Om Sonchhatra left his homeland of India, and came to Canada, dreaming of education and a fresh start. Om grew up in Bangalore, a vibrant city known as the “Silicon Valley of India.” His passion for business was inherited from his father and sparked at a young age. Om’s father taught him the intricacies of the family business, preparing him to branch out on his own and explore digital marketing. In 2019, at 23 years of age, Om’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to open his own luxury home décor and lifestyle company. The start-up quickly made a name for itself, and Om was thrilled with the success.
I admire the fighters’ mindset… and the resilience they develop, which can be applied to overcoming life’s challenges.
THE TIPPING POINT
COVID-19 changed everything. As a result of the pandemic, luxury furniture products in India suffered a significant drop in demand. Rising costs and a shrinking market forced Om to make the difficult decision to close his business. “I had to shut down because of overwhelming overhead. Demand for our timber products saw a decline, and no one was buying luxury leather items,” he recalls. For Om, this was not a failure, but a valuable learning experience. Encouraged by big dreams, as well as family and friends, he decided to move to Canada and start over.
BIG DREAMS
In addition to his love of business, Om has an even greater love for martial arts. For him, martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is not just a passion, it’s a lifestyle. “My ultimate career aspiration is to join the management team of the UFC. I’m deeply passionate about combat sports and mixed martial arts. I admire the fighters’ mindset, their physical prowess, and the resilience they develop, which can be applied to overcoming life’s challenges.”
Om enrolled in the Business and Marketing Diploma program at Stenberg College. He felt the Stenberg program combined with the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s (BCIT) Advanced Diploma in Business Management would provide a strong foundation and allow him to fulfill his dream of working in the UFC. With lofty and all-consuming dreams to pursue, Om applies the fighter’s mindset to every aspect of his life and educational journey.
A DOSA CULTURE
Om arrived in Canada fueled by big dreams and even bigger aspirations. Facing a new culture and environment, every challenge became a lesson. Whether it was adjusting to the cold winters, understanding Canadian lifestyle, or navigating the educational system, Om faced each hurdle with a can-do attitude. Stenberg’s location is in Surrey, a hub for Indian culture, which eased Om’s loneliness and transition to a new country. He shared, “When I miss home, I’ll just go get some dosas or some chicken curry, and I’ll feel right at home. This made it easier for me to adapt.”
I was faced with constant reminders of what I couldn’t do. This fueled my determination to recover.
One of his biggest challenges occurred in the midst of his program. He suffered a catastrophic leg injury, shattering his knee into eight pieces. “Being immobilized was the hardest thing I had ever faced in my life.” Om lost the ability to move and care for himself, which took a great toll on him. “I was faced with constant reminders of what I couldn’t do. This fueled my determination to recover, and I pushed myself through intense physiotherapy and healed.”
I’m going to do my best. I want to give this my all.
WINNING
More determined than ever to succeed, he stands strong against any challenge, asserting, “I’m going to do my best. I want to give this my all.” He was nominated by three instructors for the Student of the Year award due to his resilience and proactive engagement at Stenberg College.
Carolyn Latzen, one of Om’s instructors, affirms, “Om’s attendance was excellent and he demonstrated a high level of engagement in all of my classes. In each session, he was able to demonstrate extensive knowledge of concepts and apply them to the assignments. Om aspires to move on to BCIT, and I am confident he will excel there as well.”
Om graduated with an impressive 93% grade point average at Stenberg. He is now confidently writing the next chapter of his life at BCIT as a Business Management student. Maintaining the fighter’s mindset and warrior’s discipline, Om welcomes a world that challenges the body and mind.
