My Experiences with People - The Silent Killer

It is not so tough for 2 introverts to get along and have a great relationship, and it becomes more special when those 2 introverts are turn into extroverts when they get in a group of likeminded people. Yes, that’s what happened when Anoop and I met each other.



When I moved to EAM core team from Content Review, almost every person in the team spoke to me other than Anoop, who used to come to office give a smile and get into the system and work. The first project I worked with him was one of the BMW ads and even then he just spoke to regarding the project that’s it. But, after I spent a good amount of time in the team we managed to speak to each other more and more. One reason which made us to get along was a cup of tea in the Infy Smoke Zone where many of our official and personal talks used to happen.



At work you could see Anoop as a silent, moody, introvert and serious person and once he is out of that nut shell, you can find a totally different person – who can speak a lot and speak sense and can speak about anything under this sun but only when he knows that thing. When it is a weekend you can never find another party freak like him.



Anoop has a complex personality and it is not so easy (I would say impossible) for the majority of the people who has known him at work or in his personal work. I was lucky enough to have such a wonderful person as my friend.



He was known for his transformational thoughts, analytical skills, innovative ideas in terms of team management and his measured walk. He was the MACROMAN of the team. I have seen very few people who are crazy about excel and he is one of them who can exploit the features of Excel to the core. He infected many people with this craze in our team and I was the first victim.



There are 2 things which I was inspired by Anoop –


- Have multiple solutions for one problem and always think out of the box. Had heard in many trainings and seminars that I have attended during my college days and in Infosys. But worked with a person very closely who executed them practically.


- Talk less and Act more.



There are many things which I can keep on speaking about this person because I am one of them who have seen different faces of Anoop which many people hardly get to see.

My Experiences with People - Gopa

First day after training – we were asked to meet Eshwari in Overture floor. Robin and I with other people from out batch were there on time waiting for someone to attend us. Karthik and Steve walked in with a studious fellow – who seemed to be very boring and reserved character. He was introduced to us as Gopa Kumar who will be our Team Leader – and my first Team Leader.

Robin and I had a perception that this guy is so studious and boring, it will be very tough to work with him. For a month or so the perception remained the same until we came out of the process training. It was the time when we actually started knowing Gopa.

Result Oriented, Diplomatic and Conviction – these are the 3 features that can easily describe Gopa. He always had shown trust on his team members and has given various opportunities based on their strengths and interests. He built a team in such way that they are self-motivated and confident.

Being a Manager – he learnt every task that the team used to do. He would work on the new project first and then set a right expectation with the client and the team. There are hardly a handful of managers (new generation managers) whom I have seen or heard who would get into the level of learning the basic tasks done by an agent.

He had always come up with new strategies of team building which would both build the team as well shape an individual as a professional. When he is out of the work floor, he becomes one among us; we never felt he is a manager when we are on the Cricket Ground every Saturday.

He is very strong with his vocabulary and he had certain patented (we called them patented) expressions – one famous which I cannot resist myself from writing here is – “Compare Apples to Apples not Apples to Oranges”.

I am not sure why I am so obsessed with Gopa’s way of working, many a times when I speak to my team member I act like him (though not the fullest extent) without my knowledge. It might be because he was my first Team Leader and Manager or due to his ability to make an impression in someone’s mind.

Whatever it is, he was my first manager in my career and he is a great pleasure to work with. Thanks for those lovely memories, Gopa. Looking forward to work with you again!

My Experiences with People - She is My Guru

Her entry to the AMS team was not welcomed by many including me. Everybody started hating Gopa for getting her into the team as a team leader, even though none of us had any experience working with her. But she took it as a challenge and in a period of one week she made most of us (at least me) to change their perception towards her work.

One thing which I liked in her and even today I respect her for that one reason (there are many reasons, this is one of them) her professionalism at work. She believed in identifying a person’s strength and capitalizes on that for that person’s good as well as to the business.

She was the one who gave me many opportunities to whittle my career. She made me identify my strengths and weaknesses. She concentrated more on my weaknesses and helped me overcome those.

She was considered to be a rude person by nature because of her professionalism and straight forwardness, but I have never come across a person who could be as humane as her. She always cared for her team members’ welfare which only a few people could understand that.

She would always be there as a part of one’s grin or frown if someone likes to share with her. She always loved to see others grow in their career path and gave many of my team members many opportunities and most of them succeeded to capitalize those opportunities.

