Challenges and Changes ...continued

Started: 30-10-2025

Updated: 13-12-2025

Its been 2 years that I have been losing interest in my job, especially software developer/lead role. If I were to identify the root cause there could be multiple. 

Whenever I need to take a decision or explain things or give an advice/suggestion, I always make sure there are multiple points supporting, which means the point is strong and valid.  

Taking a step back, the reasons for my interest loss could be 

• Routine: I literally hate routine way of life. Going to office, returning back, eat and sleep. Even though weekends are there, it just goes off in a jiffy. I wasnt able to cultivate any habit due to time constraint. I know this is arguable saying waking up early can give me extra hours, but I am not a morning person. I got to fight my own habits to cultivate habits 😂 
• Job was boring: The work/development I was doing wasn't interesting. In previous project, I was playing a role of handling client issues and addressing them. That role used to give me a kick when there was a production issue or when client was facing a problem. I had played that role for a long time because it was chosen by me. May be I should have enhanced the role's coverage to have a greater acceptance and allow me to continue. But development wasn't/isn't really my cup of tea. And probably so I lost interest in job. I gave serious thought to move to a different role but wasn't sure if I could succeed.
• Scope of knowledge: The scope of my knowledge was very very limited to software, my bad. I should have involved myself into other things to some extent. This kept me pushing to explore more. The discussion with friends always made me realize "I don't know anything apart from software", which was true. It was just that I hadn't exposed myself to the outer world. 
• Scope of Job: Well when the knowledge was itself limited, how can I take up another job? I wanted to find an answer to this. I started scanning newspapers on regular basis, scrolled through Instagram to find what kind of jobs are out there etc etc. It wasnt fruitful. I am actually open to take up any job and pour in my interest, that's how I am. That's when I started listing out domains which can sustain for a longer duration. I have a few interests of my own and I did take some steps to put my foot in them. To some extent I have explored, just to make sure it's viable and sustainable if I quit software job.
• Financial Backup: This one was the biggest challenge to take up any change in my life. Not impacting my family during my transition was the upmost priority. After all the thoughts about routine, job, scope and transition was done the financial support hit me hard. So the steps had to go backwards with strong and long term planning. There have been cases where job loss has put families in trouble and a lot of emotional, mental stress. This had to be avoided at any cost as it could impact my family, myself and our lives. The first and foremost step was to have a strong financial backup before taking any step.
• Exploring Business Opportunities: For having a strong financial backup either I should have sufficient bank balance for 3 years (so much that summing up all monthly expenses, health insurance premiums, vehicle insurance premiums, educational, travel expenses, miscellaneous and an additional 25% extra) 
• Different dimension: There was also a thread in mind saying - there is only one life, why not explore other possibilities of way of leading and living. I didn't/don't have a goal set in IT industry, so why am I chasing it? It's better to set a goal and chase it. And that's where I deviated to find something else.

I worked it out to find my interest to earn and live the next innings. There is always a greater interest to work on things that we own as they are near to heart to nurture and grow to all the possible heights. There is a fear of failure but wait, not without giving it a try !

My last working day in Software company was on 7th Dec. 

Challenge Accepted. I planned to shift to Academics !

Paradigm Shift in Profession

7th November is Dad's Birthday. One of those birthdays which wont erase from memory.

7th November 2025 - My last working day at JP Morgan Chase. This company brought a lot of stability in terms of finance, knowledge and opportunities. It was really a good experience working and I will remember few colleagues forever.  

7th November 2025 - The day on which iksha institute of technologies came into existence. That brings a paradigm shift in my profession from a software engineer to academics. 

This picture exactly symbolizes the event.

Challenges and Changes

Challenges at every age, every year, every stage and each one is uniquely different every time. Let me start from the beginning.

As a new born

Communicating with people, especially mom, is a biggest challenge in the universe. I am hungry, I want to sleep, I need attention and what not. There is no other challenge equivalent to this one. The struggle to move, scroll and move forward, identify relatives, smiling, responding to faces are no less than hurricanes. The sounds that I made were so cute but mom, dad, relatives wanted me to learn their language and ruin my own way of conversation. The universal force to make say mamma, dadda was like Avengers trying to defeat Thanos. That doesnt stop, then follows uttering rhymes, singing, dancing which my parents (and every parent) wanted me to perform. Out of nowhere comes learning numbers, as if I my life is going to be dedicated as a business man who is just going to count money throughout his life. No prize for guessing the countless games (which makes me learn brainy stuff) that are gifted and are kept around me when i start crying out of hunger or anger. Believe there was no fun in seeing a bus, car, buildings, sky, plane, tress which were shown as if they are about to go extinct. 

Now imagine all these challenges that you have faced in the first 2 years of stepping into this world. These are just a few. 

These challenges keep repeating thereon in one or the other form as an when you step into new stage. But the fun part is the challenges are of the same nature, arent they? Let's analyze.

