Strategic Account Executive, Singapore

The Absurdity of Hiring Processes: A Personal Experience

Recently, I had a mind-boggling encounter during a senior finance role interview at a prominent startup. After impressing the Finance Director and Controller, I expected an interview with CFO as a logical next step. Instead, I found myself facing an Independent Director—a puzzling addition to the process, especially with a CFO in place. What baffled me more was the interview's focus. Despite the role's clear scope within India, the Independent Director bombarded me with international tax inquiries, completely unrelated to the position or the company's operations. It felt like a ploy to glean free consultancy for personal matters. This experience left me questioning the rationale behind hiring protocols. Why subject candidates to irrelevant interrogations by individuals detached from the role's purview? It's disheartening to witness such a flawed process at the hands of those meant to guide a company's growth.

How Wankhede treated Indian Cricket team!

Border Gavaskar Trophy is underway. Ash anna recently retired and I can't consider myself lucky enough to see the 4 seniors play for the last time together. Getting to watch them at the iconic Wankhede stadium was nothing short of a dream. It was the third Test, Day 3, of the India vs. New Zealand series. The visitors were bowled out early, leaving India a modest target of 140+ runs. On paper, it seemed like a cakewalk. But, with an out-of-form top order and the ghost of Ajaz Patel's spin heroics, nothing was guaranteed. Ignoring all advices of skipping the match, I finally got my hands on tickets (in black of course). My faith in Wankhede's electric crowd promised this would be worth every penny. By the time I had reached the entry gates, there were atleast a thousand crazy fans waiting to enter on a Sunday morning. Young kids and teens talking in Bambaiya slangs in blue and white jerseys queuing up to see a team that is already down 2 matches and no guarantee of a win. As the chants of “India! India!” got louder, it was clear I wasn’t alone in the madness. While I was still in the queue, suddenly, the crowd inside went quiet. A wicket had fallen. Moments later, the roar of the crowd returned as Virat Kohli walked out to bat. The excitement was short-lived though, as Kohli was run out soon after. India was 3 wickets down in no time. I feared the crowd might turn against the team looking at their passion. But, I was horribly wrong in questioning the unwavering passion of Mumbaikar’s for cricket. As wickets fell, tension was palpable. But this crowd was something else. No jeers, no anger, just unwavering faith. As Pant began his innings, crowd rallied behind him with chants of his name. Every run was applauded. As Pant completed half century, crowd went berserk, as if we had won the game. It didn’t matter that India was still on the back foot. It was a moment to cherish. As game progressed, chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya accompanied with Dhols kept getting louder. Now every dot ball was getting appreciated(Quite a downall)! Despite the setbacks, crowd kept the energy high with Mexican waves and synchronised rendition of Vande Mataram. Pure Goosebumps!! Between all the fervor, Wankhede showed true sportsmanship by appreciating every effort of opponents. Be it a failed catch attempt, or a good fielding effort, all got applause. I vividly remember how crowd appreciated Glen Philips standing on the boundary line for his bowling. After the game finished, crowd didn't waste a minute to wait, expressing their disappointment. The only 2 NZ fans in the stands teased us, 'We can't hear you anymore'. Mumbai fans instead gave back ,'You will hear us at the Lords'. That camaradiere and support was so refreshing to see. Rare to see these days. Wankhede that day wasn’t just a stadium; it was a living, breathing celebration of cricket. The fans showed the world how to love the game, support their team, and respect their opponents—all with civility and unmatched passion. No matter which team won, test cricket definitely did!

InMobi Eyes $10 Billion Valuation in 2025 India IPO

- InMobi is planning an IPO in India next year, targeting a $10 billion valuation, sources told TechCrunch. - The firm, currently domiciled in Singapore, will shift to India and list at the group level, including its advertising arm and Glance. - InMobi expects to generate over $700 million in annual revenue by March and has raised less than $300 million to date. - Founded in 2007, InMobi was the first Indian unicorn and now serves major clients like Mastercard, Samsung, and Coca-Cola. - Glance, a subsidiary, is piloting in the U.S. and plans to launch a generative AI-powered version to enhance user experience and drive commerce. Source: Techcrunch