Gold Medal: What is real gold in life?

Niranjan Vedantam

On the 5^th of April 2005, people in the Auditorium started clapping as then Governor of Andhra Pradesh Shri. Susheel Kumar Shinde was presenting the Gold Medals to the meritorious students of JNTU during the convocation ceremony. All of a sudden, some one called from the dais, “Niranjan Vedantam”. That was when I stood and marched towards the Governor and he congratulated me and presented me the gold medal (Prof. Anjaneyulu Endowment Gold Medal) under the category “Best Outgoing Student in M. Tech Environment Management” for the batch, 2002-2004. I thought, receiving gold medal is a great achievement and things will be easy for me in life from then. However, things were not easy from that day onwards as people started questioning me “What Next?” and I was not at all comfortable with this. I was feeling restless and started applying for jobs everywhere.

It was then, on 23^rd April 2005, I got a job as an Environmental Engineer in a reputed company “Vimta Labs (P) Ltd” based in Cherlapally. As this was my first job, looking at the company environment I thought that things will be very easy. Soon after joining the company, I was asked to get ready for a three months field trip to Priya Cements factory based in Boincherlapally near Dronachalam, Kurnool district. I was shocked as I was not aware, what I have to do there for 3 months. Sooner, I started to learn many things including the process of cement manufacturing starting from mining a lime stone, crushing and packing the end product.  Starting from that project, I had been sent to various industries across India. In due course knowledge was flowing very rapidly in my mind. Some of the industries that I visited include Aluminium refinery, copper refinery, Coal based thermal power plants, paper mills, cement plants, Steel manufacturing, food processing units, distilleries etc. In addition to these industries, interestingly I had gained knowledge in mining sector as well which include coal mine (both open cast and underground), iron ore, bauxite mines, limestone mines etc. My first job journey as an environmental engineer, went on well in the above-mentioned fields where my physical and mental limits were tested. In due course I was also sent to Tanzania to Mufindi Paper Mills to carry out the Environmental Impact Assessment. This first international project was independently handled by me without any support from anyone.

Gaining some knowledge in the above-mentioned streams, made me to think about better opportunities elsewhere in the same stream. Again, started searching for jobs and secured manager – Environment job at B.S. Envi-tech P Ltd, also based in Hyderabad. It was 20^th September 2008; I was asked to join this company. Just when things were getting streamlined in my new job, my father passed away on 22-12-2008 and I was in shock due to his sad demise. My wife was pregnant when my father passed away. However, managed to work in this new job role for nearly one year and things started to work against me there. By the time I left this job my elder daughter Rameya was 9 months old, during September 2009. Again, the job hunt started and could manage to get a job in a 3 months project in Administrative Staff College of India. Time passed very quickly, and it was 1^st January 2010. This was the time when I could manage to get a decent job in an organization called Institute for Resource Analysis and Policy (IRAP) based in Punjagutta, Hyderabad. My position here was Research Officer and I was wondering how will I manage to do the research-oriented job without any experience in research. The Executive Director of IRAP, Dr. M. Dinesh Kumar is a real inspiration to me in this organization. He supported me to maximum possible extent in terms of building a career in natural resource management. Slowly, but steadily I was gaining grip in the subject and also became very quick in literature review.

As things were getting tougher and tougher, we were blessed with TWINS (Boy and Girl) on 11^th September 2013. It is evident that the family is growing and more responsibilities were added on my shoulders. Further, work was going on in full swing in terms of research, publications, training Programmes, workshops and the list goes on ad nauseum. One day, I had received an invitation to apply for a Environmental Manager job in Abu Dhabi. Without having a second thought, I applied for this position. Engineering and Research International LLC (ERI LLC) based in Abu Dhabi, sent me a confirmation for the position I applied in the month of October 2014. But now I had a greater challenge of convincing my boss Dr. M. Dinesh Kumar for my exit from IRAP. Having said this, it was not at all an easy decision for me to resign from IRAP and plan my next job in ERI LLC. However, one day we had a meeting at the Rural Development department in the lower tank bund for a discussion on a project proposal. Once the meeting got over, me and Dr. Dinesh Kumar were heading back to our IRAP office in his Car. While he was driving the car, in a low voice I explained to him, about the new opportunity which I got in ERI LLC. My boss immediately asked me not to leave and promised me to raise my salary considerably so that I can meet my growing family needs. But without hesitation I refused and said that I want to leave to Abu Dhabi. Any way Dr. Dinesh had nothing to lose and said “OK Niranjan, All the Best for The New Opportunity!”. After reaching the office, I personally thanked him and resigned from my job in IRAP. Soon after the training Programme (Sponsored by Sheladia Consultant) was completed in the Month of November 2014, I had to face my last working day in IRAP. With heavy heart, I was thanking one and all in IRAP for extending their support to me for nearly 5 years. I think it was 30^th November 2014, I was facilitated with a small memento (Lord Ganesh) by Dr. Dinesh Kumar and Sivamohan Sir. Not knowing about my future prospects, I simply (blindly) prepared myself for the Abu Dhabi Job and was fully confident to go there.

