Dec
23
Filed Under (Life) by Thejesh GN on 23-12-2009

There are so many things, that I want to do in my life. Life these days is so fast paced (or slow paced) that you rarely get a chance to do what you want. Along with personal inabilities that we fight, other close constraints like society, money, fear, family responsibilities, friends and competition will try to stop you from doing what you want.

I have been thinking about it for more than a year now and its mostly my personal inability to make up my mind which stopped me doing this. My parents, friends above all my sister (my main source of strength) were so supportive. They weren’t even shocked when they heard the **news from me**. I think the delay was due to make up my mind wrt to money.

Its not very easy make up your mind to live in 1/3rd of your original salary. But thanks to family and friends, I am taking an year off (community empathy sabbatical) to work for NGO. I am happy that i didn’t take too long to decide :) and this is going to be a refreshing change after completing seven years in IT industry.

I would have let you guys know much before but there were so many confusions. Now that it is confirmed

From: community empathy
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 7:50 PM
To: Thejesh G. N.
Subject: FW: Congratulations!

Dear Thejesh,

Congratulations !

We are glad to inform you that your application
to proceed on sabbatical for community service
has been approved by the selection committee.
The approval is done as per details below :

Organization : Janaagraha
Location : Bangalore
Role : Technology Manager
Duration : 1 year
Monetary Emolument from NGO: None
...
...
...
We wish you the very best in your venture
Regards,
Community Empathy Team

The sabbatical is going to start on Jan/15/2009 Jan/15/2010 and will be till Jan/15/2010 Jan/15/2011. I will be working with Janaagraha, Bangalore. I will write about the things I will doing at Janaagrah in a different post. But All I can say is, its very interesting.

I hope I can make a difference. BTW leave any tips that you have to save money and live frugal. 2010 is going to be an year of experiments.


 
32 Comments posted on "Sabbatical : Time for unofficial official announcement"
Veera on December 23rd, 2009 at 7:08 PM #

All the very best, Thej!


benly on December 23rd, 2009 at 7:12 PM #

Isnt he awesome? I’m glad n jealous. RT @thej: Thejesh GN » Sabbatical : Time for unofficial official announcement http://bit.ly/7DQ1Qb

This comment was originally posted on Twitter


jyoti on December 23rd, 2009 at 7:16 PM #

gud work,wishing u best of luck.


Thejesh GN on December 23rd, 2009 at 7:24 PM #

@Veera @jyoti : Thanks guys.


Raj Melville on December 23rd, 2009 at 7:32 PM #

Congrats on the new move – look forward to hearing of your new adventures. Hope we get to meet eventually


abhishek on December 23rd, 2009 at 7:33 PM #

All the very best Sir. Am sure you will leave a mark. :)


nisha on December 23rd, 2009 at 8:33 PM #

You said it: “I am happy that i didn’t take too long to decide”! Congratulations!! It is brave of you and hope you will find it worth the effort. Stay positive and attempt not to judge the NGO from a perspective that romanticises the NGOs and NGOwalas/walis and I feel that you will find it worth it – NGOs and its people exist and work in a given context that they attempt to influence but they also get influenced by it … Living on 1/3rd of the salary, well, differs from person to person but consider work related travels and visits as holidays and indulge at home than restauranting and baranting to save some Rs. Wish you very-very best!


Thejesh GN on December 23rd, 2009 at 8:52 PM #

@nisha : Nisha, thanks a lot. I wont try to judge/grade until I finish my term.
@jasmine441 : My pleasure.


Rajiv Mathew on December 23rd, 2009 at 9:59 PM #

Dude, hats off!!


Manoj on December 23rd, 2009 at 10:32 PM #

That’s a nice move. Good luck :)


Krishna Chaitanya.T on December 23rd, 2009 at 11:58 PM #

Hatsoff brother! Ur a real geek!! All the very best!!!


Prasanna on December 24th, 2009 at 7:51 AM #

Fantastic decision Thej! Try to come for one more meet in Bang DC before u take the sabbatical!


