Back in 2017…
I joined as a Software Developer in FSS, one of the early Financial companies in India. I got placed for a decent package, and our batch was called “The Elite Batch”. An external mentor assigned to our batch, Ajay (AJ) cultivated an interest in Java. I can write another article about my experience with him, not here. It was quite challenging to survive in the company without knowing the depth of Java, but I did showcase my Ionic + Angular Skills to keep up my position in the team. I never knew the term called “Blockchain” by then.
Meeting the Man with the plan right here!
Surviving there for almost 7 months, it was yet another exhausting day when most of the people around me were talking about a guy who is into Bitcoins and trading. They did ask people to beware and not to hit a chance of talking to him. They sometimes call him the playboy of the company, lol. But, keeping the fun part aside, one day I met this man, Thangaraj Murugananthan (I call him Anna/bro). After meeting him for that one time, I realized why would anyone want to beware talking to him. He was more knowledgeable than the others in the company. He was smart and humble. His humbleness was misunderstood. Though I cannot resist speaking about our coffee times, midnight chai hangouts, frequent venting outs, I know this is not a post to talk about him.
In the days when I was trying to pass my 12th Maths exam, he was researching Blockchain technology. His technical knowledge with Blockchain sounded very cryptic to listen to and understand. However, he cultivated an interest in Blockchain within me. Those days, we only understood the Trading part of it. But, it was still only the Buy and Sell of it. We did not know to analyse. We open the chart, find the one with the highest number in red and purchase and wait for it to turn green and then sell. It was fun. We could not lose anything more than Rs.1000 on those days.
We did learn a lot with the small trading experiences during those days. This man spoke a lot about the technicalities of Blockchain. Though I did try to understand, I kept listening and asking some dumb questions. He never bothered, and always there to help. Time passed. My friend and I had to jump to another company for better technology and package. Even then, he did not make a move to jump for a better company. This had been a curious thought inside me, always asking about what his plan was and why in the world does he not switch with such a great mind. You might ask if I have the answer now! Yes, I have an answer now!! But, that’s vague and is just an assumption and guess from me.
Follow your passion, stick with what you love to do. Down the line, no matter what people say, be a Master in it and find a way to make money out of it.
_Thangaraj Murugananthan
Blockchain started from there
Having explored blockchain, he knew that the future of Payments will be on Blockchain. Being placed in a Financial company to learn the domain was a smart move by that Man from Pollachi, TN. He is one of the six finalists at the ‘Innovation showcase’ in the Digital India Blockchain event. He is now the Blockchain Solutions Lead at TroonDx.
He was an inspiration to many of us! I have now started learning development in ETH blockchain and making efforts to share my Blockchain knowledge with others. If you are also interested in learning with me, you can follow my posts under Develop on ETH.