Inspirational TedX speaker, Raj Adgopul is also a RGN (with speciality in operation theatre technique).  He has BSc Specialist in Public Health Nursing (early years child development), PG Dip Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Nursing, Train the Trainer’ Coach; Nurse First Innovation and Leadership Programme.

Background

Raj was born in a village of Central India and raised in extremely adverse conditions. His father killed himself by alcohol intoxication when he was 2yrs old. His mother killed herself with an insulin overdose in 2018. He was raised by his mother and a stepfather and suffered physical, emotional, sexual abuse and was neglected most of his childhood and teenage years. Due to years of neglect and abuse that he suffered growing up, he developed mental health issues. He was formally diagnosed by a psychiatrist with traits of Emotionally Unstable Personality, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Despite the many setbacks Raj managed to get out of his village, completed his nursing training and lived in Mumbai for 4yrs. For those 4yrs he lived in a room with 23 other people with his personal space of just 6feet by 3feet. The years in Mumbai set him up for life and helped him achieve a mindset of unshakeable resilience.

Raj arrived in England in 2002 with £5 in pocket but went onto complete a degree and postgraduate in early years child psychology and start a family.  He is also the former Head of Operations at uTalk Challenge where he was responsible for managing all operations in India of the uTalk Challenge India language learning competition. More recently, through his desire to share his learnings, he has taken to the O2 stage in London where he gave his Tedx Talk in front of 1000+ audience.

Testimonials include:

“Raj is a very engaging speaker that inspired some very positive feedback from our students. His life story is very different from the majority (probably all) of young people in Dorset and he brings a huge amount of positive energy to the stage. He is very easy to work with and is able to adapt to the audience as he reads them” Baron Miles, Director of Social Enterprise, Budmouth College

“The topics covered by Raj are superbly balanced between gentle humour and the ability to provoke deeper thought amongst your audience.  A rare gift. The members of Bristol Common Wealth Society are still enthusing about Raj’s talk and how delighted they were to welcome Raj back “by popular demand!” Gina Smith, Programme Co-ordinator and Branch Manager, Bristol Common Wealth Society

Presentation themes include:

1. Slum Survival Mindset: If you survive long enough in the slums of Mumbai to tell your story you learn how to milk a bull! Interested? Find out what kind of mindset you need to develop in order to survive, like a cockroach, in the slums of Bombay, you learn to thrive on your misfortunes, that’s the secret.
2. Re-imagine the Impossible Everyday: Life is cheap in Mumbai, a million people live in a square mile, average life expectancy is about 65yrs and over 4,000 people die every year falling off local trains. The main aim when you leave home in the morning is to come back alive in the evening. Bombay, a land of opportunities, but so hopeless that the only thing that keeps you going is hope. Find out how to keep going no matters what life throws at you.
3. Village Life: England and India Compared: Taking a humorous look at the differences and challenges of village life in two hugely different countries. Learn how to greet your neighbours, what to do about other people’s children, and what to expect at village celebrations!
4. An Immigrant’s Experience of England: What is it like to arrive in a new country for the first time? When you don’t know why your bathroom doesn’t have a bucket in it, what a lunch box is, or why dogs seem to have all the fun…
5. Appreciation Redefined: Raj redefines appreciation in his funny and endearing talk which contrasts life in the hustle and bustle of Mumbai compared to rural Dorset. Sharing a collection of his personal stories and experiences – from losing friends on Mumbai’s railways, to becoming a nurse, to adapting to the very different ways of communicating with colleagues and patients in the UK.

Raj is happy to personalise his presentations and embrace individual event themes.

Inspirational speaker Raj Adgopul more feedback

Feedback from delegates at Bristol Common Wealth Society event – `Manners Maketh Man’:

“Wonderfully entertaining, thanks for pointing out our different ways of doing things!”
“Learning is a pleasure and so is listening to Raj”
“Very entertaining but insightful commentary on the differences between British and Indian cultures.”
“Do come back again, the best speaker we had in a long time.”
“Really enjoyable – a comparison of cultures us always so interesting.”
“Thank you very much, very interesting, enlightening and entertaining.”
“Good anthropological observations.”

Make an Enquiry