Closing the Bengaluru chapter
I wrote this on my last flight out of the city that broke me on day one and pieced together a better version of me in the 3 years I spent there. Bengaluru meri jaan, you’ve no idea how much I’m going to miss you.
Almost everything I planned for this city went south, although looking back, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Here are the parts that I want to record and never forget.
Home @ 3798
When I moved in, I honestly thought you were a 1-year pit stop. But I have loved every single day I spent calling you my home. You were warm. You were tolerant. You were the first place in my life that I’ve called “my home”. Only god (me) knows how I’ve managed to pay your absurd rent that, in hindsight, you were worth every penny of.
Thank you for being a place that became the official hangout spot of my people. No matter the state of my relationships, you were a place that people always looked forward to coming. The parties we threw here were (Barney voice) legendary, that’s because our friends were there to witness it :)
In a metaphorical way, we both were blank slates in 2023, and slowly we added pieces that made us lively. Letting you go was the hardest decision I have made. You’ve no idea how many times I’ve teared up, but kahi pahochne ke liye kahi se nikalna bohot zaruri hota hain.
People
Vignesh, Kanika, Vivek, Sid (Headout Helmer), Tanvesh, Anjali, Aadil, Suuuchet, Atique, Raks, Sahana and last but definitely not least, Sid.
One doesn’t need a lot of time to understand that I’m a high-maintenance friend. Thank you for maintaining me 💙. Thank you for always showing up. Thank you for understanding how much everything meant to me. Thank you for making me want to host the most mundane of events as an excuse to meet you. I hope I was half the friend to you as you were to me.
No matter the place I am in, I hope that you know I’m always one call away.
Ecosystem
If there’s one thing that has changed me more than anything, it’s my industry. The startup ecosystem. I swear it’s a far stretch from perfect, but it has its own decor. I have nothing but to thank you for your generosity. I come from the land of cut-throat dhandha. Thank you for teaching me there’s more to it.
I was introduced to some of the most amazing people on complete random notes. Sometimes while sitting in third wave, sometimes while visiting the office of my favourite financial app, sometimes while tagging along with my insanely talented friends.
If you’re reading this and contemplating a Bengaluru move for its startup ecosystem, take this as a sign from the universe. It’s worth every single hurdle you’ll have to cross.
And finally, a much-needed thank you to the WTFund team & by extension Nikhil Kamath. A lot of what I did here was enabled by their belief in me.
The next chapter
I’d like to keep the next chapter a secret until I have more clarity. If you’re one of the very few I have mentioned it to, I’d love for you to keep it to yourself. I like presenting things my way :)