Kamlesh C Darji was born on a steamer ship (SS Sirdhana) somewhere in an expanse between Mumbai and Karachi. His father was an Accountant for the Madhvani Group in Mwanza, Africa. In the 1970's, they moved to Hull as his father wanted to pursue further studies. After this, they moved to London where Kamlesh graduated in Economics and took a different trajectory choosing to volunteer for his community at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in London. He also owned a consulting business and also worked for a Home-office driven community initiative.
He volunteered for many groups while there and it is something Kamlesh truly enjoy doing. In 2004, He went to the US on vacation and ended up getting married. He had since been in Tampa, Florida initially working for the family business as well as owning his own businesses. Over a decade ago, he started a podcast and system on self-mastery called Winning Karma, which is branching out into different areas including a soon to launch mastermind group.
Questions:
Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?
The place I feel most comfortable with is the one I live in. I felt comfortable when I lived in England but have now found a home in the United States. I also love the wonder and spiritual enchantment of India when I visit. I am fairly simple so try to fit around the environment rather than the other way around.
What are your proudest achievements?
My belief in God as the one who empowers me. I managed to write my first short book as well. My proudest achievements aren’t the ones in monetary terms. I am proud of my family; I am passionate about volunteering, giving back, coaching, and mentoring others. I have been fortunate to have held leadership roles in a number of organizations here in Florida.
What inspires you?
What inspires me are people who boldly stare in the face of adversity and overcome challenges whether they are mental or physical. To me, the triumph of the spirit spurs me to continue showing up in life no matter whatever happens.
What has been biggest obstacle in your career?
Me! Juggling through full time responsibilities and my passions can be hard. We have a finite amount of time and sometimes I have deviated into areas where time was wasted, but lessons learned.
Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
I believe we are the cumulative sum of many influences. My parents who worked hard have been influential, but the biggest influence for me -and they won’t mind me saying this- has been His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj who was a constant in my life, accepted me with my rough edges and not only gave me spiritual guidance, but taught me to abide by principles and values no matter what I do in life whether it was in business, family or in the community. Today, that role is played by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj.
What is the best aspect about your current role?
Working with people, seeing seismic shifts in their lives and seeing breakthroughs is heartening to see.
And the worst?
To be honest, I know this may sound idealist, but nothing really. You take each day as it comes, and you make the most of it. Reframing and perspective are powerful things to have in your arsenal.
What are your long-term goals?
To continue develop myself and become a better person by working on my emotional intelligence. I also want to create ventures which will impact others in a positive way.
If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
A very difficult question to answer to be honest. Leadership at that level thrusts an enormous responsibility upon one's shoulders. Hypothetically, I would always strive for unity based on the status quo at the time when I was leading.
If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
Viktor Frankl, because of his experience in surviving the most trying of circumstances having lost so much. Someone like that would be great to have around the fire especially during such times when you need to see a smidgeon of hope.