As a school going kid

• The first thing that is taught is to speak and communicate with not only teachers but also the same aged kids. Did we not do it when we were just born?
• I still had to convey that I am hungry but I dont want to eat rice and sambar
• Now that i was walking properly, I was asked to run and run fast
• Recite more rhymes and tables
• Talk to every relative and parent's friend who visit home, come on give me a break
• Numbers was still fine, but then comes addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• Games got upgraded, competition was a norm. 
• Competition also got upgraded, it was inter-school fight.
• I had to then identify more things surrounding me like books, books and more books
• Study more subject Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Trigonometry ufffff 

Same challenges but the levels got upgraded. Well, there is more.

As a college going kid

• Well communication had to get better and better. I had to now communicate to lecturers, professors and principal
• Running just got better, I had to run in the race of life. Excel in exams, get admission in top colleges and ace for job
• Recite formulas, experiments, periodic table
• Solve more complex problems to get a job
• Games to be played at National level
• Identifying things beyond your environment is essential at this stage and probably solar system
• Study/Education doesnt stop, it has to be done at a deeper level

Same challenges but the levels got upgraded.

As a young man

• Communication is a key now, not only a means to convey message
• Keep running to earn, to support family and take care of needs
• Recite the formulas to spend money carefully and to save
• Solve problems to retain the job
• Games having more scope of playing at international level. Compete with global players
• At this age/stage having knowledge of past, current and predict future events becomes inevitable
• Upgrading skills with latest technologies and learning new kills are part of life

Agree? Well, the challenges dont change much apart from circumstances. The other two stages are being a family person in mid age and then the old age. Even at those stages the challenges repeat at different circumstances. 

These challenges are accepted and handled the same way by 99% of human population. There seems to be no alternate way of leading life unless and until one wants to deviate and try something different.

The question is why and when would a person think differently and try to take a new path? That only happens when the basic needs and necessities are taken care of. Removing the burden releases the pressure on brain and sets it free. 

For a free mind, sky is the limit. This stage when attained, human being has excelled and made a stance to achieve something which pleases and satisfies oneself. Take examples from the past and present, there are handful of people who have discovered and invented things. 

Well, I have walked the same path. The chances of setting a free mind was near to nil. And the most painful situation is when one is forced to work without having an interest. That's when I looked at possibilities of setting up myself free and find something where I would be happy and satisfied the things i do, be it work or a hobby.

I have accepted the challenge and trying to change the path I am walking. Hoping for the best. 

Travel Diary Year 2022

My last post was in Nov 2022 which means I haven't looked at my blog for over 2.5 years. With that time frame there have been a lot and lots of changes and many more challenges, of course in my life. 

Just going to summarize so that I can read it when I dont have a better job to do or probably can't do any job. I am aging faster, seems like, but ascertaining like fine wine or no that only time will tell. Got to get some of my plans executed and hopefully fetch some name, fame and money. 

Let's start from 2022 and turn over the pages of my travel diary.

2022

Lonavala in April: The trend of going on a trip during our marriage anniversary and chinni's birthday has picked up. And we have done it consistently since then. Lonavala during April is definitely not a good idea. The location itself is so scenic but would be much much better and fabulous during rainy season. Nevertheless we did enjoy the stay and food.

Sikkim in May:

Sikkim has to be experienced than described. Two eyes aren't just enough. Mesmerizing places. It was the first time I saw and touched snow. An unforgettable trip for multiple reasons.

The trip was about 6-7 days and we had so many places to cover. After a lot of discussion, we ended up planning the northern part (Lachen, Lachung, Yumthang) and the west part (Nathula pass).  Had to drop Pelling which is on the east side.  

At such an altitude, the pace with which we travel is very slow. Distance between the tourist destinations is about 200~ kms but the time taken is nothing less than 6 hours. Too much of time goes off in travelling but the view is just amazing, one has to enjoy the travel and also the destination if Sikkim has to be thoroughly enjoyed.

Be it Gurudongmar lake, Yumthang valley, Zero point, Nathula pass or just the Teesta river, every aspect of Sikkim a wonderful journey to experience.

Kukke Subramanya and Udupi in October: 

A long pending destination being skipped due to the inconvenience of travelling due to distance was finally picked up and executed. 

It was again a family trip with friends along. I have always enjoy the companion of another family/families. Its fun unlimited. Loved this one, the group pic as well as the trip. 

Year end Varkala Trip:

Coastal trips are always fun, due to beach for obvious reason. But Varkala is an exception.

We planned a train route for a change and it was an adventure for being such a long journey, food options, AC in train, last but not the least the booking itself.

Varkala is known for its Cliffs and the scenic beauty it offers as far as we can see. The restaurants on the cliff offers a wide verity of food which one can keep hopping on every day and the tourist vibes are definitely a crowd puller.

The Mangrove ride was another attraction with a dash of rain in between. 

Its a one time visit for the number of places around Varkala and if a person just wants to sit and enjoy the infinite view then its a re-visit every year.

Curtains to 2022 😀