Jayadeep Purushothaman on December 24th, 2009 at 9:45 AM #

Congratulations and I appreciate the courage in you that many of us do not have it in us. I had thought about this many times and never made it. Wish you the very best! I am sure you will be a better person after this experience.

I think you already are on a frugal path – cycling instead of driving a car is a green thing to do as well.


Shreevathsa on December 24th, 2009 at 10:10 AM #

Congratulations !!..Its great Move..All the Best


varunkumarm on December 24th, 2009 at 10:51 AM #

Hats off thej. You are one of the role models for guys in this industry. Wish you all the best


Ashly A K on December 24th, 2009 at 2:12 PM #

Great !!! I am jealous !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All the best !!!


Thejesh GN on December 24th, 2009 at 4:05 PM #

@Rajiv Mathew : Thanks bud.
@Manoj @Krishna Chaitanya.T @Prasanna : THanks a ton guys.
@Jayadeep Purushothaman : Yeah, cycling helps. I am planning to use BMTC. But yeah as Nisha suggested, I need to sto eating outside.
@Shreevathsa : Thanks.
@varunkumarm : I am humbled thanks.


Thejesh GN on December 24th, 2009 at 4:06 PM #

@Ashly A K : Hey thanks. I am sure you are :) I will catch you once I reach Bangalore.


Naveen Arur on December 24th, 2009 at 6:52 PM #

awesome move buddy! all the best


Hariharan on December 24th, 2009 at 8:53 PM #

Nice news Thej..all the best..From money saving perspective, i would say avoid run of the mill movies at expensive multiplxes if possible.


Manasa on December 24th, 2009 at 10:11 PM #

Tough decision. Reminds me of my friend who worked for a NGO for about 3 months after she quit her job saying that she wants to do something good for her nation before joining her husband in US.

All the best :)


Thejesh GN on December 25th, 2009 at 10:36 AM #

@Naveen Arur : thanks a lot Naveen.
@Hariharan : I am sure, I will stop watching most of them except one like Avatar :)
@Manasa : thanks Manasa.


sreedhar on December 28th, 2009 at 9:28 PM #

Hi Thejesh,
I personally went to Janaagraha and met Jasmine and others.
I am one of the volunteer in WISA program of Janaagraha.
I felt very happy working for that project.
Janaagraha people are doing a great job.
I felt it personally.
They are different from other NGOs.
If you want to do social service with professional life that is the correct place.
Good Thejesh. And all the best.
Thanks
Sreedhar Ambati


Hari on December 29th, 2009 at 11:13 AM #

Congratulations Thej. This is a fantastic step. I have been *planning* to start my Social Enterprise and have been planning for the last 3 years. It’s easy to plan, but difficult to execute.

Are you living in Hyderabad by any chance? Pass me your number and will ping you next time when I am there.

Good luck and wish you all the very best.


Thejesh GN on December 29th, 2009 at 2:09 PM #

@sreedhar : thanks.
@Hari : Thanks a lot Hari.


deepak on December 30th, 2009 at 3:51 PM #

All the best Thej.. will follow your blog on this new venture!


Thejesh GN » The Bad Code Offset on January 4th, 2010 at 3:04 PM #

[...] become patron member next month (My this month’s budget for donation has been used. Also that I am trying live frugal, I can’t cross my monthly planned budget, so will wait till next month. Any wayWikipedia [...]


Prasanna LM on January 11th, 2010 at 11:47 AM #

Hi Thejesh, Glad to know this. You are setting a benchmark for the folks in IT industry. Keep up your good work. Wish you all the best.


darshanr on January 15th, 2010 at 4:36 PM #

Wish you All the best Thej..!!


TTA on January 15th, 2010 at 7:18 PM #

all the best…
Make a diff.


[...] I cant believe, its been three months already! Initially the idea was to write a blog post once a week about my new work. But then the [...]


Akbar on April 20th, 2010 at 6:45 PM #

Hi Thej,
You are a source of inspiration for a novice like me.
I had called u once regarding the procedure to apply for sabbatical.
well, I spoke to my Manager finally and waiting for his reply.
All the very best in your work
Regards,
Akbar.


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