Episode 27 - Dhiraj Kumar

On my trip to India this week, I spent a day in Pune with my 84 year old Grandmother.  She retold me a story I’ve heard before about my father Girish Shah.  My grandfather Popatlal Hemani (our last name was changed to Shah by my Grandfather as was commonly done by refugees from the countryside then) was a tailor in Mumbai having fled Gujrat during WW2.  He was deaf and largely poor.  They lived in the then outskirts of Mumbai, in an area called Kandivali.  Their home was a single room with a kitchen where all six of them lived. 

My grandmother proudly said that my father was the bright and ambitious one.  He scored at the top of his class and when it came time to go to college he got into IIT Mumbai (Powai).  Ironically, life isn’t always about skill.  My father was actually #2 in his high school.  At the time entrance into IIT was not by a national exam, but rather offered to the #1 student in each high school.  In his case the #1 student decided not to go.  To this day I don’t know who that person was, but he literally changed the course of my father’s life and mine.  Every time I see kids running in the streets of Mumbai, I realize that for one person’s decision that could have been me.

IIT was the first of two significant opportunities that changed my father’s life. My father studied hard and then got a second rare opportunity.  UC Berkeley offered him not just admission but a scholarship to come to the US.   The story of his immigration is iconic for his era. He took a steamship from India through the Suez Canal with one suitcase and $50 dollars. 

I don’t know who in the US thought of allowing foreigners these opportunities in the 1960s but my father and I have them to thank.   I also believe this created a bi-directional obligation.  One to give back to the US economy (which he did with his early work on building the Point-of-sale credit card payment systems and I am continuing through the jobs created in the US by the two companies I have co-founded) and one to eventually give others in India the right to come to the US and continue this obviously ROI positive process for our economy and for humanity.

As you have read here we recently decided to move our engineering back to the US for largely cost reasons (ironic isn’t it).  While this will create even more jobs in the US, a few of our key guys from India will be needed to functionally make this work.  So we are bringing them over. 

One of these guys is Dhiraj Kumar.

As a CEO, there are many times you have to make tough decisions which are not pleasant but occasionally you get to do something that feels great.  Being able to offer Dhiraj the opportunity to come the US was one of those times.

Dhiraj grew up in a small town in Bihar.  His father, a school teacher, died with he was 5.  His mother, also a teacher, brought him and his brother up by herself in their hometown of Rampur. Dhiraj was smart and ambitious.  He was the first person from his village to goto IIT. He spent much of his savings buying his brother a truck so he could remove sand from near the river and sell it as building material in the middle of town (vs carrying it by hand).

He joined Riya as a QA person, but he was not content to be only that.  He aspires to learn to be a developer.  Recently, we sent 5 people to Java training 6 months ago and he was the only one who learned it well enough to transition to programming.  Today, he doesn’t just find the bugs he now is able to fix them himself most of the time. 

Dhiraj impressed the heck out of both of us.  His dedication and attention to detail is amazing.  He once drove to our IT guy’s house in Bangalore (who was not being super responsive), brought his laptop and made him fix something on the spot.  Dhiraj is willing to call anyone in the middle of the night (including me and Azhar) to fix a bug if it is live on the site and critical.

As Azhar and I were making the list of people who should come to the US, we knew we needed Dhiraj.  We knew he was someone we wanted by our side.   He had earned it as much as anyone and we felt good to be able to give him the opportunity. 

I remember the look on his face when we told him about the opportunity to come to the US.  He looked like he was going to cry tears of happiness.  He later told us that if he comes, he will be the first one from his village to every go to the US.

I had a hard a week last week, but Dhiraj Kumar was the highlight of my week.  Dhiraj Kumar thank you for everything you’ve done for us and welcome to California.

