Humans Of iKeva: Abhinayaraj Raju

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Being dedicated to the work we do is great. However, if we’re too busy making a living and somehow missing out on making a life for ourselves, we need to pause and re-think. As the common saying goes: “You can’t do a good job if your job is all you do.” Apart from being passionate about work, it is also extremely important to have a work-life balance.

Today’s story is all about, one of our members:  Mr. Abhinayaraj Raju, who besides heading Calsoft Labs’ office in our Bangalore center, is deeply involved in spiritual pursuits.

How did he start out on his spiritual journey? How does he enrich his personal life?

How big does a role spirituality play in his life? What is his daily routine like? What is his mantra for maintaining the work-life balance?

Read on to find out!

Abhinayaraj hails from Pondicherry. Having a father who believed in humility and in all sections of the society mingling together, Mr. Abhinayaraj Raju finished his schooling from a government school in Pondicherry.

He went on to do his B. Tech in Computer Science Engineering from Pondicherry University. Right after college, he started working with an organization in Chennai and subsequently he decided to go ahead with his research on 4G Mobile communication. He went all the way to IIT Kharagpur to present his findings at an international conference and received a number of accolades for his research. He, then, moved on to working as an engineer in HCL Info Systems. Ltd.

His journey in Bangalore started in 2007 when he joinedAbroad Camp Group of Companies as a Senior Engineer. He also spent some time with Everex Communications. After working with PCS Tata Consultancies for an enriching period of 5 years he finally joined Calsoft, a start-up based in Chennai. The company’s head office was in Pune and he was responsible for managing multiple projects.

Calsoft had a good number of clients in Bangalore but had no office. Thus, was born the idea of establishing an office for the same company in Bangalore. During his research on office spaces, he came across iKeva and the quality of reception and service there helped him end his search.

Since a very young age, Abhinayaraj was inspired by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Dr. Kalam was his inspiration for taking up engineering. While he was in his final year of college, a need to find a higher purpose in life set him on his spiritual journey. He started exploring a lot of spiritual organizations and found solace in the words of Swami Vivekananda.

His interest in the concept of meditation increased and he started experimenting by himself.

Contrary to popular belief, he realized, that meditation is all about experiencing joy and peace and not about concentration. He also started practicing Pranayama techniques which his father had taught him as a child. Because of his temperament, he realized he needed a guru or an organization that could guide him on his journey… someone who could help him discover his true self.

In October 2003, when Abhinayaraj’s mother fell sick and his father was away on an official tour, he came across a doctor from AIMS. When he took his mother to the doctor, he saw the photograph of Shri Mata Ji Nirmala Devi, the founder of Sahaja yoga. Not only was he intrigued by the picture but also by the doctor’s personality. After a conversation with the doctor, he decided to visit Nirmala Devi’s Ashram.

In the Ashram, Abhinayaraj learned how every human has a spiritual instrument within themselves. He understood that yoga is not just about physical transformation but also a spiritual one. Thus, at the age of 21, he learned how to live a holistic life through Sahaja Yoga techniques. Abraham Maslow and his theory of self-actualization helped him as well on this spiritual journey. Through Yoga, he understood that not only could he become enlightened but also help others to get enlightened.

Professionally, Abhinayaraj knew that leading a team takes a lot of patience. With different kinds of people reporting to him, he had to make sure that he understood each one and help them sort out their problems. Meditation certainly helped him become more empathetic in his workplace. For instance, one of his direct reports was really bright but aggressive. With his patience, Abhinayarajgradually transformed his teammate.

Mr. Raju believes that there is no shortcut to success. His goal has was never to become the CEO or CFO. It has always been about passionate dedication to the work he does and that has made him successful.

According to him, no one needs to abandon their current life and migrate to the Himalayas to attain peace of mind.  Spiritual change can happen to anyone provided they are willing to accept it. He believes that money isn’t a bad thing. It’s just the general perspective towards money that is bad. He reflects, “The jobs that we do requires an immense amount of dedication. The conflict arises when you want to earn easy money through shortcuts.”

Sahaja Yoga played an active role in Abhinayaraj’s life. He met him at one of the Sahaja Yoga classes and they have been leading a happy married life for the past 8 years. They’ve also been blessed with a daughter. Sahaja Yoga has helped them create a joyful and peaceful home and it guides them in building a happy family.

Abhinayaraj’s day starts with meditation. He tries to spend quality time with his team every day. He talks to them and tries to understand their concerns and problems. Post that he gets involved in meetings, reviews, and client calls. Sometimes, his work gets so hectic that he gets calls until 11 PM. However, every day he makes sure that he goes home early to spend time with his family. He ends his day with meditation which helps me relax.

Balancing work and home is certainly not easy. However, it is not impossible either. All it takes is the willpower and the willingness to welcome change and to grow spiritually, just like our member, Mr. Abhinayraj Raju!