Today was my last day at Cisco WebEx – the stay here for me was short (16 months) but it was one of my sweetest and most fruitful in terms of work and achievement.

I am joining YouSendit (YSI) as the Director of Product Management for Enterprise starting from next week.

So, the obvious question is why am I leaving? – so, here are some thoughts that were in my mind when i made this decision:

• Growth was probably the most important reason to make this leap. When the YSI folks approached me regarding this opportunity around a month ago, I was initially not 100% sure about it. But then the more I talked to them – the hiring manager/team, the more due diligence I did about the company, the more interested i became about the role. For one, it gave me a chance to take more product leadership in a hot and happening company.
• YSI is currently a 180 people company but they are growing like crazy. There was a distinct buzz in that place when I talked to them – everybody was enthusiastic about the company and its growth prospects. I have always wanted to go back to start ups – but wasn’t sure to make the leap. But after talking to the team and knowing more about the role, I was sold on the decision to make the move. Besides, after working in a big company (Yahoo!) and an even bigger company (Cisco), I thought it was time for me to go back to a ‘roll-up-your-sleeves’ kinda role.
• There is no good time ever to leave a company – but one thing that I learned from leaving my job at Yahoo! was that I didn’t want to be a in a situation where I was willing to accept another role that was similar in nature. Since there was no compulsion to leave here (+ they were keeping me well), I only looked at opportunities that represented a bump in my career.
• Document collaboration is hot – you probably know that by now considering the crazy valuations that the companies are getting. So, yeah – i am probably walking into a tech bubble – but i don’t mind that. In the worst case, the bubble may burst, but I think the experience that I will gain from this gig will be invaluable (at least, that is what I think ).
• Lastly, YSI plans to go IPO soon – but of course, i did not take that into the equation #Kidding

Durga Puja is just around the corner. Here is an update on the list of Durga Pujas that are going to be celebrated in the Bay Area this year.

1. Sanskriti – October 1st and 2nd at Centerville Junior High School Auditorium, Fremont.
2. Prabasi – October 8th and 9th at Chabot College, Hayward.
3. Pashchimi – October 2nd – 7th at 3676 Delaware Drive, Fremont.
4. Livermore Hindu Temple – October 2nd – 7th at Livermore Hindu Temple.
5. BayBasi – October 1st and 2nd at Bowditch Middle School, Foster City

See u at one of the Pujas !

Cheers,
Thyaga

In a way, we could blame it on India’s schedule – immediately after the World Cup, even before the players got over the WC hangover, the IPL started. Yuvraj Singh was clearly still basking in the glory of the Player of the Tournament award in the World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar appeared more relaxed than ever in a cricket field now that his big ambition of a World Cup win was over etc. After the 2 month long IPL came the India – Windies series, a completely listless and useless series – but it gave chance to the players on the fringe to show their mettle. The only positive thing that came out of it was the bowling of Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma. Before you could blink an eyelid, the England series was around the corner.

England is a place where you need some time to get adjusted to – some of the Big guns in Indian cricket were coming back after a well-deserved break after IPL – Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan being the most important ones. The problem with modern day cricket is that it takes time for the body and mind to adjust to Test Matches – especially in conditions where the ball is swinging merrily and more importantly, where the bowlers in the opposition are good enough to take advantage of that situation, like the English bowlers are.  Also, the Fab 3 of Indian cricket – Dravid, Tendulkar and VVS are all approaching an age, where reflexes are generally on the wane and so, it takes that bit extra from them to be successful. Besides, Tendulkar was also coming back from a break.

The result is there to see – Dravid has been the most consistent and successful batsman from the Indian team so far (I shall not get into his slip fielding right now) – clearly not playing the WC and also playing the India-Windies tournament has kept him fresh, hungry and physically sharp for the tournament. VVS has played the odd good innings but perished to his pull shots 3 times in this series. On the other hand, Tendulkar seems to be sleep-walking in this series – i don’t agree to the fact that he is looking for his 100th ton – he is too good a player to worry about that. If he does not get it in the Test matches, the 1-dayers are there too. If not in England, then India is always there.

The problem is (and I say this tongue-n-cheek) that he may not have the same intensity as before. I have been following his cricket ever since he broke into the Indian cricket team (i still have the SportsWorld that carried a special edition on him way back in 1987). He has always been a person who has been passionate about winning. Having achieved pretty much everything – Test #1, World Cup, highest runs, 99 100s – he may be a little less intense in this tournament. Probably, he needs this failure to rekindle that fire – to egg him on to play fluently as he used to before.  To be fair to him, even i need to rekindle that energy to watch cricket again – after the World Cup, cricket matches have been a blur for me – it will need something special to turn that corner.

My gut says that it will be Tendulkar who will do that – here is to hoping that the rest of the series will see the best of Tendulkar again.

Sachin – knock, knock – are you there? – can you hear me? – dust the rust and put on your dancing shoes. India, more than ever, needs you today.

Good luck to all the teams

Happy New Year to all – may 2011 bring peace, happiness and joy to all.

- Thyaga