A Life Lived on Her Own Terms: Story of C.B. Poornima

Some lives unfold gently. Others demand courage from the very beginning. For Poornima Chickka, resilience was not something she discovered later in life. It became a part of her from childhood.

Born in Bengaluru, Poornima grew up in circumstances that were far from easy. Her mother, who had a physical disability, had struggled with everyday responsibilities. Poornima’s early years were marked by uncertainty, illness and responsibility. She often found herself caring for her mother and grandmother while trying to keep up with school.

When she moved to Bengaluru, her education was interrupted repeatedly. She shifted from a Kannada-medium school to an English-medium one, while also spending long hours caring for an aunt who was battling cancer. She eventually failed both eighth and ninth standard. Yet, what could have been the end of her educational journey became another beginning. She passed her tenth standard and went on to complete her Bachelor of Arts.

Poornima credits the people around her for shaping her values. Her uncle, a freedom fighter, taught her the importance of honesty, independence and standing by what is right. Those lessons stayed with her. When she later encountered unethical practices at a workplace, she knew she could not be part of them. She had already decided that she wanted to be independent, and law seemed like the right path.

She completed her LLB and began practising as an advocate. The road was not easy. Marriage brought its own restrictions, including a condition that she should not practise law. But Poornima could not let go of the education she had worked so hard for. She eventually returned to practice and later pursued an LLM in Administrative and Labour Laws.

There were difficult years, but she kept moving forward. She eventually walked away from working under others and opened her own office. Starting with very little, she built her practice step by step and became a panel advocate for several organisations, including BBMP, BESCOM, KSFC, KSRTC and the Karnataka Housing Board. She also became a family court mediator. In 2021, she got elected as Vice President of the Indian Federation of  Women’s lawyers of Karnataka Chapter.

For Poornima, independence was not simply about earning a living. It was about creating a life where she could make her own choices.

Motherhood became another important chapter. She had her son at 42 and consciously built her professional life in a way that would allow her to care for him. Her son, now a teenager, has grown into a karate black belt and has also explored modelling and television. Poornima speaks of his achievements with evident pride.

But her own story did not stop with motherhood or law.

She sings Hindi and Kannada songs and enjoys performing whenever she gets the opportunity. Encouraged by her son, she returned to something she had enjoyed years earlier: fashion shows. Despite initially worrying about her appearance, her son reminded her that confidence mattered more than anything else. She stepped onto the stage, participated in fashion shows, and even performed alongside him.

Today, at 57, retirement is not part of Poornima’s plans. As an advocate and mediator, she believes there is no fixed age at which one must stop learning, working or discovering new interests.

Her days begin early, with simple exercises and mudras, followed by cooking, prayer and court work. Life remains busy, but she continues to make space for the things she loves.

Perhaps the philosophy that best captures Poornima’s journey is the one she shared herself: accept life as it comes. Do not expect others to change. If change is needed, change yourself.

After everything she has lived through, she continues to move forward - not because life was always kind to her, but because she chose to keep choosing herself.