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A key reason I work at Secure in Udaipur, is the exceptional work-life balance it’s possible to realise here. I also love that we create new things in the world, using advanced technology. But for me, deciding what to do in life, even choosing what to study at university, has always hinged on finding the best fit between my professional satisfaction and my wish to enjoy family, to support them, to enjoy our cultural celebrations, and to fuel a crazy passion for sporting events to the maximum.
I was born in Udaipur and lived and went to school in various districts in Rajasthan, depending on my parents’ jobs. Sketching and creative work came to me naturally, and in my late teens, I was enthusiastic about training to be an architect. I found an opportunity to shift to Jodhpur to take up that quest. At that time, my mother was teaching in a government school, out-of-station. My brother, five years elder to me, was studying in South India. After much deliberation between us, I saw my destiny was to be otherwise, and I opted to stay in Udaipur to be with my father, and study Computer Science.
Secure was well known on my university campus. We heard the training was exceptional here. In my third year, Umesh-ji came to share his insights about Secure. For those interested in campus placements (about 70 of us), five or six rounds of tests and interviews were conducted. Eventually six students were selected at the end of a thrilling day, and we officially took up our roles as engineering graduate trainees in July 2007. There were roughly thirty GETs from all over India during the first month of our intensive orientation and training. It was so much fun! We learnt one heck of a lot. At the end, when some left Udaipur to take up their roles elsewhere in the organisation, we actually cried!
Around the time I joined, Mast was established at Secure and started to run our annual social functions – most notably Sems Day. All of a sudden in my first real job as an engineer, I wasn’t filling my working hours engaged in coding and software development, I was dancing on a stage. I was trying out my energy as a compere. All my creative spark rushed to the fore and I just wanted to participate in absolutely everything that first Sems day! Before I joined, I’d not understood that cultural and sporting events are a massive part of our life here. It’s this fabric which actually binds us so strongly.
Meeting my soul mate at Secure, marrying him and continuing to work here is obviously a great blessing. Shortly before our daughter was born two-and-a-half years ago, as part of my role in the User Documentation team, I needed to attend a weekend workshop. Nandita ma’am was present. In-between learning how to create graphical user-manuals for our vast range of solutions, she cared for my well-being, and shared maternity advice. Maternity leave in India was three months then [today it’s six]. After Tiana was born, I felt my daughter’s health would be compromised if I gave up feeding at three months. Consideration for well-being is infused throughout our work here, and it gave me the courage to wonder about changing the norm. Instead of returning to office, I asked to spend a year working half my hours at home, and half at the office. That balance was ideal to meet the demands of my role and still care for Tiana.
Change can be uncomfortable, but it is required and here we are actively encouraged to question things. There is freedom to try out new things, we are not scared of failing, we keep identifying the need for changes in all spheres and we embrace changes as a joyful team, time and again.