again tomorrow.” She didn’t have an easy path, but she walked it with her head held high. She turned pain into purpose, setbacks into steps forward, and isolation into a deeper connection with herself.
Today, she continues to inspire others not just with what she’s done, but with who she is. A woman of grace, strength, laughter, music, and quiet rebellion.
She is now part of Sukoon Unlimited a warm, welcoming community where seniors from across India come together to connect, share, and support one another. Whether it's through heartfelt conversations, learning something new, or simply being seen and heard, Sukoon offers what Aruna has always stood for dignity, belonging, and purpose.
Her life teaches us this: you don’t have to shout to be powerful. You just have to live honestly, love fiercely, and rise again and again.
For Aruna, joy has always lived in the soulful, expressive corners of life.
Her deepest passion is music. Singing is more than a hobby it’s her spiritual language. She’s rehearsed with groups in the past, and every note she sings is a reclaiming of her voice literally and metaphorically.
She also finds lightness in dance especially Salsa and belly dancing. These expressive forms let her feel unrestrained and alive. In movement, she rediscovers the girl who once danced with abandon before the world tried to tame her.
Her culinary artistry is just as meaningful. Cooking is not a chore it’s a creative meditation. From Goan fish curry to internationally inspired dishes, she pours flavor, heart, and culture into every meal. Her kitchen is her sanctuary.
Travel has always held her heart. One of her fondest memories is her college trip through Germany and Belgium, with the Black Forest etched in her mind like a peaceful poem. She dreams of seeing Egypt, Croatia, China, and Cyprus places that mirror her own mystery and strength.
The Quiet Strength of Perseverance: Turning Adversity into Inspiration
Aruna’s story is a powerful reminder that courage doesn’t always roar sometimes it whispers, “try again tomorrow.” She didn’t have an easy path, but she walked it with her head held high. She turned pain into purpose, setbacks into steps forward, and isolation into a deeper connection with herself.
Today, she continues to inspire others not just with what she’s done, but with who she is. A woman of grace, strength, laughter, music, and quiet rebellion.
She is now part of Sukoon Unlimited a warm, welcoming community where seniors from across India come together to connect, share, and support one another. Whether it's through heartfelt conversations, learning something new, or simply being seen and heard, Sukoon offers what Aruna has always stood for dignity, belonging, and purpose.
Her life teaches us this: you don’t have to shout to be powerful. You just have to live honestly, love fiercely, and rise again and again.
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