A IIITian lost in the Software Industry

Way back in the year 2000, I had to make the most difficult choice in my life : to choose between IIIT-H and an OU/JNTU/REC. With an Eamcet Rank of 490 and 111 rank in the IIIT-Entrance, I thought that my choice whether right or wrong would decide my future. Whenever I am faced with a situation in which I had to make a decision, I would think of just one thing: "Am I going to get lost in the crowd by taking this path or am I going to be different from others?". Those were the days when EAMCET was loosing its sheen with the number of engineering seats increasing at a faster rate than the students appearing for EAMCET. On the other hand, IIIT was not a deemed university then.I attended the IIIT counselling with an undecisive mind. But then after interacting with some students at IIIT, I made my decision that IIIT is the place to be for me.

During my 4 years at IIIT, I never thought of doing some serious research on anything. Like any other middle class guy who has an educational loan to be repaid, my only expectation from IIIT, was to be placed into some good company with a hefty pay package. Yes I did it, I got into Infosys. I suddenly realised that the one thing I dreamt for throughout my life has come true. I could call myself Vikram Kumar G, Software Engineer, Infosys Technologies. But still somewhere I felt that I didnt deserve such a job, coz I didnt have the much needed self confidence.

When I was in my last semester, I have done a project at Pramati under Mr. Ramesh. It needed a lot of research but I was interested in it, bcoz the final outcome of the product we were trying to build would be something which has an application in the daily life. The project wasnt a success, but I wouldnt call it a failure either. It gave me such confidence that even I started to believe that I can build some good product some day.

After 2 years in the software industry, the same old feeling of 'getting lost in the crowd' started to haunt me. I made a reality check. Suppose I stay in the industry work for some 5-8 years, become a manager or get to an even better position, is this what I want frm my life?? Definitely not. I feel this is not the case with just me, a lot of my batchmates quit their jobs to pursue higher studies. The only reason being that the work offered to them in a company was not tapping their capabilities to the maximum.

As of now, I see myself as a soul lost in the crowd of the software industry. But I want things to change and I feel I can make it happen.