It is very rare to find such character which is a professionalism and humane at a work place, because it needs a lot of maturity in someone who can blend both and succeed in it. I consider her as a Guru for me in many aspects at work.

- People Management.
- Discipline at the work place.
- Team Work and Motivation.
- Live and Let Live.

Personally, she is a great friend of mine and is very close to my heart. She has always shown me a path whenever I was lost; she stood beside me when I had tough times and was struggling with work-life balance; appreciated the good work, and helped me to improve on areas where I was lacking. Her one smile and a couple of words were enough for me to get out of trauma.

Yes, as most of you have rightly recognised - it is Kanwal... Kanwal Khanna. Missing working you with, Kanwal!

My Experiences with People - Robin

Vikram was the first person I spoke to when I joined Infosys and he introduced me to other 2 guys Uthej and Robin. Till date Uthej, Vikram and Robin have got indissoluble relationship called Friendship.

Though it took almost a year’s time to for Uthej, Vikram (both of them are friends from their 12th class) and me to attain the bonding we have today. We bonded more and more day by day. However, it was not the case with Robin – from day 1 I found a very good and interesting person in him.

I was in an impasse – I have met so many people at Infosys and I have learnt something from each of them in some or the other way – and the question was who should be the first episode of the serial. And finally I came to a conclusion that it should be Robin because in the first year of my career – I had to face many ups and downs in both professional and personal life. And it was Robin – who was there beside me always supporting me.


Robin – this name was very famous on the floor for his pranks, flirty nature and humor. Very thin but stylish – he knew how to carry his personality positively. Very jovial person – no girl would say no to his proposal – just for the fact he speaks so sweet and looks handsome [only when he is in office and out for a date with girls ;-)].



To be frank – I always loved to wear simple cotton Kurta or casual shirts and denim jeans and it is the only way I used to feel comfortable. The tough time started when I had to follow the formal dress code at the Infosys. But when I was with Robin – the way he used to carry himself impressed me and more or less I started imitating him in terms of dressing. And today I am more than comfortable in formals [first preference is always Kurta and denim ;-)] than casuals.


Whatever is the situation – he knew to keep his tempers cool. It was the time when both of us had a major issue at work just after completion of 1 month in the company [which I can not disclose – people who have seen it know it better]. The Robin’s issue was resolved in next 10-15 days but the issue I had continued for almost 3-4 months. During this period I had lost my hope of continuing with this job – but it was him who always stood beside me, consoled my depressed mind.

I had fell in love with one girl and thought that she too loves me [the way she used to be with made me think that way]. But in fact she considered me to be one of her good friends and even today she is a good friend of mine. One day she made it clear that she does not love me and it took me to a situation where I felt that is the end of life. [Even today I laugh at myself for being so foolish in this regard :-).]. Again it was Robin, who came to the rescue – it took just one weekend to get me out of this situation. He has that magical power of making fun of himself and humor which can take anyone out of melancholy.


At work we were known for our friendship – and credit for its popularity goes to Robin. We both had similar looks and if somebody sees us for the first time would call us brothers and the intimacy we had made it more obvious.

Two aspects of life that I love the most were introduced to me by Robin and they are:

• It does not matter whether you are good looking or not – it is in your own hands how you present yourself.


• Grin or frown - be happy and accept things as they are. Enjoy the life with pleasure. Do not waste your precious moments of your life worrying about things which are out of your control.

Robin is a person whom I cannot forget in my life even if I get hit by amnesia – not because he is a leader or achiever or a celebrity – for a simple fact that he is a wonderful human being.

Presently, he is in Dubai working for Ras Al Khaimah. I wish you All the Best Brother!!!

A Preview - My Experiences with People

I spent most of my tenure with this team

Photo by: Ganesh (left top corner pic)

4 years in one company is a long time – at least for people from my generation. Amongst the people who joined Infosys with me; most of them have left Infosys to make a career of their own choice. But from day one of my career at Infosys I got a lot of opportunity to meet several people. I learnt new things from their acts – either good or not so good.



I learnt from my own mistakes, I learnt from my managers, got their guidance at the right time to do right things. I learnt things from others mistakes, I learnt from others success, I learnt to take a decision in a wise way watching my managers taking decisions. I reported to 4 managers (only!?) till date in my 4 years journey.

