I’m Lucky To Make A Profession Out Of My Passion-Sanchalli Arora

EE News Desk Jun 15, 2022

A qualified Chartered Accountant, she has hosted a spectrum of events across the globe, including corporate, wedding, televised, government, public & social events for over a decade.

Over the years, she has been an anchor of choice for renowned corporate brands and is hired extensively to host brand events like launches, conferences, award ceremonies, channel partner meets, press releases, family days, amongst others.

She has been entrusted with shows of high repute involving the honourable Prime Minister of India, honourable President of India, Head of States and various high ranking officials from across the world.

Her infectious energy translates into her audience effortlessly, making her a popular host in the public, social, & wedding domain.

She recently spoke to BW Applause and everythingexperiential.com about her journey and more

Pandemic disrupted the events industry in a big way, what has been your story?

I was in the same shoes with the whole world, living in a state of uncertainty and mental anguish, especially with the event industry so significantly impacted.

As they say, necessity is the mother of invention! We all saw the pivoting of physical events towards virtual and hybrid events. What started as an experiment, an impulse to survive, opened a world of tech-zoom-team meetings and other platforms.

We all were forced to become tech-savvy (which I personally enjoyed, having always been a tech and gadget freak).

It wasn't seamless - there were many nuances. For example, we were running the show all by ourselves with multiple screens, setting our stage, learning about microphones, correct lighting, the apt speed for the internet, connecting the internet to the inverter to accommodate for power failure, makeup, hair, scripting, coordination with numerous people over various devices, and finally interacting with a screen of a virtually invisible audience. So basically, we were doing the entire task of an event company by ourselves, while the event company was doing their own set of functions.

Plus, the ongoing situation of the pandemic meant that no event confirmation was concrete, and the monies were all over the place. However, we worked through it all by trial and error & backed by years of experience and expertise of all involved; today, Virtual is the new normal.

We made it from ebbs to flows. I got an opportunity to host a wide range of virtual & hybrid events for various corporate clients, including launches, conferences, press meets, award ceremonies, entertainment evenings; moderated quite a few sessions.

Alongside this, I conceptualized & launched my show -SANCHALLI IS A MISSFIT - an 18 episode Insta live series with various renowned sports personalities.

The show got a great response. So, from this perspective, the year proved to be a blessing in disguise.

What would you call your biggest strength?

I would say my ease and instant connection with my audience; the ability to switch the script and go completely impromptu while staying relevant.

How do you see virtual events when compared to Live events?

Virtual events are here to stay for a long time, but they are nothing close to Live events, in all honesty. They lack the flavour of excitement, the thrill and the goosebumps of a physical launch, the gasps from the audience on an artist entry, the contagiousness of the laughter across a packed room, the boost of energy of an ice-breaking interaction and the exuberance, positive vibes and confidence that adorns you when you step on that massive stage.

Innovation is the key aspect of growth. How have you fared in this area?

The last two years have been a big lesson to humanity in several ways.

For me, it reiterated the importance of updating, moulding and upskilling with time and technology. The virtual experience made the whole world smaller. Shows & interactions became global. I tried to keep myself updated with worldwide affairs & new tech platforms; created new content & worked on my interaction techniques to make sure I was able to engage, entertain and retain the interest of my audience for the entire duration of the event.

Most importantly, this year led to the birth of my show -SANCHALLI IS A MISSFIT, where I clubbed my emceeing skills with my passion for fitness.

What makes you stand out from the rest in the industry?

I don't know whether I stand out or not or what makes me stand out if I do. All I know is that this industry, the stage & anchoring, is my forever love, and it defines a huge part of who I am today.

I am one of the lucky few who got to make a profession out of my passion while having a chartered accountancy degree. It was a conscious choice of which I am proud.