Tag: Personal

What does he do for a living?

Prasad Ajinkya14 Comments

Since the day I got into an engineering college, my mother has been proudly saying “Majha mulga computer engineer ahe!” . I used to get amused by her pride, and it still makes me smile that she is happy for me (love you Aai :-) ). As days went by and I graduated to become a software developer, the “Computer engineer ahe” line was still there. Even when I got admission into one of the better known b-schools in the country, Aai would still tag me with Computer engineer.

The point is that sometimes you feel stereo-typed with the tag. People still ask me to troubleshoot their Windows. I dont mind doing that, but to expect me to visit their place at Borivali just because something is wrong with their Internet Explorer?? Sometimes I think I need a tag which defines my work and competency space better than “Computer Engineer”.

When I started working in a start-up, explaining to my family what I do became slightly more difficult. I was in charge of handling and building the technology on an entire organization. A lot of work which required a considerable bandwidth of know-how across the tech domain – a CTO in a nutshell. Whenever someone would ask, prompt would come the reply “Majha mulga computer engineer ahe!” . I kind of prefer IIM grad, but I dont think many people know about them – with people I mean the old aunty types, who ask your mother (in a nasal twang) “Kaay karto tumcha mulga?” The ones that sometimes do know about then quip “Oohh! Ahemadabad hoy?”, mother then simply says “To computer engineer ahe!!”” . Then I would butt in to say – “I sell shirts” rather than the oft repeated computer engineer tag.

These days I am working in a knowledge lab. We work on designing knowledge interventions and designing models which can change communities to become more productive and human oriented. I hope I got it right in this one line. My specific job entails a mini-CTO who is in charge of taking care of all technology details. Now what?!? I think “Majha mulga computer engineer ahe!”  is there to stay :-)

Familiar Strangers

Prasad Ajinkya7 Comments

If you travel everyday in a Mumbai local, then you are bound to have certain trains (and their times) in your mind. For e.g – I take the 8.24 Churchgate Slow from Andheri in the morning, if I miss that, then there is the 8.45 Churchgate Slow and the 8.51 Churchgate Slow, etc.

Most of the people think in these terms, so its obvious that you keep on seeing the same people everyday in your trains. Its their train as well. The mousy faced fellow, the guy who keeps on playing on his Nokia N-series, the guy who carries the Milton dabba. You see them, you have placed them and even named them … but what you don’t do, is befriend them. Maybe over a period of time, the ice breaks and you become good friends, but that takes many a train journey. The strangest thing is – that when you see the same person anywhere out of this morning train context, you still recognize him … and you see that spark on recognition in their eyes as well. But, you don’t talk. Strange aint it?

Uncertainty

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I had gone to a friend’s place today to see his new born baby. Babblo* has a cute little daughter – I hope she doesnt take her looks from her dad!

So we got talking as friends do when they meet after a long time. Our favorite “R” word did come up. and so did the job switch. I see so many people who do not love their jobs, that I wonder has anybody written a paper on this? (let’s figure that out later)

This guy works for one of the big 4 consultancies, has been working with that firm for the past 4 years now. A job that any Systems MBA would kill for … yes, present company included :-) But I know the hours are long and the gyaan is hot. It requires the sheer dedication that dissolves my resolve to get into a post like that. Again, this is not the point, moving on …

Babblo’s reason for wanting to switch is that he does not see himself becoming one of the head honchoes and top guys in the next 5-6 years. He see himself reach the middle echelons of the organization, but still sees miles to go before he sleeps. Hence, the idea of moving out and getting into a different vertical altogether. A new stint even a startup. Have you imagined a guy who eats, sleeps, breathes ITIL trying to get things done in a startup? A comic strip on these lines can rival Dilbert :-D. Moot point being that Babblo (of course its not the true name!!) is actually turned off by the certainty of the job.

I cant identify with this funda. I for one would love some certainty on knowing what I will be doing 5-6 years down the line. Its easy to bluff, but do I really KNOW what I will be doing … hmmmmm … web surely, technology definitely, startup – could be, big hulking monolithic organization – sure why not, just pay me well!! I don’t know which is better – the certainty or the uncertainty!

