Of Dexter, Samurai Jack and an Inspiration

Many bosses possess attacks that can immobilize you, hold you, disorient you or put you to sleep. Some actually inspire you. While some people think of Gandhi, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and their mothers as inspirations, I would like to introduce you to man who looks a lot like Samurai Jack and Dexter. Jaideep V.G., at 29 years, owns an apartment in Bangalore, drives an Opel Corsa, has a personal digital assistant and an Apple iPod MP3 player. Chief, as I call him will go all the way home to make you soup when you have a cold.

When I was introduced to Chief, I expected to see a mildly patriarchal man with a receding hairline, a beer belly and generally grumpy. My previous bosses had everything to do with the stereotyping and hence, the fear. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find him wearing sneakers, long hair, torn jeans and a faded t-shirt.

After working at a newspaper, working in a magazine is a complete paradigm shift in terms of deadlines, style of writing and work timings. Being a sub-editor when you are just out of college and having reporters who are at least five years your senior can be quite intimidating. But Chief had the knack of making all the ‘boo-boos’ go away; like they never even existed in the first place. Like the multiple spell checks and the frequent computer breakdowns.

Chief is the one who taught me that work can only be enjoyed if you have the ability to not only to surround yourself with inspiring people, but to have the ability to siphon that inspiration into something that can change the world. He also taught me two of the most important things in the world:

The best work in the world is done by people who don’t know what they are doing. Confusion is the best state of mind. It keeps you thinking perpetually and on your toes.

That, coming from a man who wears Converse All Stars sneakers with his business suits, comes to work seven days a week and can’t make an omelet, is an inspiration.


Here's to you, Chief.