Having overcome a challenging childhood marked by health issues, Chiradeep Patra persevered and pursued further education, while also inspiring others with his journey. Today, as a Certified Life Coach, he feels privileged to assist others in overcoming their obstacles and uncovering their strengths. Chiradeep is also a published author with 8 books to his credit. He is the proud founder of the 'I Listen' movement, which advocates active listening in today's fast-paced world.

Chiradeep Patra is an ICF Certified Life Coach based in Cuttack. He works online providing coaching sessions to individuals seeking personal growth, mental well-being, support and resilience.

He is also a prolific author who has published eight books so far. A year back, he founded ‘I Listen’, a movement which promotes active listening, character building, and strengthening relationships.

Apart from daydreaming, he is engaged in creative activities. His love for writing and crafting stories began early on in his life. Writing allowed him to express himself creatively and eventually help others, carving his path towards becoming a Life Coach. Chiradeep has successfully completed the ICF Certified Life Coach program from Indian Leadership Academy.

Chiradeep’s inclination towards writing and coaching finds its inspiration in the Bible verse, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” Having witnessed several challenges in his life, he shares that there were moments and situations where he would feel stuck and felt alone. But during those times, this verse kept him moving and going.

Reflecting on his childhood, Patra shares that he grew up in Cuttack, a city which springs numerous childhood memories for him. Born with a congenital heart defect, his childhood was marked by many restrictions. Chiradeep joined school only at the age of 10 owing to his health conditions. His aunt, a school teacher, made him enroll in her school starting from the 4th standard. He completed his schooling at Christ Collegiate School in Cuttack.

He couldn’t participate in outdoor games like other kids, and often had to watch from the sidelines and stay indoors. Despite these challenges, he stood first in his 10th grade board exams. However, still there were a lot of discussions about him going to college as there would be no guardian to look after him. But Chiradeep decided to go alone and attended Ravenshaw University in Cuttack to pursue commerce. He went on to complete his Master in Commerce from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar.

Chiradeep’s professional journey kicked off as an accountant in an NGO in Kolkata. After 20 years of working in Kolkata, he left his job in 2021 owing to health issues. Since then, he has been pursuing his passion. However, Chiradeep could not pursue counselling as his career owing to his commerce background. He feels he should have studied psychology instead. Nevertheless, he took some certifications in counselling out of his sheer interest in the subject.

Discussing his motivation for starting ‘I Listen’, Chiradeep reflects on his early experiences where he felt a gap in mental health awareness and emotional support. While his family prioritized his physical well-being, he sensed a lack of attention to his mental and emotional needs. For Chiradeep, the act of listening became a cathartic outlet, providing him a space to express himself.

He laments the scarcity of genuine listening in today's fast-paced world, emphasizing its crucial role in fostering character development, knowledge acquisition, mutual understanding, and nurturing meaningful relationships.

Chiradeep’s career has been shaped by significant struggles and achievements. Born with a congenital heart defect and undergoing two major heart surgeries was physically and mentally challenging for him. However, those experiences taught him the value of resilience and finding joy in small things. Despite his health conditions, he pursued commerce with the mindset of getting a desk job. However, his passion lay elsewhere.

After quitting his job, Chiradeep focused on writing books and upskilling himself as a life coach. He published eight books within two years with one becoming an Amazon bestseller in its category. Shedding light on the book, ‘Beyond Barrenness’, he shares that it is about a woman called Hannah and her transformative journey as mentioned in the bible. The book offers a unique perspective by integrating CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) with Hannah’s journey of overcoming barrenness and mental torment. Chiradeep further shares how his book has probing questions in the end for readers to ponder and answer.

For Chiradeep Patra, acceptance is the key. He believes that by accepting yourself, your situations, and the people around you, you can develop resilience and move forward.

But his writing journey does not stop here. Chiradeep aspires to write as many books as possible before the curtain of his life falls. Addressing himself as a writing coach, Chiradeep also conducted a workshop called ‘Daydreaming to Publishing’ which is a reflection of his own journey.

When asked about his role models, Chiradeep considers himself to be a self-made person learning and going by his experiences. Having felt many roadblocks during his journey, Chiradeep finds his inspiration in Jesus’s life, which has taught him how to empathize with others during their tough times and not be judgemental about them. His words and teachings have guided him from nothingness to something worthwhile.

For aspiring life coaches, Patra advises them to develop a deep sense of empathy and active listening skills. He says one needs to instil these qualities in oneself and evolve with it. “Creating a safe and supportive environment for your clients, continuous learning, and self-reflection are crucial,” says Chiradeep. He advises coaches to be patient and compassionate both with their clients and themselves.

In his message to aspiring writers, Chiradeep emphasizes that one can write anything and shouldn't wait for perfection. He believes that if you wait for perfection, there will be no production, as perfection comes along the way, but you need to start first. He also views success as a journey rather than a destination. He mentions that processes like daydreaming, imagining, and jotting down are essential experiences for a writer before publishing their first book. Additionally, Chiradeep highlights the popularity of self-publishing today and notes that anyone can publish their books on Amazon for free using Kindle Direct Publishing.

In the end, Chiradeep advises the youth to cultivate resilience and a positive mindset. “Never stop learning”, he suggests, emphasising that learning means living. He also urges them to never have a quitting attitude and keep doing what they can, right and best.