“Agar tum kisi cheez ko bade dil se chaho, toh poori kainaat tumhe usse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai” – a line made iconic by Shah Rukh Khan – is the motto Jaya Paul lives by. A total top-down SRK-coded personality, Jaya isn’t just living a life studded in a Khan trilogy; she is living a life dedicated to service, as she frames it through the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Jaya, a student at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, has built a community of hundreds dedicated to service. As the Cultural Secretary of her college’s NSS, she has been responsible for an amazing collection of events. Even in the midst of making things “cool” for the new generation, she hasn’t forgotten those in exclusion. With a strong focus on accessibility and inclusivity, she has transformed events – bringing in a dedicated accessibility team to ensure every individual, especially persons with disabilities (PwD), gets an equal opportunity to experience them. For her, inclusion is simple: the moment we try to define it, we begin inviting exclusion. Her work has been recognised by several entities, including the Equal Opportunity Cell of her college.

She has also held massive drives, one of the most widely recognised being a blood donation drive that saw a turnout of over 100 people. Describing it as one of the most learning and interesting experiences of her life, Jaya reflects on how far this journey has brought her.

Calling herself an SRK girl, Jaya shares how she is now living the dream she once had. Coming from a very different background in West Bengal, her life completely transformed upon arriving in Delhi. She expanded her wings, understood the power of manifestation, and stepped into her own journey – one inspired deeply by her father, whose values of service continue to guide her.

Her activism goes beyond campus, extending all the way to Mumbai. As part of the Mark Your Presence initiative, she has worked on policy issues ranging from Aarey Colony degradation to collaborating with young political voices like Anish Gawande. Her work reflects a grounded, on-foot understanding of the nation’s policy landscape.

This technical foundation was further strengthened during her internship with a Member of Parliament during the Monsoon Session 2025, where she assisted in drafting parliamentary briefs on sustainable urbanisation and gaps in India’s development framework. Currently, as she works with Gurmehar Kaur on research and article development, she continues to learn how to translate complex social issues into narratives that build public and political awareness.

In moments of lightness, she jokes about switching lives with SRK. Yet, she also embraces vulnerability with equal honesty. She speaks about crying not as a moment of weakness, but as a channel – one that allows her to reflect, reconnect with herself, and grow stronger in her own skin.

Jaya carries the excitement of Shah Rukh Khan, but leads with the humility of the Father of the Nation.

Profiled by: Rahul Kumar