Dear Colleagues,
Today marks the culmination of my tenure at Wipro. And as oxymoronic as it may sound, I can’t help feeling this sweet sorrow as I brace myself up to leave port and embark on a new endeavor and bid adieu to this place that has been like a second home to me.
The past two years have been extraordinary. I still remember the poignant days from my first assignment here when we had to push the envelope each day to break new ground. The project called for immense commitment and copious sacrifices and the team willingly obliged. That included not only burning midnight oil to meet the tight deadlines but also, and most reluctantly, cancelling a New Year trip to Goa. But all is well that ends well. The inchoate hitches notwithstanding, our efforts eventually came to fruition and the project was a grand success and the compunction of not taking that trip to Goa was gleefully forgotten (I did eventually bunk office and took that trip afterwardsJ ). Had it not been for Chandra’s immaculate planning and Gaurav’s and Sudhir’s technical dexterity, it is beyond a shadow of doubt to assume that what we accomplished would never have been imaginable.
Life was a joy ride back then and I was cruising along briskly until I hit a brick wall. The devil-may-care attitude that I wore with mocking nonchalance came crashing down when I was diagnosed with cancer. In that one unfathomable moment I saw my entire life fall into pieces like broken glass. It was a life-changing event that veritably turned my perspective about everything on its head. I was shattered and devastated and distraught but I found great solace in the comforting words and gestures of my colleagues and friends who still believed that cancer could be beaten and that I deserved a second chance at life. They kept my faith up even when I was languishing in the vortex of despair. I wish to thank everyone here in Wipro for standing by me in those turbulent times.
I also wish to extend my heartfelt sense of gratitude to my superiors especially Chandra, Rajesh, Satyan, Nags, Sudhir, Gaurav, SriVidhya, Kotresh and Murali. Thank you for believing in my abilities and giving me a platform to showcase my skills. I did my best to stand up to your lofty expectations. I hope you enjoyed having me here as much as I enjoyed working with you. I sincerely believe that it was your commitment to quality, far-sighted vision and unwavering determination that propelled the project to the success that it eventually achieved. The people in the TED/HR department also deserve mention here, especially Jayshree. She single-handedly brought my affairs into order when I was ill. Despite the initial problems I was having with my insurance, she eventually sorted out everything. Thanks Jayshree. All the very best to all of you.
Special thanks are due to some of the most wonderful and fascinating friends I met here. Deserving special mention amongst these are Anuradha, Sudipta, Ashok, Aparajeeta, Manish, Amiya, Amar, Manoj, Jayaram, Badrish, Anil, Lalit, Dev, Sowmya and Anju. You guys are terrific and you are my most prized possessions. If I were to thank each of you individually, I'd have to write till eternity. So, let me cut the long story short and just say that I could always count on you no matter what. I wouldn't be the person I'm today without you. If I were to sift out the single most precious take-away from here in Wipro, it would be you. Your presence lends meaning to my life. Thanks. I wish nothing but the very best for you. Saying good bye to you feels just like another session of chemo. I'll miss you.
Finally, I wish the company a successful undertaking and a long lasting success.
“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
Good bye.