As I sat down to work, after dinner, at the kitchen table of my in-law's home... cables strewn across the floor, two laptops, an ink-jet printer, my "crackberry" and my India phone, my son Mihir snapped this picture of me.
He said, "Dad this is very cool...in a few years when your look back at the tremendous success of HOK India, you will recall fondly it's early beginnings here at aai's (grandma's) house."
Boy is he right! We are going to take off in style, for sure. My early report from here is all very positive. We have fabulous clients, great experience and incredible opportunities. My kids and wife have been an integral part of HOK for 10 years and are also it's biggest cheerleaders. So when comments like these come from my son, I know I can take it to the bank!
My lost connections from my Architecture school (1976-1981) show up here and there. The other day I was speaking with a potential client of mine (Arun Mathur...common Indian name, kind of like John Smith). After we had been on the phone for 30 minutes I was convinced I recognized his voice as someone who was in my school three years ahead of me. I said to him, "Arun, you and I went to Architecture school together almost 27 years ago and you may not remember me but I remember you and your voice." This sparked a renewed and very exciting connection that took us back to almost three decades ago. We forgot about the project and chatted endlessly about our years as perpetually broke students of Architecture in New Delhi. Riding crowded buses, eating food from street vendors, staying up night after night working on our projects, midnight runs to eat ice cream at India Gate ... all this was better than the best days we have had since graduation. We went into architecture sharing a deep passion and love for what we do and the difference we wanted to make.
Our conversations centered around our obligation to the built environment and the responsibility we have; not just to our companies, but toward a greater well-being of the society at large. As students we wanted to make a difference and as mature professionals we realized that we were. He as a client, and I representing HOK on this fabulous journey into India.
It is so good to be back in India and catching up on all the things that have happened in the last 25 years. Our clients realize how much we want to participate in building India. They see our sincerety, commitment and all the hard work my fellow HOK'ers have put in over the last 7-8 years. This has been a great move for HOK. As I renew old connections, get oriented with the new India, and forge forward, I cannot help but think how fortunate I am to be doing this for HOK.
Yes, my friends...we are indeed off to a great start!
Rohit
Hi Rohit,
All of us Indians here at HOK San Francisco were excited to hear about the new Mumbai Office. It's great to be working for a firm with such a global footprint, but it is extra special when one foot (toe?) is in a country that means so much to you. Looking forward to HOK having a visionary presence in India!
Aditya Oruganti
HOK SF
Posted by: Aditya Oruganti | 04 September 2008 at 04:50 PM
Hi Rohit,
As Aditya said, I was also very excited when I learned about your laudable decision to move back to India and spearhead the HOK India office.
I am one of those avid HOK'ers who is following this blog very closely. I am glad to be sitting besides John Gilmore, who keeps me updated with all the good things that you and the HOK team has been doing in India.
Moving back to India, as I can imagine, might not have been an easy decision for you and your family but HOK India's success (so correctly predicted by Mihir!) will have a profound impact on HOK and India.
As I update my dad on HOK projects in Hyderabad and India, I wish you and HOK India all the very best.
Posted by: Nag Nagulapati | 17 September 2008 at 08:16 PM