It was December 2009, and although I was still working on SaleRaja, it was now more as a burden than for interest. I was stumbling in the timelines for feature changes that I had set myself, my enthusiasm was low and I was unsure about what the future had in store for me and SaleRaja. Finally, after managing SaleRaja alone for the whole of 2009 , I decided to let it go and focus on my career through a job. That means I was soon looking for a job when at one time I thought that I would not have to find another job ever. My motivation levels were at an all-time low, and I was confused and unsure about what next?

But I decided to take a break from entrepreneurship, focus on my career through a normal job, and come back to entrepreneurship some years later. It was not an easy decision, and it took me around six months of consideration to finally stop running SaleRaja as a business. Looking back now, 16 months after that decision, I can laugh over those uncertain times and say that it might be one of the best decisions I ever took. The first few months were tough, as I… Read the rest

It was sometime in 2007, or 2008, when I was the team leader of the 99acres team in Noida. This incident happened during a planning meeting for future projects in 99acres which was attended by many senior people in the company. Product Managers, Sales Heads, Business Heads of 99acres and Jeevansathi, and I think even our COO was present during that meeting, not sure about him though. Being the one handling the tech team, I was giving time estimates for the different ideas / changes the top guns had on their list. It was one such idea for which I suggested a time estimation and somebody said that he thinks it should be done in these many days (obviously less than mine). As it was only an estimation, I thought about it a little more and reduced my estimation by a few days. At this point, Deepali Singh, who was the business head of 99acres said “Theek Theek Laga Lo”. The whole room burst into laughter at that point and it was a moment I still remember to this day. (“Theek Theek Laga Lo” is a Hindi slang for “Give me a right price” which is commonly used… Read the rest

This poem is inspired by an initiative “Gift your Organ” taken by my friend Sameer Dua who has taken this initiative for promoting the cause of Organ Donation.

I live for the bigger perspective,
Yet I enjoy the pleasure of each breath!
But when I see in the long term,
The only thing common is called death!!

I enjoy each and every moment I live,
And I like this journey to end never!
If you ask me my one wish,
I will say I want to live forever!!

To feel all the love and joy in this world,
All I have to do is open my eyes!
After death give mine to someone blind,
For I don’t want to miss the morning sunrise!!

A glance from a girl can turn on my heart,
Makes it beat and tells me I am still alive!
After death give mine to someone in need,
If not mine, another journey it will revive!!

When I die I don’t want you to shed tears,
For still alive are my eyes, heart, and liver!
Instead smile and give them… Read the rest

You can just rust, or go out all guns blazing,
Maybe sing a song, or paint a painting!
Pick a new passion, or an old hobby to revive,
Just pass thru life, or really feel what it is to be alive?

You can just rust, but do you really want to?
With so many peaks waiting to be conquered by you!
Feel the wind hit you, let you be drenched by rain,
Hop on a bus to nowhere, or catch a train!!

You can just rust, but the whole world awaits you,
There are friends to cherish, and dreams to pursue!
With books to read, and music to hear,
What are you waiting for, oh my dear!!

You can just rust, but do remember,
Time will fly by, and take what it has to offer!
You will get old, and your joints will pain,
So go get it, for this day will not come again!!

You can just rust, but this is your only life,
Open those blinds, or tear the curtains with a knife!
Let the world know, you lived… Read the rest

Sometimes I wonder,

How much of our lives these days,

Are lived following the trends,

Which the society follows as a craze!!

Why do when people have to talk,

It is customary to go for a drink?

We land up somewhere too loud,

Where you can do anything but talk!!

Why is the Rs 50 coffee so popular,

The only thing is you can talk for hours!

What happened to sitting and eating,

At a place which we can call ours!!

Why doesn’t it pain to tip Rs 50-100,

At a high end hotel, restaurant or bar!

Then why does it pain to contribute,

The same amount for a good cause!!

And how much do we indulge in,

Pleasing our taste buds by mindless eating!

Do we no longer care, or do we lack,

The self-power to deny anything appealing!!

Why is it ‘cool’ to spend more,

At a place which is high end!

It is time to ask ourselves,

Do we live only to follow the trend!!

Its… Read the rest

How many times have you experienced something so amazing that it is hard to believe if it is real? I guess there are not many moments. There might be a few unbelievable moments while you are on some vacation, or when you get some unexpected result, but overall our lives kind of “suck“… I just had an amazing time this weekend that I was asking myself “Is it for real?” And let me assure you, none of your “unreal, unbelievable” moments can match up to what I experienced!!

What I saw this past weekend was how life should be, and how it can be. It was the ideal life which our parents told us about when we were kids or the kind of life you find in books. A life full of joy, honesty, love and compassion for others and free of hatred, boredom or any kind of negative emotion. And I bet you can’t imagine what can it be like being amongst 96 like minded people over the last three days from 10 in the morning to midnight. There were people from 15 years of age to 70 years in the group, and at the end of it,… Read the rest

I came across this pic and could not stop wondering how true it is. It totally describes what our life has become these days. With the advent of internet and social networking, everything has moved to the screen of our laptop. We work on our laptop, we talk with friends on the laptop, we take a break by listening to music or watching movies, again on our laptop and many of us (atleast me) sleep with our laptop ON downloading some movie or software.

Isn’t it amazing how technology has influenced us? How facebook has become the first thing to do in the morning rather than brushing our teeth? And all this technology is only 10 years old. Ever wondered how we used to live our lives before that

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This is a tactic which I use whenever I have to make a choice, take a tough decision or to do anything which gets me thinking. I call it the “Best and Worst Case Score” tactic. I have been using this tactic for quite some time now and it has made many of my decisions an easy choice which otherwise would have looked daunting. I have used it to handle choices/decisions ranging from professional life to family / friends related issues to just day to day small choices. Normally we tend to regard situations as more important and serious than they actually are. Using this technique has helped me differentiate between the seemingly important decisions and the really important ones. The Tactic When faced with any situation where you have to make a decision or choice and you are confused or stuck somewhere –