Tell Something About Yourself

I have always found – ‘Tell something about yourself’ – to be a tricky request to respond to. I always have to fear of either telling too little or talking too much. Or for that matter, not contextualizing well and talking in a tangent. But then, I have write about myself. I don’t have a choice – even though writing a meaningful introduction is so much more difficult than ‘telling something about ones ownself’. However the fact I have to write [something or the other] in this pretext, makes me feel a bit better.

There I go then. A wee bit of an introduction there in the introductory lines. I love writing. Writing gives me a sense of self esteem and space. I blog on every sundry topic I lay my minds on – either in my diary or [more likely these days] in my web corner ‘www.unmuddlings.blogspot.com’. But nay the world doesn’t know me as a writer. I do other things for a living and few other things for health & relaxation.

More about me then. By training I am an engineer [I have a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering] and business professional [by virtue of my post graduate in management. I am fortunate to have graduated from one of best b-schools in India]. I worked in the corporate world in Business and Financial Advisory roles for 6 years – during which I helped large & small Indian companies, multi-nationals and government corporations design and execute strategies [market, operational, financial, supply chain etc] and raise funds – before quitting the glitz and glamour of working in a Big Six [then Big 4] consulting firm to become an entrepreneur.

For the last more than half and dozen years, I have been leading Kalingasoft - an IT & Consulting company in the education and e-governance sector. We are excited to be building an organization, creating IP, giving careers and helping clients meet organizational objectives. The whole experience of building a company from scratch – almost from a garage set-up to a almost a 100 member team has been an awesomely enriching experience. This experience I wouldn’t trade for anything else. Even though, with the hindsight of the learning curve – I may do a bit differently.
That’s what the world knows me as. An entrepreneur, someone who quit the limelight of Mumbai [the business capital of India] to create an enterprise in Odisha. But that not the only thing what I would like to be known as.

I would describe myself as someone, who is fired by the ambition to make a difference in this world. In a humble manner, yet with lofty ideals. I would like to make people happier, enriched and healthier people. The seeds of these ideals, but have been sown congenitally. However, they have bloomed probably after my tryst with Oriental Spirituality. Long back, when I was in college, I had the good fortune to attend a 10 day meditation camp to learn the Vipasanna Technique of mediation [visit www.dhamma.org for more]. These 10 days, showed me a path to scientifically pursue the goals of inner growth. I have tried to cling on to the straw and felt myself benefitting immensely in the process. I will be happy if I can contribute to create an eagerness, amongst people I come across [and maybe the world at large] to look inwards and experience the joy of spiritual growth. For that, and that alone, is the panacea to the strife, ill-health and fast growing entropy in this world.

In addition to the above, I enjoy practicing Yoga. I believe that has helped me remain fit and health. Physically, emotionally and spiritually. I love long walks and travelling. I nourish the aspiration of becoming a writer in the future. I enjoy playing games. Off late I have been getting opportunities with lecture assignments and addressing students in seminars – I find that to be an enthralling experience, interacting with students. I love my family and friends – though I am more of a private person than a flamboyant extrovert. That then is what I am in 600 odd words.

Dec 17, 2010
Bhubaneshwar