My professional journey of 40 years post IIMA has been a mix of two careers. First innings was in the corporate world lasting over 24 years (including 2 years at L&T Bombay before coming to IIMA)... and the second one in the academic world. By and large, barring a few ups and downs, both have been hugely satisfying... fortunately!

 

But first, an update on personal front. The best thing that happened to me after graduating from IIMA was to get married to Neelam in December 1978... she is my soulmate and has made my life thoroughly enriching and fulfilling! She is a Professor in Psychology and teaches in a Delhi University college. 

 

We have two very loving daughters, Divya and Deepti. The elder one, Divya graduated from SRCC, Delhi and did her MBA from ISB Hyderabad. After working for a few years in India, she now lives in Singapore with her husband Arvind Kannan and their adorable daughter Shayana. Arvind, who passed out from IIM Bangalore, and Divya both are in the banking sector in Singapore. Our younger daughter Deepti lives with us, and is doing an internship after her graduation. 

 

Now about my professional journey after leaving Vastrapur. I started with Anand Automotive in their Calcutta office and enjoyed the excellent exposure I got as a young manager. 

 

About three years later, I changed jobs to relocate to Delhi and live with my parents when my siblings had moved out of Delhi. And from then on, remained in Delhi ever since! Looking back, though, a thought does sometimes cross my mind whether we should have taken a different path... but never mind, the rewards of good family times and strong bonding with extended families are good compensation! And our daughters cherish their growing up years with their grandparents (and so did their grandparents). 

 

To remain in Delhi, I worked with many north based companies viz. Eicher, Escorts, Shriram and Jubilant Lifesciences, mostly in Sales and Marketing roles. Starting 1990, moved to multi function roles, and later to CEO positions in two German joint venture companies. 

 

The struggle to keep moving up the hierarchy, made life hectic like for most of us, but the journey of about two decades has been enjoyable, with all the accompanying material rewards... but after reaching the top positions (in a limited way!), the view that I saw was somewhat of a let down! 

 

The mind started casting doubts whether I should continue on this journey for another 15 years or so! Whether the work life balance was an enjoyable one? Whether all the material trappings were worth it? The doubts kept coming back!

 

That’s when I made a rather risky(!) move in my mid-forties and began on a new career in academics. 

 

In 1998, I became a Professor at an upcoming business school, MDI Gurgaon, which has since flourished and grown to become a premier management institute in India. I could make such a move only because of the full support I got from Neelam (was it because I was only following her to academics??!!). No, seriously, she was the rock solid support to help me take the risk!

 

The shift was more difficult than I had anticipated, in multiple ways, and doubts were strong in the initial years when I had to face the difficulties of transitioning to a competent teacher/trainer, and live up to the expectations of young, bright, questioning minds ranking amongst the top 2 or 3 percentile. But fortunately all the doubts were short lived! 

 

The last 18 years have been very rewarding as a Professor; was awarded best teaching faculty many times by MDI and our students... but the real reward was the joy of sharing one’s experience and knowledge with young people, and seeing that it does make a difference to them!

 

I must admit, though, that such thoughts were not on my mind when I switched to academics... it was purely a selfish interest of getting a better work-life balance and having more control on one’s time and priorities. The fact that I didn’t have to look for new jobs for 18 long years (in industry I switched 5 times in that period!!) tells the story of my second inning – being your own boss (without the pressures of an entrepreneur!), semi retired pace, and plenty of family vacations!!

 

I superannuated earlier this year, and am now partly occupied in teaching, consulting and training programs and hoping to take up some new activity, but haven’t figured it out as yet!!

 

Vinodkalia16@gmail.com; Vinod.Kalia@hotmail.com; +91 9811272012