I look back at 2009 ...

Jan – New Year 2009 celebration was with my family at Tirupati joining my hands saying out prays… At that moment as I remember, I had nothing to ask but had received a lot so it was a Thanks giving prayer.

The year began with me working on a Project for ILO. I had made a come-back in Java development. This project was challenging and we were very close to deadline and used to reach home late night.

Feb – From this tight scheduled project my Manager approved my leave to attend Sun Tech days. That was my first visit to Tech city Hyderabad. Words are less to describe my lovely experience at this Charminarwala city.

March – We finally met the deadline of our project and there comes my appreciation letter from our client ILO for my security complying coding.

April – Got promoted as a Framework Architect. As a young developer I had many innovative ideas which were just budding in my minds, but this role gave me an opportunity to get these idea’s implemented. Working for this project in a new role was an amazing experience and that is where I had started taking baby steps in Web Application Security.

May –I attended “Security Testing Conference” as it appealed to my interest, where I met IBM AppScan Rational software Asia’s marketing head Randeep Chhabra. I learnt from this gentleman about IBM as an Organization. At my personal front my dad had decided to resign from his company where he served for 25 years and join us back in Pune from Delhi.

June – This month was like an offer season for my family. I got an offer to join IBM – Bangalore, my dad got the offer to join OIA and my sister had 3 offers in hand from Wipro, SONE, Avaya.

July – Mid year my family members and I were faced with a tough decision to move on in different directions to achieve career goals. Wasn’t easy for any one of us but it was per destined. I moved to Bangalore, Dad moved Ethiopia and sister stayed put with mom in Pune.

Taking the decision of relocating to Bangalore was easy but when I was packing my stuff, emptying my wardrobe, beautiful memories of pune flooded in my mind. Saying goodby to friends, relatives, family and Pune as a city was painful.

Aug – I was in my native place. My relatives, friends and cousins welcomed me with open arms. Joined project O2 UK and was made a proud member of eBPP. This was my first step in telecom domain. I organized the Bangalore tweetup and I met some really amazing people.

Sep – Settling in Bangalore was not an issue as I knew its local language and I had my relatives to take care of me. Every night before my eyes closed I had tears in my eyes … this soul was missing her family and the lovely place where she grew up as a kid, did her schooling and graduation, worked and built up some amazing relationships with many punekars. Professionally was growing more of as an IBMer. Attended IBM Rational software conference.

Oct – Learnt that this city is tech city by heart. I met many active user groups organizers and used to spend weekends in UG’s meetups and how to forget the funny part. I once told my uncle that I have never seen a Kannadiga’s marriage, and that’s it… Atleast once in 2 weeks I was there in a traditional outfit smiling at people at some1s marriage. At work I was in a Knowledge Transformation phase and there I got an opportunity to be Speaker at IBM developerWorks un-conference.

Nov – This month was where I had many crushes. First on Cloud computing, Web Services, SOA and finally Android. Being at IBM the plus point was I had opportunity to work in all these fields, but I had to make a pick. My dad one evening on a phone call just expressed “It’s my dream to have a home in Bangalore”.

Dec – My dad’s wish was somewhere echoing in my head and heart. Quote’s are always true “If U have a will and wish u always find a way” I found my way and fulfilled my dad’s wish “Finally I bought a 2 BHK flat of my own at Bannerghatta” which is 6 Km from my office. My year couldn’t have ended with more than this; I got an opportunity to be a part of IBM’s first GBS project on Android.

No one could have ever predicted my 2009 to be like this, so I believe that future is in our hands. We have to work towards it. Its not that I had a smooth and peaceful year. I did face lot of ups and downs but what I remember is the best that happened to me…this is how I have decided to live 2010 too.

I repeat…. I am living to witness miracles.