Page 63 - DAIS - DAISPORA ISSUE 05

Tell us a bit more about your venture… DAIScover Journeys

Our pizzas form the savour side—we use fermentation that makes the dough
much lighter and easier to digest; our pastries are curated with lower amounts of Discover Alumni Secrets to Success
sugar and fat. When you eat at Bene, you shouldn’t feel bloated or guilty or
overstuffed.

It’s been a few months since it’s opened and we’ve had amazing DAIScover, our exclusive monthly mentorship series is designed to offer
response—people are recognising the quality of the ingredients, the simplicity, enriching experiences and knowledge to students.
the fact that we’re working on making a product that feels good.

How did being at DAIS shape you and your career? The warm smell of coffee and
Being at DAIS was a game-changer for my personality. I was really motivated by freshly baked pastries filled the air
people around me—everyone seemed multi-talented and well-rounded, whether as I sat down across from Sana
it was at sport or studies. I think it came from being individually motivated but Kabra at her restaurant, Bene in
Bandra. It was my first-ever official
also being in an environment where you’re pushed to do your best. It made you interview, and I couldn’t have
realise that you could actually be really good at something. asked for a more inspiring
In my very first week at my first internship after DAIS, I volunteered to do a conversation. Sana spoke about
presentation for more than 100 people. That confidence and that rigour in her journey from studying
research definitely came through DAIS, and it brought me into the eyes of the commerce to pursuing a culinary
management very early on. school education, and how,
surprisingly, the two worlds share
DAIS helped me set the bar really high for myself and set expectations of myself. more in common than one might
After DAIS, I had the drive in me to strive to be the best in whatever I was doing, think. She opened up about the challenges she faced in the kitchen, the discipline it demanded,
because I’d seen people do it around me. I’d seen people do so damn well, that I and how those very lessons shaped her path to opening her restaurant.
believed I could do it too. It became part of my personality to become an
‘achiever’ Our conversation also drifted back to her school days, from exchange programs to MUN
debates to the many extracurriculars that helped her discover who she was. Between stories, I
couldn’t resist trying the Tiramisu and Mango tarts, and I can say without exaggeration that

Pankti Mehta they were the best desserts I’ve ever tasted.
Class of 2006 What made the experience even more memorable was the process itself. Interviewing

someone, I quickly learned, is far from easy. It meant coordinating schedules with alumni
scattered across countries, drafting thoughtful questions, and rehearsing over and over until
the cameras, lights, and microphones behaved. At one point, just when I thought we had nailed
DAIS taught me to be an the perfect take, a gust of wind sent a leaf smacking across my face. Moments like these taught
me that confidence in front of a camera, or even just across the table, comes with patience and
achiever—not by competition, practice.

but by example. Looking back, I’m grateful this was my first interview. Sana’s honesty and humour made it
unforgettable, and the experience showed me just how much work goes into telling someone
else’s story. More than anything, it made me proud to see how DAIS alumni like Sana are not
only excelling in their fields but also carving unique paths and leaving their mark on the world.

Sudarshan Manikantan
Current Student DAIS,
ICSE, Class 10