My Journey

A little about the journey that has shaped who I am, both professionally and personally.

Career

If you had asked me when I was younger what I wanted to become, I would almost certainly have said a mathematician. Life, however, had different plans. My career has taken me through social development, monitoring and evaluation, customer service, and eventually actuarial science. It is not the path I imagined, but it is one I am genuinely grateful for.

Although the industries have changed, one thing has remained constant. I have always enjoyed understanding how things work. Whether I was evaluating the impact of development programmes, helping customers make important financial decisions, or working with actuarial models today, I have always been drawn to solving problems and making sense of complexity.

Mathematics still holds a special place in my life. It was a subject I enjoyed and excelled at throughout much of my school years, and for a long time I imagined it being a central part of my future. Over time, however, my path took me in a different direction. I ended up studying social sciences rather than mathematics, which led me to experiences I value greatly, but my interest in mathematics never disappeared. I am still drawn to it and enjoy the challenge of returning to it, rebuilding my skills, and continuing to learn.

Education

I completed both my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, first in Hyderabad and later in Mumbai.

More than the qualifications themselves, what I value most from my time there is the mindset it helped develop. It encouraged me to think critically, question assumptions, and use evidence to understand complex problems. Those lessons continue to influence both my professional work and my everyday life.

Just as important were the people I met along the way. TISS brought together individuals from different backgrounds, regions, and experiences, and the conversations, friendships, and perspectives I gained there have stayed with me long after graduation. The people around me challenged the way I thought, introduced me to new ideas, and made those years some of the most meaningful of my life.

Languages

Language has always been one of my greatest interests. Growing up in India and later making the United Kingdom my home has allowed me to experience different cultures and communicate with people from a variety of backgrounds. Malayalam (മലയാളം) is my mother tongue, English has become an integral part of both my personal and professional life, and I also have professional working proficiency in Hindi (हिंदी).

My curiosity does not stop there. I have always wanted to learn more languages, and French, Spanish, Bengali, Tamil, and Mandarin are all on my list. I do not know whether I will ever become fluent enough to hold effortless conversations in all of them, but that is not really the point. For me, learning a language is about much more than vocabulary or grammar. It is about discovering new cultures, perspectives, and ways of thinking. I enjoy the journey just as much as the destination.

Outside of Work

I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes whenever I get the chance. Reading has always been another favourite pastime. For many years, I mostly read fiction, but over time I have found myself drawn more towards non-fiction. These days, I am usually reading about history, science, technology, or philosophy.

I am also learning Python simply because I enjoy understanding how software works. That curiosity naturally extends to Linux and open source software. Linux Mint has been my operating system of choice for some years. Most of my professional life has been spent using Windows because of work, but I always find myself returning to Linux in my own time. I enjoy exploring how systems fit together, and I have always been drawn to the philosophy behind open source software. There is something satisfying about software that is built collaboratively and shared freely.

Karate and piano are two hobbies that have followed a similar pattern throughout my life. I have practised both, taken long breaks from both, and always seem to find my way back. I would like to spend more time on each of them in the years ahead.

At heart, I am simply someone who enjoys learning. Whether it is mathematics, languages, programming, music, or something completely new, I am happiest when I am exploring ideas and developing new skills.