The Impact of Two People on My Life

The limited reading and interactions I have had in both my personal and professional life have been greatly influenced by the stories of remarkable individuals, some of whom I have had the privilege to meet and others whom I have only encountered through their work. There are two individuals in particular who have left a lasting impact whom I met during my time at CyberMedia, the organization where I gained exposure to the IT media industry, providing me with a unique perspective on the evolution of both IT and IT media over the years.

In early 1998, just before officially joining CyberMedia as a Senior Marketing Executive, I was invited to attend a quarterly meeting as an audience member to familiarize myself with the organization. During the meeting, a tall and imposing gentleman walked in and took a seat at the center of the U-shaped seating arrangement. Initially, I couldn't help but wonder about this seemingly undisciplined individual who arrived late without showing any remorse. As I began to acquaint myself with my colleagues, including this imposing figure, I had the opportunity to attend a session with him in his cabin, which turned out to be my first introduction to the world of IT. These sessions became a regular occurrence, and I was consistently impressed by his vast knowledge, not just in IT, but in various other subjects as well (except sports). His profound interest in medicine often made me ponder why he hadn't pursued a career in that field instead of engineering. For my family, he became our go-to person for any ailment or medical consultation. Our interactions not only fostered a friendship beyond the office walls but also transformed us into family friends. I couldn't make any major life decisions without seeking his advice. It was evident that despite his immense knowledge and academic achievements, his professional success didn't align proportionately. Sadly, he passed away in 2021. Nevertheless, he inspired me to read (although I have barely scratched the surface of his reading list) and to write endeavours which I have now begun. He was the driving force behind my decision to start my own website and blog. However, I must admit that I need to accelerate both my reading and writing endeavours. The person I'm referring to is Easwardas Nair, affectionately known as Ed, Eashwar, or Dasu, depending on the context in which you met him. To me, he will always be Ed.

During the mid-1996 period when I was at Indian Express, our office in Lower Parel had a cabin on the left side where we stored our magazines and reference books. There sat a young man who would browse through various publications, diligently cutting out relevant articles for our different publications. His interactions with others were minimal, or rather nonexistent, possibly due to his shyness as it was his first job. A couple of years later, when I moved to CyberMedia and was promoted to Assistant Manager Marketing, I was looking to expand my team. A friend recommended this individual to me, and when I inquired about him, I discovered that he was the same person who used to sit in that cabin curating relevant articles and now his profile is advertising sales and got selected to join CyberMedia. Once again, this experience reinforced the notion that first impressions are not always accurate. His greatest strength was his unwavering confidence. He could identify potential in every client and, even while walking to a sales call, would strive to convert any IT organization he encountered into an advertiser. He possessed the remarkable ability to connect with people from all walks of life and make a lasting impact. I left CyberMedia in 2005 and briefly stepped away from the IT industry. During this period, Sachin ascended to the role of Regional Head of the West. When I returned to CyberMedia, he had joined a new publication called 9dot9 and had risen to the position of Director. He subsequently held various roles, including being part of the marketing team for a leading Data Center company and serving as the Head of the IT vertical in Networking18. In addition to his sales expertise, Sachin developed strong relationships with top IT decision-makers across Indian corporations. Not only did he connect with key marketing and IT decision-makers of IT vendors and Indian corporations, but he also honed his skills as a panel moderator. I consider myself fortunate to have witnessed his growth firsthand. Sachin Mashilkar, now the Executive Director and Publisher of 9Dot9, is someone I am connected with, and now I am part of his team.

These individuals have played a significant role in helping me realize the importance of industry knowledge in building strong client connections, which in turn fosters confidence and openness for meaningful exchanges. This, in essence, expands one's network and fuels the generation of new ideas.

While Sachin had minimal knowledge of IT when he joined CyberMedia, he has now become a contributor to IT magazine content. His fearlessness, confidence, determination, and a never-give-up attitude have been truly inspirational. It is crucial for me to absorb these qualities, as they serve as catalysts for personal growth.

To suggest that Ed was unlucky in not receiving the recognition commensurate with his intelligence would undermine the effort he put into his work, just as it would be unfair to label Sachin as merely lucky. In conclusion, if I were to coin the impact they have had on my life, Ed and Sachin would be two sides of the same coin. And when I flip that coin, I hope it stands upright because I need both of them to propel me forward in my journey.

Lastly, throughout my over two decades in the industry and my fifty years of life, I sincerely hope that I have positively impacted someone else's life, even if I remain unaware of it.