Karthik's Thoughts (Come what may!!): 60 Few Thoughts! (60 Perhaps).

Few Thoughts on my 60th Birthday to look back at life!

Baker's Dozen Moments: (My Personality)

Turning diabetes into a catalyst for a disciplined and determined life is a testament to resilience.
Pursuing dream of an MBA after two decades of passing college, exemplifies my commitment to personal growth and education.
Venturing into Environmental Engineering as an unknown field in masters degree, 1983,showcases willingness to take intelligent risks and explore uncharted territories.
Embracing fatherhood with Radhu's birth marked the start of a beautiful journey into parenthood.
Witnessing Shravan and Radha's marriage within a year with the arrival of an amazing son / daughter-in-law is truly heartwarming.
Relocating from Tamil Nadu for career prospects 1985, (A culture I loathe even now) reflects dedication to progress and a better quality of life even embracing the unknown.
Taking Lalitha on a long-overdue USA trip, initiating a series of cherished travels, underscores commitment to shared experiences and creating memories.
Celebrating the pride of the 1971 war win, remains a significant moment that resonates across generations.
Joining Monsanto,2000, for steep growth, amidst challenges at BASF,exhibits courage to seek better opportunities and navigate through adversity.
Prioritizing caring for parents, despite cultural differences to come back to South India in 11 years, an unwavering commitment to family values.
Embracing a lifestyle focused on personal enrichment through reading, writing blogs, and self-reflection (Giving up movie, tv, cricket, social media etc as distractions) demonstrates pursuit of personal growth and depth.
The exposure to the Western world during the 1994 Basle Trip contributed to global perspective and enriched global mindset experiences.
Adapting to Bangalore life for 27 years showcases adaptability and appreciation for new environments. Permanent place makes family life better.

Top 10 books I cherished reading and added value. 1 Think and Grow Rich 2 What got you here wont get you there 3 7 Habits of highly effective people. 4 The Golden Gate 5 First Break all the rules. 6 The Day of the Jackal 7 Effective Executive 8 Final Diagnosis 9 Bad Luck and Trouble (Reacher) & Killing Floor 10 Making life right when it feels all wrong Top 10 Movies of my life 1 Enter the Dragon 2 The Rock 3 Great Escape 4 Where Eagles Dare 5 Taking of Phelham 1-2-3 (Old) 5 5 Men Army 6 Bullet Train 7 North Sea Hijack 8 Erin Brokovich 9 An Officer and a Gentlemen 10 Top Gun Maverick Top 10 Cities I enjoyed on Business Travel. 1 Rome 2 Melbourne 3 Bombay 3 Kanchipuram 4 Barcelona 5 Basle 5 Berlin 6 Seoul 7 Lahore 8 Manchester 9 London 9 New York 10 Tokyo / Kyoto

A-Ha Moments:-

1 Money is not everything, without money you are nothing. (400% salary rise didn’t bring happiness, I switched job in 3 months).

2 Gave up cigarette, +++ Non healthy habits/ food at one go at one night in 1989 never again, 35 years later, I wonder how I did it!

3 Performance matters, delivering results on time, on budget and keep up commitment, deliver bad news out fast. Helps you progress in life. Keeps relationship in tact with all (especially at work).

3 Never Lie, You have to remember- whom you told what, to cover up… Tough task.

4 Asking for forgiveness is far better than taking permissions. Break the rules, bend the law..!

5 God helps only those who help themselves. (Owning House)…..

6 More than getting big results, how you got the results matter, Behaviours drive you to excellence, not the results per se.

6 Only Idiot at death bed would wish he should have worked more to make more money. Work is l(e)ast of priority in life.

7 Intelligent risk taking in accepting first travel to Pakistan in the midst of Cargill crisis… (Gut feel, worked) lead to 20+ countries responsibilities.

8 Success in life is 90% Inspiration, 9% Prespiration and 1 % Luck. Luck matters.

8 Family first, relationship second, Work last. A great wife solves 99% of your problem.

9 Live, Love, Laugh. Delegate effortlessly everything possible.

10 You can work your unfulfilled dreams in your life through your children by giving to them what you couldn't have got due to your circumstances.

10 Responsibility is not handed on a platter, you have to steal it and run!

+ Bonus..... Marry and Love, choose a woman who loves you much more than you do.

The success in my life and career is indebted to the unwavering support I received from friends, colleagues, and managers. While I can't enumerate all, here are a few whose influence shaped my journey:

Late PKS Mani, Sandoz who extended loans during the hand-to-mouth phase from 1991 to 1993, enabling survival during challenging times with a baby in.
Vijayanarayan, M , (Vijay) Sandoz, whose insistence (Borderline threat!!) on upgrading computer skills in 1991 not only sparked my fascination for computers but also initiated a pivotal learning phase.
Jolanta Paull, my former Monsanto Manager, transcended the role of a boss and remains a cherished connection even two decades after leaving Monsanto. Her presence at Shravan's marriage, flying from Melbourne, speaks volumes.
Dr. VBV Rajan, in 1999 at BASF, instilled the wisdom that stability in one place is key to life and family success. His counsel on granting substantial independence to children resonates profoundly.
Anthony Wareham at Honeywell empowered me immensely. While the freedom was daunting, his support enabled us to tackle extraordinary challenges and achieve commendable results. (Acknowledging the golden handcuff, courtesy of Anthony!)
Exceptional directs/colleagues like Ashutosh, Naveen Sharma, Reyaz, Jayasanckar, Seshadri, Dinesh, Mahesh, Zeeshan, Imtiaz, Junaid, whose effortless contributions led to our collective success. Their dedication allowed me to revel in the glory of achievements. Thank you.
Zahid Islam and Dr. Rehman Khan, @ Pakistan, instrumental in pushing me beyond boundaries, laying the foundation for my International success. Somehow they saw potential in fairskinned, Lahori Look alike!
Mr. Kamlesh Udani and the other distinctive Ankleshwar management team at UNIQUE, provided boundless opportunities for growth from 1986 to 1991, where the fundamentals of effective and efficient work were ingrained in me.
Late Toni Bucci, whose guidance facilitated the seamless transition into a global role, managing 23 countries and 45 sites—an arduous yet fulfilling responsibility.
Michelle Ann Parashar, a true friend who offered insights into better understanding women and emphasized the importance of acknowledging a wife's desires and expecting rewards (with a laugh!). I was 35 then!!!

Of course many others!!

Regards

Karthik.

30/11/2023