Thoughtworks has always amazed me—whether it’s the pioneering work we do in the industry or the contributions we make to software engineering practices. What truly inspires me is our people-centered approach. Recently, I was honored by our market leadership, who put me in the spotlight to share my journey with fellow Thoughtworkers. While I’ve learned a great deal from my colleagues, I took this opportunity to share my own experiences in the hope of inspiring others.

When you see me in the spotlight, you might notice the books I’ve written, the patents I’ve secured, or my two decades of experience—filled with ups and downs. I’ve gone from growing up in a small town to living in a metropolis, and from Hindi-medium schooling to becoming an international speaker. But when I reflect on my journey, I realize it has always been about going with the flow.

💨 Going with the Flow

Throughout my journey, I have lived by a few guiding principles:

You will find these more in my next book “Jagjivan: Living Larger Than Life”, based on my great grandfather’s life. I believe he lived life to the fullest, and we can learn a lot from him.

📍 31ML: My Roots

I was born in the small village of 31ML, near the border in Rajasthan. Growing up in a farming family, I was surrounded by the repair of machines, tractors, and the hands-on skills of family members, such as masonry , carpentry, tailoring, blacksmiths, and electricians. I picked up these skills, learning from my great-grandfather’s wisdom:

“Skills never go to waste.”

My grandfather made me run a stationery shop to sharpen my math skills and work at a painter’s shop to develop my creativity. This early exposure to diverse skills stayed with me throughout my journey.

🥇 The First in My Family

I moved to a nearby town Raisingh nagar for further education and became the first in my family to pass secondary school with distinction in science and mathematics. My dream was to pursue either engineering or medicine, swayed at first by a biology teacher, then later by a math teacher.

After excelling in senior secondary school as the city’s top student, I was unsure of what path to take next. But the skills I had developed came in handy—even helping my father in building our family’s first home.

💰 The Influence of Cost

Being flexible and going with the flow also meant adapting to the realities of life. With two younger sisters and limited financial resources, I couldn’t burden my family with the cost of an engineering degree. So, I opted to pursue a B.Sc. at a government college in 📍Sri Ganganagar.

Although I was a college topper, it was a friend of mine, who barely passed 12th grade, who got into the spotlight ⚡️ after being cleared Rajasthan Pre Engineering Test (RPET). That motivated me to crack the engineering entrance exam.

Though I knew little about IITs or RECs, I chose an affordable prep course at 📍Kota, Rajasthan and there I found myself surrounded by students with much higher scores. When the first exam results came out, I couldn’t find my name in the list—until someone made me noticed that it is at the very first page in toppers my picture!

It made me believe that I could well survive there :), interestingly I celebrated my birthday with cake 🎂 very first time, and tested burger 🍔 there.

I secured a good rank and was eligible for most Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs), but I wanted to choose nearest Government College for financial reasons. On guidance of seniors, I settled at Mechanical Engineering at REC Jaipur—until destiny had other plans.

🎨 Skills that Shape Growth

Around that time, Bill Gates’ famous aids in Rajasthan led to an increased seats, and a new IT branch, causing a re-counseling of our batch. Short stay at Jaipur taught me good about engineering and india wide culture, and I switched to Computer Engineering at 📍REC Kurukshetra. Interestingly, I haven’t seen computer till this point 🙈.

Transitioning from Hindi to English-medium education was challenging, but I leveraged my skills in arts 🖌️ and social involvement. I became the secretary of the Fine Arts Club and head of the decoration committee at various events. I also led the National Service Scheme (NSS), organizing blood donation camps and cleanliness drives.

These leadership experiences helped me grow, and I graduated with honors and a high-paying job, putting myself, my family, and people around me on the path to growth.

The Next 20 Years

To learn more about the next two decades of my journey, check out my other article, where I share insights on collective growth and the continuous flow of learning and leadership. My learning has been sharpened through there years, leading me to write over 120 articles and participate in more than 60 events. Learn how I impacted over 50,000 individuals through these endeavors. Learn about my books, patents and more.

Keep learning! Keep sharing!

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