Astronaut Zahra Amiruddin
As a child, I’ve literally wanted to reach for the stars. The twinkling world above has often kept me awake at night, in the hope of spotting a UFO racing through the darkness. I would tug my mother’s dress and scream aloud with much confidence –“Mamma, I’m going to be an astronaut!” Unfortunately the lack of mathematical formulae in my DNA landed me with a job that is anchored to earth. But given a chance, I would work at NASA for free and I’d get all my exercise from all that space walking!

Wordsmith Tanisha Choudhury
One of the most precious discoveries of my childhood was Gobblefunk – the language created by Roald Dahl for The BFG. Of course I was going to grow up to be a logophile. What sort of a fool wouldn’t love to be a wordsmith? They have to sit around for hours concocting new words! So far my lexicon includes- “grandpudge” (the loose fattiness associated with grandparents) and snozzbomb (you don’t want to know).

Professional Sleeper Chantelle Menezes
During the holidays, I would make elaborate plans, but what I actually achieved was vast amounts of sleeping. You might even think I have Lyme disease. Then I stumbled upon the title of professional sleeper. This person has to, well, sleep, while studies on sleep disorders, dreams and brain activity are performed on them. So, I'd get paid for being curled up under the sheets. Where do I sign up?

Seat filler Tatsam Mukherjee
I love everything about the movies. So if I had to pick one dream profession, I would be a “seat filler”. For those who attend the Oscars each year, keeping the 3000-seats of the Dolby Theatre filled throughout the evening is an impossible task. So my job description would include – wearing a tux and filling a seat for Ryan Gosling, if he felt like a wee break. And even though the job seems temporary – would I even think twice at the opportunity to be associated with my favourite film people every year? Hell no!

Chocolate Explorer Trisha Tejani
A peek into my larder would expose you to my swelling world of delights. So obviously I have fantasised about becoming a chocolate explorer. So, how much of toil, trouble and talent would this take? Apart from worshiping chocolate, I would taste, test and manufacture this widely beloved ingredient. And get paid to gorge on chocolates at will! Epitome of job perfection? I think so.