Vision

Prasad Ajinkya3 Comments

I am not going to throw up corporate gyaan into your face. Today I met up with a very good friend of mine; over a cup of coffee, he tells me – I have a vision. A 2020 vision.

Upon hearing this I went into “corporate mode”; with the mission, vision thingy … before I could dwell any more deeper into those buzzwords, Nikhil stops me. He tells me that he has no idea what jargon I was spewing, but he has a clear well defined vision towards which he intends to work. The manager within me came forth and suggested that maybe he should outline a plan and start reaching towards that goal, since at the moment he did not have a clear idea as to how he is going to get there.

But what impressed me is that he had a vision. How many of us have a vision about what we want to do in 2020?

Then and Now

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My first job was in IRIS, in the year 2002. I loved my job. I had joined with seven other software engineers. We bonded really well together. We used to work on different projects, but lunched together … discussed problems, solved them … and generally helped each other out. Life was good, life was beautiful. I loved my life of a programmer. Our batch was one of the best the organization had, in fact some of us were awarded as the most valuable programmer, et al. No, I am not being modest :-), but we loved helping each other out … contributing to the organization.

My last job was in I2I. It was a simple transaction for me. I went to work, I stayed there till 6.30pm everyday, I came back – the company paid me for it. The very transactional nature of this perspective made me shudder … I had to leave the organization in search of greener pastures.

My new job is with Illumine, where the culture of the organization is to actualize the paradigm shift from transactional thinking of a job to contribution thinking. Will post more on this later, but at the moment think about it. Is your job a transaction for you?

Summers here

Prasad Ajinkya2 Comments
  • Mangoes, mmmm …. yummm
  • When ice-cream, cold-drink and A/C sales spike up
  • School vacations, ahhh … those were the best. No more pencils, no more books … no more teachers’ dirty looks
  • When employees report early to office and stay beyond their normal time in order to stay in the cool recesses of their offices’ central A/C
  • When you want to discard everything else in life and head towards a beach and have some beers … read Goa!! :-)
  • Time for the Harry Potter films to come out and gather a throng of kids (and their parents) in the theaters
  • Shorter clothes ;-)
  • Families migrating towards hill stations

Summer gets me all nostalgic, what about you?

Marriage

Harshaja Ajinkya10 Comments

As promised – Some words of wisdom from my better half on the M word.

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Hi Friends,

I am so glad today to finally write a post on my Hubby’s Blog. Recently seeing him totally out of action (on his blog :P), I decided to enlighten this blog by highlighting certain aspects of MARRIAGE.

Life after marriage changes; alteast to an extent. Well one always find guys complaining more than gals. I feel its equal for each of them. I am sure most of you reading this post have already found their life partner/looking for a life partner/ thinking whether to climb the huge cliff (tie a knot). If you and your partner compile the 3C’s i.e Compatibility, Connection and Chemistry then surely you both are ready to tie the knot.

“Marriages are made in Heaven” – a very famous phrase … most of the bachelors/singletons say, “What crap? If they are made in Heaven then there would be no divorce.”

Even before marriage or rather before dating Kidakaka :) I felt the same, this so called Idealistic phrase was a crap. Within a year my notions about this completely changes and now actually I am a believer.

Logically if you apply your mind how many guys/gals you have dated have actually clicked, the odds of finding the right person and selecting is really a difficult task.. Ask you friends who are going through trouble of meeting their opposites for an arranged wedding.

On top of that we also have different cultures in India which also play an important variant, different professions, hectic lives and varied interests. Ok Ok! the list just goes on; finding the ONE after so many odds is (PHEW!) definitely a difficult task. So really If any two people click and decide to get married then i must say “unki jodi baghwan ne banai hai :P”

Think about it and if you have someone in your life who does make a difference/rather if you feel he/she is the one for you ..go ahead and say it..before someone else does :P COMPETITION YOU SEE !!!!

So after all thsi Gyan heres KIDAKAKI signing off..bye have great year friends!!!

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Some of you really needed this – I wont name who :-)