On September 8th, I completed a decade at Capital One as an associate with over 13 years of overall association. Looking back, I realize how incredibly fortunate I've been to work with some amazing people and leaders. This journey has been filled with opportunities, challenges and growth, all thanks to the incredible individuals I've had the privilege working with. I want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude to those who have been instrumental in shaping my path.

Lavanya Raja: Lavanya was my first manager when I joined Auto Digital Servicing team and words can't fully express the gratitude I feel to this day. She is an exceptional leader, and I often find myself envious of those who work with her now. Gurjinder and I always joked that we see her as an elder sister - someone we would go to great lengths for. It's rare to develop such a bond in a professional setting, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had that with her.

Sriram Srinivasan: Sriram is a remarkable leader with a great clarity of thought. His first-principle approach to problem-solving left a lasting impact on me. He had more confidence in my abilities than I had in myself. He acknowledged strengths I didn't know were worth praising and pushed me to achieve things I never thought I could. His leadership expanded my horizons in ways I never imagined.

Janagaraj "Jana" Ragupathy: I had the pleasure working under Jana for around four months, but our connection goes beyond that as we were friends before he became my manager. We had lot of fun during the late nights we spent during 3D Challenges back when those were a big thing at Capital One. As a manager, he helped me gain clarity about my goals and aspirations. He is not only a brilliant engineer and leader but also an incredible human being. (This is for those who have some different ideas about my relationship with Jana).

Rhishi Joshi: Although I worked with Rhishi for a brief time, I can confidently say he is one of the most genuine people I have encountered. His concern for the growth and development of those in his organization is unparalleled. I am grateful for what he did for me and I enjoyed every moment of our time setting up the Tech Modernization Strategy for Dealer Originations.

Ajmal karuthakantakath: The majority of my time at Capital One has been spent under Ajmal's leadership. He is the most technically sound manager I have worked with, not only in terms of design but code as well, so thorough in his approach that I sometimes question my own abilities. He has been the glue who was able to keep the finest engineers in Capital One together for what is now over 6 years through myriad of organization and leadership changes. Without him as the pillar, the team would have long ago disintegrated. He is a deeply spiritual and thoughtful person, and being in his presence is always a calming and pleasant experience. You cannot be angry when he is in the room.

Of course, my journey wouldn't be complete without mentioning some of the amazing friends I have made along the way: Raghuram Madiraju, Gurjinder Singh Batra and Ishu Gupta - who are my brothers in this foreign land. I know I can reach out to any of them and they will be there for me (at least I hope so 😀).

I also cherished my connections with Abhay Jamwal, Karan Sachdev, Naveen Chitturi, Agam Doda, Abhishek Bora, Richa Verma, Japan Bhatt, Deepak Adalinge, Jordan Donais, Suresh Raghavan, Devi Kiran Gonuguntla, Krishna Chinthakayala and Maz Baig - as well as many others I might have missed in this emotional downpour.

Thank you all for being such an integral part of my Capital One journey.