All the 4 had their own good’s and bad’s. All 4 of them have always tried grooming me, making
me a great professional. Sometimes I failed and most of the times I got succeeded. Some looked arrogant, some looked cool, some looked lazy, some looked foolish – but every decision they made were intelligent and smart enough to make the team stronger, bigger and built THE TEAM.

My colleagues – some became good friends – some are life time friends – some opportunistic – some were never friends but good colleague to work with. Met my best of critics here and they always tried to find good person in me. Majority of the times, in my life, I was always called – the Khadoos and people still call me that. And I agree to it. That is how I was born, that is how I was grown and that is how I made my identity. But my friends, critics and especially the team I was handling (Field Sales West and Cross Market) taught me to be Khadoos only when it is needed. They brought a lot of maturity in me.

Infosys – the founders – especially NRN who had always inspired me, his one thought out of the box and bring a social reform in India made me join Infosys and lean things in this management school. Now I am confident enough to bring the awareness among the young India (who is accessible to me at least).

This blog is an effort to reach out to people and share my experiences with people I met in Infosys and their experiences which they shared with me. Majority of my writing will be around the professional life of these people and not personal, some personal aspects which I feel can be shared I will share it you all after I get a consent from the related person.

Most of the experiences are been already inked on paper. But not getting sufficient time to publish them online and I am struggling a lot to put them in an order. So there would be some delay in publishing these experiences. Please bear with me!! But never hesitate to comment on my thoughts.

My Entry To Professional World

June 10th, 2006, A Sunny Saturday I was standing in front of the Infosys Gate # 5 of Electronic City Campus. It was my Dream Come True day!!! I was joining my dream company through it’s subsidiary Progeon.

My dad had come with me to drop me till the gate and then we were guided to the “Opera House” aka the Lotus Building (Kamat’s Food Court ). Had a plate of Khara Baath and a cup of tea!!! The time had come!!! It was a huge batch 600+ freshers just out of the college, who had dreams in their eyes to start a brilliant career with one of the Greatest Indian MNC – INFOSYS!!!

2 day long Induction programme where they introduced us to the Infosys culture, policies and a day long session to sign papers and get allocated to the projects. On 12th June, the Pre-Process training started – where we had to undergo the Communication skills (written and voice), typing skills, MS Office components in 10 days. On the first day when I was sitting in the Online Training Room in Building 12 with 20 other people – I could see new faces and most of them had their friends within that batch – I was sitting with a lonely and left out feeling. Then the trainer Angela – gave us a break for 10 to 20 minutes – that’s when I found a unfamiliar face but sitting lonely and left out just like me. I went upto that person and introduced myself – and in return he replied “Hi, I am Vikram Kamath, from Udupi, Karnataka. MGM College”. That’s it folks!!! I was in heaven – reason on Jan 15th 2006 I had attended Progeon Campus Interview in MGM College, Udupi!!! And I am a Konakni Boy meeting another Konakani Boy!!! WOW!!! I had found my first friend in my first job on the first day of my training. When he was going for dinner – I asked him can I join you for dinner. And he said “Sure, but if you do not mind I have 2 of my other friends with me for dinner”. It was OK with me and I met his other 2 friends!!! Both of them were out of the same college – Uthej Hegde and Robin Vijay Fernandes. We four had a wonderful time during the breaks and enjoyed the first 10 days of training with all fun!!

Uthej, Vikram and Robin are my best friends till date - especially Uthej and I are more than brothers and my mother considers him to be third son of her. I will get into details in future.

During the training – Robin and Me had to undergo a test and we were totally clue less as to why are we writing that test. Uthej and Vikram had got allocated 2 different BCM clients and we 2 totally clue less about our clients. After some creative writing and on the next day we were asked to report to Eshwari Shanmuganathan on the Overture floor.

As per the schedule on 27th June, we entered the Overture floor to meet Eshwari – and coincidently it was her birthday and team was celebrating her birthday. After a while we were made to sit in a training room and we could see 25 to 30 new faces – [some beautiful faces too ;-)]. After an hour's wait a Big Man with a client representative and a young looking, studious fellow entered the room. We were too silent and confused and clue less. The Big Man introduced himself as Karthik Ramachandran and the client – Steve Southerland. And my first team leader – Gopa Kumar was the Studious fellow who entered with Karthik.

We were introduced to the work culture of the work floor and from next day it was Process Training by Mohan Chandrashekar P aka Sam…

From here - the actual journey starts and I will try to cover as many people as possible - and my learnings I got from each one of them.