Tired of writing your record and feeling uninspired? Wondering where this path will take you? Who do you look to? Whose story keeps you going?

A ray of light in a moment of darkness. That's what some people's stories are. These are stories of those that resided once amongst you and me but their courage and work took them to heights much above where we are today. These are stories that have changed the world, as we know it.

The year was 1937. The place, Rameshwaram. A six-year-old boy ran along the banks of a river following his dad's ferry until it was out of his sight. Little did he know that one day he'd be running his country, India. APJ Abdul Kalam has undoubtedly been one of the biggest inspirations India has produced. A Bharat Ratna awardee, he truly has proved to be one of India’s gems, having contributed so much to its development and progress. Be it his many achievements as a scientist in the Defence Research and Development Organisation or his intimate involvement in India's space programmes or even his political role as the President of India, Abdul Kalam is proof of the fact that when you work towards something wholeheartedly and earnestly, it always works out for the best. Despite all the laurels to his name, the "Missile Man of India" has always remained simple and rooted. He has authored numerous books and his story will always remain etched in the hearts of all Indians. I recently had the opportunity to read his book "Wings of Fire" and I would recommend it to anyone who would appreciate the story of a humble man who wanted to see a change and then became it.

A year before the demise of Mr. Kalam, India got to witness another breakthrough. Hailing from a place not very far from Mr. Kalam’s, Satya Nadella was appointed the CEO of Microsoft on 4th February 2014.  As a young boy, he had always wanted to "build things". At the time of his appointment, he was 45 years old and had managed to build and amass a great reputation as an engineer,  business executive and most importantly - a leader.

Prior to working in Microsoft, he had worked in a company called Sun Microsystems where he served as a member of its technical staff. Before becoming the CEO, Nadella held a number of top positions in Microsoft's R&D division, Business division, and its Server and Tools division. His ideas pioneered the change in Microsoft's Technology culture and led to its substantial growth during his years of service. His keen interest in being open to working with other companies and technologies and in pushing every individual to perform to the best of his ability eventually lead to Microsoft revising its mission statement to "Empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more". Nadella had also authored a book titled Hit Refresh that explores his life, Microsoft and how technology will sculpt the future. A doting father, an avid reader of poetry and a huge cricket fan, Satya Nadella yet again proves that with courage and determination, anything is possible.

Barely a year and a half after Nadella’s appointment, another feather was added to India’s hat. In October 2015, Sundar Pichai was made the CEO of Google. Upon joining the company in 2004, his concentrated efforts on its product management and focus on its client software gave way to the release of not just Chromebook but also….. Google Drive! I personally wouldn’t be able to imagine a life without Google Drive! Sundar Pichai was also a very strong contender for the position of the CEO of Microsoft which, as we saw, ultimately went to Satya Nadella. He is also incidentally from Tamil Nadu, just like Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.  

And how can we forget the power couple of the engineering industry? Sudha Murthy made heads turn by becoming the first female engineer at TATA Engineering and Locomotive Company after writing a postcard to the company’s Chairman to complain about the gender bias at that point where an “only men” policy was being followed. She was granted a special interview and Voila! She was hired! While employed at TELCO, she met Narayana Murthy and they were soon married. Together they started Infosys which is now a multinational corporation with its ever-expanding boundaries including Technology, Outsourcing Services, Technology Solutions and Business Consulting. Together, they have built a vast empire and are one of the biggest entrepreneurs of India.  Narayana Murthy has even been listed among the 12 greatest entrepreneurs of our time by Fortune Magazine. He has also been awarded a Padma Vibhushan award and a Padma Shri in the year 2008. Sudha Murthy, in turn, has contributed immensely to society. She initiated a bold move to introduce computer and library facilities in all schools of Karnataka which has now become the norm all over India. She is best known for her social work and her contribution to Kannada literature and theatre.

Such is the talent and growth of the engineering sector in our country. Many such engineers have paved the way for the technological success and development of India. Our country’s economy and development status are where it is largely because of the determination and grit of these men and women. They did not start with much but with their vigor and their undying vision of seeing a better future, they’ve managed to make a mark for themselves in this world.

When Sudha Murthy was going to leave TELCO to join hands with her husband to found Infosys, JRD Tata gave her a piece of advice she holds on to even today. “No one is the owner of the money. You are only the trustee of money and it always changes hands. When you are successful, give back to the society that gave you so much goodwill”.