The month of February began with a lot of travel. I was travelling to Mumbai, to Bangalore, to Pune and then to New Jersey. All these within a span of 15 days and that really took a toll on my health. Was down for more than a week with flu and bronchitis.
February was also a sad month with the passing away of a very dear member of our family – my chittappa – P S Sundararaman. It was a sad end for some one who epitomised the spirit of cheer and positivity throughout his life. The very presence of PSS in a family gathering brought in smiles and laughter. He was a very wise man, well informed and an earthy logic and intelligence in dealing with worldly issues. He was an ideal mentor for youngsters. His obsession with cleanliness, order and a clear thinking certainly influenced all of us during our childhood. It was very sad to see him suffer due to multiple complications and my dear cousin Suresh had to go through some tough times before seeing his father’s end. We all pray for Chittappa’s soul to rest in peace.
Professionally it was a very interesting month. I had to lead the business proposal presentation to a one of the largest banks in India for an integrated payment hub. It was good fun interacting with some of the experienced bankers and I should say it went off much better than we expected. I also flew to New Jersey to our headquarters for a business meeting with a client. It gave me the chance to interact with some of the senior folks in the company. Quite strangely for all the aura and hype surrounding the names, each one of these leaders came across as a normal, simple & smart individuals. It did a lot to add to my own confidence levels.
I also had an interesting appraisal discussion with my boss and it lead to my introspecting and thinking of a change of role within the company to meet my own career aspirations. As I have always done in my life, in times of uncertainty, I go with the decision first and then adapt. That is much better than pondering over a lot of factors – most of them unknown, coming to a judgment based on incomplete information and wishful thinking. It has taken me so far and has not been too bad and I hope that will continue.