27 - Leadership team, 26 - India grows up, 25 - Million mice, 24 - Land Invasion, 23 - Nuclear Power Plant,
22 - Fast iteration , 21 - Like.com prognosis , 20 -Launch Video and More , 19 -PR Coverage of Like , 18 - Like.com Launches , 17 -Pre launch , 16 , 15 , 14 , 13 , 12 , 11 , 10 , 9 , 8 , 7 , 6 , 5 , 4 , 3 , 2 , 1 .

Comments

[Mallikarjun]

Hope we have not missed out another good QA person. Many time organizations move good people from QA to development who does'nt want to comeback to QA again. Later the organizations complain shortage of good QA people. I would like Dhiraj to remain in QA while Development knowledge will be additional feather in hat and very much useful for QA job.

[emlak]

thank you very nice topic thanks:)

[emlak]

thank you very nice topic thanks:)

[/pd]

These are good stories.. keep em coming !!

[Deepak Shenoy]

I feel a little ashamed reading this post; that somehow the opportunity of going to the US is somehow far better than being in India. I'm not the first from my village to go to the US, and I have got askance glances for choosing not to do so. As a choice, not from lack of opportunity.

I know you don't mean it - and you know the economy here is fantastic - but the underlying theme still screams out to me that the US is a way out better opportunity. A view I thought would have died by now, but I'm mistaken, I guess.

I wish Dhiraj all the best though, I hope he will be happy there.

[Ajay]

Its amazing that person who has graduated from IIT agreed to work in QA. Second it sounds so strange when they have so high respect for US opportunity. But I guess these are your people selection and keep them skills. Always a pleasure to read your blog. I wish I can be in Pune this time. By the way, have you guys thought of getting office in Pune, rather than in Banglore.

[Mrinal]

Always good to hear these stories and not become blaze about life here! All the best and Welcome to Dhiraj.

[Janet Chawla]

nice story munjal! :)

[India Counts]

Hi Friend.....

We have just released an Indian Blogs Directory. We plan to develop the largest online Indian Bloggers Community. So please go ahead and include your blog into our directory. You can link to us or write about us on your blog. Not mandatory for submission though.

You can submit your blog here:
http://indiacounts.com/

Regards
India Counts

[Carthik]

Munjal,

I love reading your blog - in fact, i just happened by it today, and the stories you write (real stories, that is) make for great reading. I spent most of the last half hour reading this blog! Thank you for making my day. No thanks for keeping me from work, though ;)

You should know that the link to Like at the top right does not point to like but points to this weblog instead. You might want to fix that.

Regards,
Carthik.

[Michael]

To Peter who said: "I feel a little ashamed reading this post; that somehow the opportunity of going to the US is somehow far better than being in India"

I didn't read it at all like that. To me Dhiraj's appreciation and happiness was surely far more likely driven by that fact that his CEO and company felt his contribution was important enough (and obviously liked him personally) to make the offer to remain with them. This versus any assumed 'because he gets to go to the US'. I don't think that was implied, and if you look from a perspective of what drives successful business entrepreneurs, I can guarentee it was this appreciation (of his appreciation) that drove the blog topic in the first place.

[Deepak Shenoy]

Michael, I was the one that made that comment. I might've agreed with you except when I re-read paragraphs three and four, it paints the picture I presumed. Yes, there wasn't much here in the 1960's so Munjal's father needed that opportunity and perhaps without it Munjal would be a street kid in Mumbai.

But to say that he gives back by providing other people that opportunity (to go to the US) insinuates that the situation today is not drastically different; that perhaps without such opportunities we will all be street kids in Mumbai. "...to eventually give others in India the right to come to the US and continue this obviously ROI positive process for our economy and for humanity."

For that insinuation, however unintentional and anathemic to Munjal's real beliefs, I feel ashamed. Not because we have no opportunities - oh, we do - but because we have not been able to convey that to the rest of the world, not even our own ex-citizens. And the "for humanity" simply says, "I'll set you free". We're already there, and way beyond - but what surprises me is that some people still think otherwise.

Dhiraj's story is moving - and to him, this may indeed be a great move, career and life wise. I don't want to take anything away from him - he's earned it.

