Experiment for Experience

I wish I could imitate the unbelievable memory of Pawan Kumar the ex-chairman of vMoksha,” says Shankar Kodumudi, Technical Director–QA, AOL–Bangalore Development Center, excitedly. He points out, a good memory helps to get ahead in any profession rather then say “Hello! I met you earlier. What’s your name?”

Kodumudi started his career in 1986 at Wipro within development and considers his stint later with TCS where he joined in 1988 as the best–as he experienced a huge learning curve there. Kodumudi then moved to Network Associates and joined AOL in April 2004.

A learning experience for him rather than a career nadir was with the setting up of a start-up in Silicon Valley. The call he feels was right but the end result was not what he hoped for. The experience was glorious in the sense that working in a start-up rather than established behemoths helps one to wear many hats. “Hot-blooded young tech professionals keen on establishing a start-up should go for it given an opportunity. It’s a training in life,” he reflects.

Kodumudi however cautions that one should not take risks blindfolded without considering options and understanding the prevalent circumstances. He did a start-up with nine years experience, when he was a bachelor. Would he get into a start-up now that he has a family? “No” is the emphatic answer. “Liabilities like these are also to be considered before venturing for one is responsible for one’s near and dear ones too.”
Kodumudi made a positive decision to move from being a hard-nosed development guy to a passionate quality assurance professional on an impulse six years back. “One aspect that I learnt after this move was to correct myself for having dismissed a field earlier as easy without knowing the nitty-gritty’s of it. Moving into quality made me see development in a new light.”