Five Chartered Accountants who pursued their dreams and passions

Shekhar Kapur, a world-renowned film director, actor, and producer, is a Chartered Accountant who gave up a lucrative career to join the film industry.

He pursued accountancy at the behest of his parents and became a CA at 22. He started his career at a multinational oil company and worked as an accountant and management consultant for several years before joining the film industry.

Aroon Purie, the Founder-Publisher of India Today and the Chairman of Living Media (India Today Group), is also a Chartered Accountant.

Purie, who graduated from The London School of Economics in 1965, trained as a Chartered Accountant and moved from one job to another before entering the field of journalism.

He was also honored with Padma Bhushan in 2001 for his contribution to journalism.

Sanjay Subrahmanyan, a renowned Carnatic vocalist and musician, is a Chartered Accountant and a rank-holding Cost Accountant.

He is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India who practiced for a brief period and quit later to pursue music as a full-time career.

The top-ranking Prasar Bharati artist is a proud recipient of a number of prestigious awards.

Vishaka Hari, a leading Carnatic music vocalist and an established exponent of Harikatha - an ancient form of storytelling.

She is a Chartered Accountant by education who also chose to pursue her passion instead of practicing as a CA.

She is an "A Grade" artist of the All India Radio and has received many awards for her contribution to Harikatha and Carnatic music.

Subhashni Giridhar, a noted Indian classical dancer of Bharatanatyam, is also a Chartered Accountant.

She became a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (FCA) in 2003 after which she completed the post-qualification Diploma in Information and Systems Audit (DISA) from ICAI in 2004.

Notably, she is a practicing Chartered Accountant who is also pursuing her passion, Bharatnatyam, with equal dedication.