[Vimal]

Hi Munjal

I generally do not read blogs. One of my friend told me to read yours' and I really liked it.

Rgds

[niheel]

Ironic Note:

There is a little irony in this story.
For being such an "on top of it" individual, Dhiraj in guju(dialect for section of india called gujurat) means "slow down" or "slow".

You made a good choice in wanting to bring him over.

[debbie wimpy]

i have
a picture of two men accepting award for 20 years in buisness for the way in shoe shop and to paper clipers.

[PARVU MARIANA]

HELLO! I'M FROM ROMANIA END I'LIKE THA SHOS,BAT I HAVAN'T MANY INAF FOR 1 SHOS,END I'HAVE TO GO ON 27 AUGUST TO THA WEDYNG OLSO THA DRES MIST.THA SHOS AR VERY,V.V.V. NICE BAT NOT FOR MY,YVAN I HAVE 38 YEAR.EVRY TIME I'OPAN MY CALCULATOR I ENGOY WHIT DEM.TANKS BECOSE YU EXIST.

[eva close]

I am looking for aravongiveaway@new balance.com to get in toa change to win a wardrobe of shoes

[shalom]

hi,am shalom,am a lady with a great sense of humour,i love fashion very much expecally the shoes not just flat shoes but the shoe with hills.i will like to partner with you.in my country there are so many people looking for this kind of your shoes to wear or buy but they cant get it all because they dont have the money to fly to your country to get what they want.i want to partner with you in the sense that you will get to know me much better because what i am trying to do is for you to ship in the shoes to my country whereby i will sell it for you here and send the money for you back to your country continously.i also have models that will want something like this that they will use for their shows such as:runways,billboard,advert and paegaent shows.not to say much.if you are interested send a mail to my box at shalomobi@yahoo.com.hope to here from you.

[Michael Thompson]

Would you get your crap off my computer ! I can't click on to who has sent e-mails ?
Thanks , Michael Thompson

[Michael Thompson]

I don't know what a URL is and just please get your add off of my computer ? I can't click on who sent me e-mails at my yahoo address !
Michael Thompson

[Ross]

Please remove me from your mail list. I am SO FRIGGIN TIRED OF POPUP ADS ON MY EMAIL SITE. IT DISTURBS MY VISION AND IS EXTREMELY ANNOYING! People are fed up with this crap - especially WHEN THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY! GET IT!

[Praveen Pandey]

Hi Munjal,
It is really weird to see how small is web world!
I know Dhiraj Kumar, we have some moment in Delhi for some time.
I am into Search Engine Marketing domain. I was just crossing by your blog & saw Dhiraj's pic & i wonder
how i found my friend.
Anyways, your blog posting is really great.

Praveen Pandey
India, Pune
+91 9823296501

[Brent]

Just a comment. There is no way from Like.com for a customer to ask a question. I am not able to place an order now, because I have a question not covered by the ad. I have never seen a retail site without a contact us e-mail to customer service option. The contact us is basically directions to your physical location. Hope this helps drive more business your way.

[Toki]

Thanks...Very Good info

[carol yanaga]

A doctor from India, studying childrens health issues and Emergency Room medicane introduced me to my doctor husband and this is an open letter to thank him.. He returned to India to work..Thank you DR. SHAW for many years of happyness and 5 wonderful children from my marrage..SO who knows what else the great people from other countrys will bring to this country..
ALL of my children have happy lives and high end jobs..My son has over 200 high paid employes. my family was in America be OHIO was a state. how american is that...So ALL Americans PLEASE KEEP AN OPEN MIND. My son-law also has a very fine restaurant..has over a dozen employees..This man from a dirt floor shack from Mexico.. Let us see BECAUSE of DR. shaw..there is over 215 jobs lost Water tanks not built for new homes (son) Great things invented for the space, one college professor not here, one physlologist not here. and one great rancher that raises your beef (daughters)..