It was 31^st of December 2014 at about 1.30PM in Abu Dhabi when I reached ERI LLC. After joining there, my work permit was for 2 years only. I worked there sincerely and made many good contacts. My boss there was from Pakistan, Mr. Joquam Rodrigues and to my surpirise, he was a gem of a person. I became more confident while interacting with people from different nationalities (USA, ETHIOPIA, SAUDI ARABIA, TANZANIA, PAKISTAN, SRILANKA, BANGLADESH, EGYPT, UK……). I had to come back to India again on March 2017 as I could not get extension of my work permit. In the meantime, I got an offer in a Dubai Based Company NeemTech.  Immediately we all got busy preparing the documents and paper works necessary for the visa processing. It was May 17^th, 2017, when I reached NeemTech and signed the offer letter. First day in the new office was excellent after having an interaction with the Managing Director, Mr. D.S. Narayana. Within a day, I managed to get an accommodation (Bed Space) in Karama, Dubai, which was just 15 minutes walk from NeemTech.  After three months of working in NeemTech, the true colours and intentions of Mr. D.S. Narayana came out for my surprise as he wanted to pay me only half of the salary that was originally agreed. However, without arguing with him, I got busy with proposals, tender works and daily works. I was silent for the next three months as well. Observing my calm attitude, D.S. Narayana starting playing even more foul games with me and said, he will be able to pay the half salary, provided I get projects to the company. This was a biggest shock in my life and without hesitating I resigned from this company through email. In stead of acknowledging my resignation, he sent me a long email stating that I did not perform well. I built up some courage and went to the Labor Department in Dubai on 20^th February 2018 and filed a complaint (about the salary) against him. Subsequently I had to file a case against D.S. Narayana in the Dubai Civil Court. After sleepless nights and court 5 court hearings, I won the case. However, things were not that easy in Dubai when it comes to court cases. D.S. Narayana appealed against the court order and started to drag the case for 3 more months. In the meantime, I was struggling very hard in Dubai, and was forced to come back to India, just for my family.

After reaching Hyderabad from Dubai on 15^th September 2018, I was again in search of job and was jobless for nearly 3 more months. Somehow, managed to get a job in Geosys Pvt Ltd, based in Ameerpet which belongs to one of my best friends. I joined this company in the month of January 2019 as an operations manager and was responsible to organize and manage this GIS training institute. I did very well and picked up within a span of 20 days. Since this was a training institute, I had to earn my own salary by organizing training Programmes every month. I was made responsible for end to end operations of the office starting from recruiting, paying salaries, teaching/training, marketing, bringing in new trainees every month…..so on and so forth. After working there for nearly for 11 months, I had decided to resign from this company as well due to deductions in my salary for no fault of mine. Here again, I was exploited by my friend. These days we don’t really know whom to believe and whom not to. I was not able to meet the minimum needs of my family. On top of this, in the year 2020 lock-down was declared by the Government due to the COVID-19 situation. During the relief time in the lockdown period, I started doing all odd jobs (not exactly odd) for earning some money on daily basis. Dragging my family with limited resources was really tough as nobody supported me except my WILL POWER to survive.

After the lockdown was completely lifted, I did some freelance consultancy works in Environmental Monitoring. Slowly situations in the market also started improving. December 2020, got a new job as a CRM Manager in a renowned Real Estate company “Saket Engineers”. Even here the old staff of Saket Engineers had problems with me, as I was getting special attention from one of the Directors who really liked my working style and sincerity. The marketing manager Mr. Saikrishna Vadrevu also noticed the special attention I was getting from the Director and was really jealous about it. Intelligently and cunningly, he defamed me for not fault of mine and made sure from the management that I lose my job. On 17^th February 2022, I was asked to leave the office with immediate effect. I requested the Director Finance to allow me some more time for securing a new job, but she was harsh and refused to listen to me. I had no choice, but to leave that office immediately. On the same day I reached my home with tears in my eyes and my breathing was heavy. I gulped some water and calmed my mind, body and soul. Within 1 day secured a job in another real estate company with a manageable salary offer. Things were worse in this office as not even a single month they paid my salary on time.

This is the turning point in my life, when I called up Dr. Dinesh Kumar and explained him about my situation on 13^th or 14^th October 2022 (I vaguely remember the date). He then immediately asked me to reach IRAP for a formal discussion. I got some confidence again and accepted the offer which Dr. Dinesh Kumar had offered me and my position was Senior Researcher. On 20^th October 2022, I started my new life in IRAP which is like a rebirth in my understanding. I will never ever forget the support of Dr. Dinesh Kumar as today we are able to eat just because of this job. The only way I can stop worrying and earn is by performing well. Even though there are still some weaknesses in me, I will have to perform well for my existence. I am happy to share that as I am writing this content, I had already completed 1 year in IRAP again. All the credit goes to Dr. Dinesh Kumar and also the emotional support given by my family members.

This is not the end, but the beginning of a new improved life. If at all GOD is present, He is none other than people like Dr. Dinesh Kumar. I am not writing all this for the sake of writing, instead these are my real feelings. I will not stop writing from now on.