How did we meet? Where do we begin? A long time ago, in a far away land…
We were both studying at M.A College of Engineering, Kothamangalam, (a little town in Kerala, India) Hari in final year Computer Science engineering.
Maya one year junior doing her third year Electronics and Telecommunication engineering.
We both stood for elections, she as the Vice Chairman and
Hari as the Chairman, from opposite political parties (politics was a big deal in our college).
Happily we both won, and we decided in a spirit of détente that we were made for each other.
I proposed to Maya on May 4th, 1995, we were engaged on September 7th, 1996 and we
got married on January 25th 1998. We live in the US now, but still remember our college days fondly
Hari is currently doing a one year MBA program at the MIT Sloan School of Management called the MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Maya works at Microsoft in Redmond. We're spending one year shuttling between the two coasts of the US and racking up the frequent flier miles!
Our home in the real world...
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We live in Bothell, a suburb of Seattle.
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Our Roots...
We both hail from the land (rightly) known as "Gods Own Country" - Kerala
People all around the world have paid homage to this great land, in fact Christopher
Colombus came in search in Kerala - the spice coast of India - but had to be content with
finding America instead.
Kerala is a tourist paradise with exotic palm fringed beaches, spectacular festivals,
monsoon washed forests, lush plantations, friendly people and a 3000 year old history.
Geographically, Kerala is a heady amalgam of Nature's very best. The divine high ranges
of the Western Ghats on the east. The Arabian Sea on the west. Emerald paddy fields.
Virgin forests. Limpid backwaters. And beaches by the dozen, which in the days of yore,
lured adventurous hearts from all over the globe.Kerala is God's own land, untouched and
unparalleled.
Maya's home is in the port city of Cochin (Kochi). Set on a cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas,
Cochin reflects the eclecticism of Kerala perfectly. With a rich past and a bustling present, it
has been the business hub of the region from the very early days.
The influence of Chinese, Jews, Arabs and Europeans is evident in Cochin and its people. The oldest
church in India, 500-year-old Portugese houses, old tiled houses built in the Chinese pagoda style,
the famous Chinese fishing nets, a Jewish community whose roots go back to the Diaspora, synagogues
and mosques all tell the fascinating story of this harbour town.
Cochin is an attractive city with serene back-waters, lagoons overhung with
feathery coconut palms and picturesque islands.
Hari's home is in the capital of the state of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram or the City of
the Sacred Snake, is built over seven hills. Named after Anantha, the thousand - headed
serpent of Hindu mythology, the city is, decidedly, one of the cleaner and well-planned
cities of the country. The city's scenic appeal, its enchanting beaches, and overwhelming
greenery only add to its uniqueness. It embodies the magical feel of Kerala, as a whole,
and lends terrific insight into the culture of the state. The red-tiled roofs, the never-ending
stretches of palm trees, the maze of narrow, winding streets and above all, the sea, make for a
fascinating mixture. There is an element of understated and effortless elegance about the city.
If you want to know more about this great state, read this excellent article on Kerala..
