Urmila Pandita: Turning Life’s Wounds into Wisdom, Strength and Inner Peace

Urmila Pandita, a retired officer from Prasar Bharati & VG Mrs India Grand 1st Runner-up, was born and brought up in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, and has lived in the NCR Delhi region for the past 36 years following the mass exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the Valley in 1990.

Her journey is one of resilience, self-discovery and spiritual awakening. Through family challenges, societal experiences, personal disappointments and the uncertainties of displacement, Urmila gradually discovered that true healing does not always come from changing the world around us, it begins by transforming what is within.

LiveWabiSabi features her story because it beautifully reflects the essence of embracing an imperfect journey, finding meaning in difficult experiences and choosing to grow stronger from within.

Her WabiSabi Life Story

Urmila’s life has been shaped by many challenges, some from family, some from friends and relatives, and others from society. There were moments when she felt deeply hurt and disturbed, especially when she felt she was being treated unfairly. She openly acknowledges that she has never been perfect, because, as she believes, nobody in this world is.

In the beginning, she struggled to understand how to overcome the hurt. Her faith in God became an important source of strength. She would surrender the things that disturbed her to God, although there were moments when she too wondered, “Where is God?” Her search for answers eventually led her to books and spiritual teachings. She began learning from different spiritual leaders and meeting people who offered her new perspectives on living peacefully. She absorbed the wisdom that resonated with her and carried it forward in her everyday life.

Then came the Shreemad Bhagavad Gita, which became a profound turning point in her spiritual journey. Urmila found in the Gita a deeper understanding of the knowledge she had encountered through different spiritual teachers, particularly the importance of karma and the role of our actions in shaping our experiences. This understanding helped her become stronger and happier. She began to look beyond the physical self and work on herself for the sake of her soul, rather than simply focusing on the body or material aspects of life.

She realised that while the outside world may continue to be filled with anger, jealousy, hatred, ego and unhappiness, our inner response to those experiences can change. For Urmila, spirituality is about experiencing something beyond what the physical senses can perceive. She believes that true spiritual understanding requires an inner awakening—a deeper way of seeing, hearing and feeling.

One of the most important lessons she has embraced is the need to bring spirit, body and mind into balance. When these are aligned, she believes, we can experience greater peace and happiness even while performing our everyday duties. Life continues to bring different people and different experiences. The real question, according to Urmila, is not what happens to us, but how we choose to handle it, with knowledge, intelligence, behaviour, actions and inner strength.

Her WabiSabi journey is therefore not about pretending that life has always been beautiful. It is about accepting its cracks, learning from them and allowing them to become part of a deeper, wiser and more meaningful self.

Her Daily Dose of SelfLoveShots

For Urmila, self-love begins with self-inquiry.

It means asking herself:

Who am I?

Where have I come from?

Why am I here?

What do I need to do to reach my destination?

Her self-love is not centred on appearance, possessions or external validation. It is about understanding her purpose, nurturing her soul and continually working on her inner self.

She has learned to observe life as it unfolds, both the good and the difficult, while reducing unnecessary desires and choosing greater awareness.

Her version of self-love is deeply connected to spirituality, self-respect and the courage to look within.

Her Proudest Moment

Urmila does not define pride through achievements, recognition, fame or material success.

What gives her the greatest sense of fulfilment is being able to help someone who genuinely needs to feel cared for, supported and loved in this world.

For her, making a difference in another person’s life, even in a small way, is something worth celebrating.

Being Part of LiveWabiSabi Stories

For Urmila, being part of LiveWabiSabi Stories is an opportunity to share her experiences in the hope that her journey may ignite something within someone else.

She hopes her story encourages another person to sparkle in life for real, not by trying to appear perfect, but by discovering their own inner strength and truth.

Her story reminds us that sometimes the most powerful transformation happens quietly, within us, long before the world can see it.

Her Biggest Cheerleader

Urmila considers herself financially independent and takes pride in being able to support her own well-being. At the same time, she acknowledges the many people and spiritual teachers who have supported her at different stages of her life and helped her reach where she is today.

She does not describe herself as a big name, a strong personality or a famous star.

Instead, she describes herself as a happy and blissful soul—a reflection of the inner work she has undertaken over the years.

Her Message to Other Women

Urmila believes that every soul is unique.

Her message is to treat yourself with the same dignity and compassion that you extend to others.

Instead of constantly looking outside for answers, she encourages us to go within and seek the wisdom that already exists inside us, wisdom gathered through the many experiences and journeys of life. She believes that we should embrace our uniqueness, spread love and contribute to peace wherever we can.

“Every soul is unique in this world. Treat yourself the same as the other one. Go inside and seek that knowledge which is inside you from hundreds and thousands of journeys. Spread love and peace everywhere in this universe.”

Her journey beautifully captures the LiveWabiSabi belief that our imperfections do not diminish us; they can become the very places through which wisdom, compassion and strength enter our lives.

Connect with Urmila Pandita

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urmila_pandita/

Want to Be Featured? Every lived experience/journey has the power to inspire someone else. If you'd like to share your story through the LiveWabiSabi Stories series, we'd love to hear from you. Email: livewabisabilife@gmail.com

Lead with awareness.

Create with intention.

Rest when needed.

Make today something you feel, not just something you finish.

Wishing you strength, resilience, and limitless growth.

Love & Light,

LiveWabiSabi