I Want To Be India's Answer To Oprah Winfrey

Preeti Hoon’s journey of success is better described as riveting whirl, she has traversed through various meadows from blogging, to reporting, to breaking stories on national and international television. With a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Preeti started her career as a trainee journalist at the Times of India Sports Desk, from then there was no looking back. Post on she worked for NDTV, exchange4media, Zee business and Zee’s international channel. She has also freelanced for Doordarshan before turning to the media arena full time. She is also the creator of India’s first Candid CXO talk show DBSpotlight and is the top Indian winner of Kerala Blog Express in the International blogging contest. She now runs a lifestyle portal called www.gorgeouswanderer.com, that covers an array of subjects with a difference, presenting a soulful potpourri of life experiences, unique constructive initiatives & tireless thoughts encrusted by the belief that each one of us is a story.

Favourite quote: Ah! There are many..but I live by

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly." - Richard Bach.

There are no ends… only beginnings…

One successful habit: I have never compromised on my fitness routine even though I have been taunted and made fun of. I am deeply spiritual and work to better my own self.

Discovering One’s Path

It was super tough to have come from a background where I had to either choose to make both ends meet or be persistent with my passion. I didn’t give up even when it was never encouraging to be in an industry where you are expected to work on everything even if you don’t wish to or it’s not your expertise.

Overcoming Challenges

I was always a child full of dreams and aspirations in a world that surrenders to breathe in a cocoon. I don’t believe in classes but for a better understanding, I come from a “middle-class” family that lives by savings and avoids whites. I wanted to fly and was considered a rebel since no one in my family had ever seen media or the “glamorous” life so to say. To make parents understand my goals and get them on the same mental wavelength was the initial challenge. Thankfully, they turned out to be the most supportive folks.

The constant challenge that I faced was to choose between making good money by changing my field or to be at it and keep walking. I remember I almost quit media. I had given an interview outside media and almost moved out but my dream was my destiny – I got a call from Zee and went on to become TV anchor.

I was extremely huge and unhealthy. I weighed near about 90 kg once upon a time and had been hospitalized a lot of times since my childhood. I have been bed-ridden during initial years of my media career for Jaundice and Pancreatitis and that threatened my growth but I never let that happen. In fact, I had made a declaration of buying my first car with my own money from hospital bed itself and people thought I must be mad.

I have battled with depression as well and undergone a tough phase where I had extreme difficulties balancing the personal and professional life. I have come a long way from being an emotional fool to emotional intelligent, I’d say.

Future Plans

I don’t really believe in planning ahead. I take life as it comes but if you ask me what’s the way forward then I can tell you that I want to be India’s answer to Oprah Winfrey. And I have launched a lifestyle portal www.gorgeouswanderer.com in that direction…

Any advice/suggestion that you'd like to give to the everyday SHEROES!

YOLO! You only live once. Make the best out of it… Let nobody tell you who you are or what you should do. Be brave and unapologetic of living a life on your own terms.