Freedom in Freelancing: Views From India’s Top 11 Freelancers

Freedom. Flexibility. Financial Independence.

Everyone strives for the luxury of choice. And this is seen more so in career-oriented individuals who are usually bound by several company rules. It is indeed rare to have much freedom of choice if you work in the mainstream corporate or public sector.
That is where freelancing comes as a silver lining. Freelancing gives individuals the freedom of choice. To choose their work domain, have creative liberty and financial independence all at once is indeed a boon. Most people who move away from full-time corporate jobs, choose to be their own boss, and break the monotony with multiple sources of income are luxuriating in the freedom of choice. Add to that the fact that they can keep flexible hours, and it becomes a winning deal for most.
Since freelancing doesn’t tie a person to one skillset, it is fairly easy to explore multiple options to generate several sources of income. And because of this, companies are seeing an exodus of professionals choosing freelancing over a full-time corporate life.

The Indian Overview

The Indian freelancing industry has seen rapid growth in the last couple of years, especially after the COVID-19 out-break in 2020. Today, India ranks 7th in the freelancing market globally, and this market share is projected to increase over the next couple of years. In fact, by 2025, freelancing is estimated to grow to $20 to $30 billion in India.
Research has found that some of the industries promoting freelancing or the gig economy in India include start-ups, IT and programming, finance, sales and marketing, design, animation, videography, content and academic writing, among many others.
Indians are now looking to be creatively more independent than ever and are choosing to work for themselves. This psychological shift is also a crucial part in this journey.

India’s Top Freelancers and Their Views on Freelancing

In celebration of India’s 75th Independence Day, we have compiled a list of what India’s top 11 freelancers have to say about freelancing and freedom.

1. Devan Bhalla

“Freelancing can be renamed as ‘realizing self-id’ in the digital era. It is one of the best ways to achieve creative gratification, financial independence, and building an asset for self. In a way, it sets you free. As a content creator I believe, freelancing in content can, is a way to set yourself free.” 

2. Vanshika Mehta

“Freedom in freelancing is making choices on work life balance. In the corporate space, you’re bound by others’ rules but in freelancing you have the choice of work or not. And there’s no greater freedom than giving yourself a holiday when you want, on your terms, and returning when you want without asking anyone if you can and till when you can.”

3. Khushi Khare

“Freedom has always meant ‘being my own boss’ for me. Taking the plunge into freelancing is scary and exhilarating for me at the same time. But, the only way to get started is to start. I guess that I’m ready to take the leap into an independent career.”

4. Komal Ahuja

“Freedom is synonymous with freelancing. The ability to work with anyone, in any corner of the world, when you want, how you want and at what price you want has truly allowed me to grow, personally and professionally, more than I could ever imagine—that too with just a laptop, the internet and skills.”

5. Paree Punj

“Freelancing gives you the freedom of choosing the direction of your career. It gives you the freedom of growing your career in the way you want without sacrificing the important aspects of what you dream of doing with the rest of your life.”

6. Shreya Pandey

“No freelancers are working only 2-4 hours everyday and making thousands of dollars. Sometimes they work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, and at times that are most unexpected. Saying freelancing means freedom is easy, but only people who are executing it know the hardships behind it!”

7. Sourabh Goyal

“I found freedom in choosing to work with people I like working with, freedom of working from anywhere and tasting food and coffee in different cafes. The best part is I can target an amount of money and do the reverse calculations to take necessary actions. Also, freelancing gave me the freedom to test different niches with the lowest possible risk and then scale the niches that I enjoyed working in.”

8. Taniskha Makkar

“We love freelancing— the freedom it gets us— the freedom to work anywhere, anytime, however we like, and that too efficiently (with systems in place).”

9. Taranpreet Kalra

“Freelancing is about freedom. And if you’re still getting bogged down by the pressure, driving yourself crazy with stress, and comparing your path to someone else, it will burn you out. Everyone’s on a different journey. Some people eat, sleep, breathe their work, some people have 1500 interests, some just want comfort.

Not all of us need to chase the same goals.”

10. Vedika Bhaia

“For me freelancing means freedom. Freedom from working from somebody, freedom to work out of anywhere and freedom to choose what you like doing. It’s given me the confidence to become an entrepreneur, and there’s no greater joy than that.”

11. Saheli Chatterjee

“Freedom in freelancing for me means the ability to take a break for a week or a month- and no one to hold me accountable for it.”