(Are you looking for my professional biography?)
Technologist, businessman, consultant, writer, actor, musician, family man, community catalyst… I have many, many descriptions.
But in the end, there is only one me, and this page gives you a brief background.
I was born on the 20th of February 1962 in Berlin, Germany, to my German mother and Indian father.
I lived in Germany for 10 years, and completed my primary schooling at the Peter Witte Grundschule in Berlin.
In 1972, my mother, my brother Arun and I joined my father in India, and I completed my secondary education at the Belgaum Military School. I then completed my Bachelor of Engineering at the Gogte Institute of Technology in Belgaum in 1985.
Following my graduation, I worked for a while with CompuTact, a Bombay-based firm involved in the development of software for business houses.
In late 1986, I moved to Bangalore, and operated as a freelance programmer and consultant until 1989, when I helped found A.R.B.Constellation, a company involved with the development of software for the Indian domestic market.
In the period between 1989 and 1994, I was involved in various projects – including the first communication software developed in India, and was chief programmer for the award winning communications host system – CyberNet.
Today, I specialise in Corporate computing strategies and the identification of appropriate technologies.
I enjoy writing, especially “humanized” technology articles that not only describe a concept, but also give it a practical base. My articles have appeared in various publications, including some of India’s leading technology journals such as PC Quest and DataQuest. I am especially known for my articles related to datacommunication and the Internet, as well as Linux — an Operating System I have been involved with since 1993. I am an active member of the Bangalore Linux User Group.
I appear to be a much sought-after public speaker. I enjoy stripping technology of its mystique and making it comprehensible to laymen. My technology seminars enjoy great success interms of both participation as well as attendee satisfaction.
I married my college sweetheart, Shubha, in 1987, and we have one daughter – Geetanjali, born in 1990.
I speak, read and write in English and German, am an amateur musician and am a voracious reader of both printed and online material. I enjoy reading, especially science fiction, which naturally means that Issac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke rank very high with me. Both the Asimov’s “Foundation” series and Clarke’s “Rama” series are my all-time favourites. Not only are they entertaining, but they are a stark, brutal commentary on present-day social situations, too.
I was once asked what my personal motto is. Funnily enough, I had never really decided on one, but looking back on my life, I guess it would be:
“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life”
–Confucius
But if you really dig, you’ll find that this line describes me best:
“You aren’t remembered for doing what is expected of you”
Perfect.