A lot of people ask me one question: How did you meet Alok?!
It’s a funny story; ‘coz we never met for the longest time ever – like for 14 months after becoming good friends. [For those who don’t know, I’m not based in Mumbai.] In the meanwhile, I had already become his editor and started helping him run trhs.
So finally after 4 odd years I’m sharing how I became friends with Alok. I would like to think this story is sheer Bloody #GoodLuck (and a bit of destiny 🙂 )
Flashback. Circa late November 2010.
One morning, while I was going through afaqs! – a website all advertising professionals go through every single day; I came across their blog section. This dude in a blue suit and a colourful shirt was staring at me. His name didn’t sound familiar to me (I was away from the country for 3-4 years, plus had a baby in between so wasn’t quite cued on the Indian startup scenario, even though “starting up” was the new sexy).
I quickly read ‘The Purple Well’ and noticed two things – the lingo was very north American (something that I could relate to) and there was a mention of Fleetwood Mac.
“The Lyrics from ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac enveloped the air:
Thunder only happens when it’s raining
Players only love you when they’re playing
….
Have you any dreams you’d like to sell”
Now, having grown up in a small town, not many people I had met in India had heard of Fleetwood Mac – a popular rock band of the 70’s. My elder sister (and only sibling) was a teen in the late 70’s and her music choices influenced me a great deal. Fleetwood Mac was a cassette she used to play very often.
This guy got me curious. I went to his blog rodinhood.com and started reading more.
Please tell me who I am…. (from the ‘Logical Song’)
‘The Ride’ caught my eye and sure enough, when I read it I came across these 2 paras that stunned me!
“Goraf seemed unperturbed. Comfortably Numb had ended and ‘Don’t Stop’ by Fleetwood Mac has started playing:
Don’t stop, thinking about tomorrow, Don’t stop, it’ll soon be here,
It’ll be, better than before,
Yesterday’s gone, yesterday’s gone.”
“There was a meditative quiet in the Cab. Supertramp’s ‘Logical Song’ was playing:
There are times when all the world’s asleep,
the questions run too deep
for such a simple man.”
I blinked a couple of times in disbelief.
‘Comfortably Numb’ happens to be my fav Pink Floyd song.
‘Don’t’ stop thinking about tomorrow’ has been played and sung in my house thousands of times.
BUT what really freaked me out, was Supertramp’s ‘Logical Song’. Their superhit album, ‘Breakfast in America’ was their ONLY album my sister had. And I knew every lyric of every song!!
How did this dude know all of my old fav songs??!!
I googled him and when I read contests2win – a bell rang immediately!! I distinctly remember telling my husband, “Hey remember that guy who started contests2win? Well he blogs on afaqs. Check him out (knowing that afaqs would be one of the windows open on his laptop too!). Cool stuff.”
I had no idea what Venture Capital was. The dude kept referring to moneybags. And I sorta just went with the flow.
I subscribed to his blogs. They started coming in my inbox and I got hooked.
Facebook Friends!
Somewhere on the site I noticed “Like my Business Page to get updates via Facebook”. In those days I used FB for two main reasons: To share my toddler’s pix with my friends. And to co-ordinate my school reunion.
So I liked Alok’s Business Page (doesn’t exist anymore) on Jan 1, 2011. I remember telling myself a nice day to like someone’s page! Imagine!!
In a week or so I received a facebook friend request from Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal….!
Now, I honestly thought he had some app to do that. Till then, I had only very very close friends, school friends and family connected with me on fb. No strangers. Let alone a startup celeb!
I thought about it for a couple of days (silly me!) and then I said, what the heck?! And accepted his friend request.
People who know me, know that I still don’t add strangers on my fb :). That day, I virtually befriended my first stranger and had absolutely no idea how that would change my professional life!
The Hyderabad Connection…
For the next few months I never bothered reading Alok’s status updates. I just read his blogs. Even shared a few. Till one day there was this mention of one Vijay Marur. Surely enough I had heard of him since I had worked in Hyderabad for a year.
Vijay Marur had apparently written something as a sequel/deja vu moment to one of Alok’s blogs – Just Jump. And Alok had posted about it.
That was the first time I commented on one of Alok’s statuses. And that was the beginning of our friendship… !
After that we would talk about all the music we listened to while growing up – Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Blondie, Donna Summer, Barry Manilow. [Even now, when I catch a ride with Alok in Mumbai, he plays this game in the car (while Yadav his driver is driving, of course), “Let’s see which song comes up for you on my playlist…!” or “Bet you don’t know who’s sung this song!” 🙂 ]
Over the months, we’d talk about the movies we’d like or about wines – Sauvignon Blanc in particular. He’d write and post something and I’d give him my instant candid feedback.
But never in my wildest dreams had I thought becoming fb friends with Alok would ever make me look at each tomorrow differently. I mean, since Dec 2011, the first thing I think of each morning is, what’s happening on therodinhoods….?!
How I became his editor and eventually co-founder would be another #goodluck story.
I guess I’ll save that for another day…
@therodinhoods
@ashaonthebeach
Would love to hear your #goodluck story too!
ps: there are a few social media lessons (and perhaps lessons for life?!) here – haven’t listed them down ‘coz i wanted this to be a simple story 🙂
****
Dedicated to Friendship!
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You can also WIN Ashwin Sanghi’s book ’13 Steps to Bloody Good Luck’
by posting your #goodluck story on trhs!
*******
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal
Whoa! U remember a lot! Thanks!
Darshan Bhambiru
Now, That’s a Story!!! (never doubted, you write too well 🙂 )
If Two Books are counted for the same person, surely would Love to hear (READ) another #goodluck story as well.
Wishing You and Alok a Never Ending Story!!!
5 Habits worth Having!
Mind, which never Minds
Heart, which never Hurts
Brain, which never Drains
Touch, which never Pains &
Relation, which never Ends.
#JustBeingMysElf
Think – Do – Be
#WikiRH
Shilpi Mahajan
Wow Asha, thats quiet a #goodluck story! You write sooo well 🙂 totally amazing!
Kaizad Patel
Well Asha I have always been meaning to ask the same question …How did you meet Alok? I must say it is a #goodluck story not just for you but for all those who follow the Rodinhoods! The community would not be this well served by anyone else!
While we have not met in person yet we share a few connections… Alok, Est, Queen, Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac and now Vijay Marur too.
Now I am listening to comfortably numb and sipping on my afternoon coffee. ….I have become comfortably numb.
asha chaudhry
:))))
yeah kaiz – you and me share the hyd connection!!
the ‘est’ brochure i wrote won awards at the hyd ad club event – but i had moved abroad by then!
plus we’re both foodies and anal about customer service!!
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh QUEEN! i forgot to mention Freddie baba!
i’m gonna listen to a special queen playlist now!
btw – last night i listened to the logical song while writing this 🙂
music is such a great connector, huh?
asha chaudhry
🙂 thanks shilpi!
Anamika Joshi
Aah.. this even I was keen to know.. had no idea whatsoever about the roots.. so glad that this contest made you share this amazing story!!!!
Shilpi Choudhury
Nice one Asha 🙂
Sweta Samota
Thats great! Good to know.
Mohul Ghosh
Incredible story of dots getting connected.. and new legacy being created! Thank you for sharing this story, which needs to be framed along the golden corridors of The Rodinhoods. Amazing #GoodLuck for the entire Rodinhoods community 🙂
asha chaudhry
:))) thanks mohul – u are so kind!
asha chaudhry
ha! and just y’day i realised you are into joni mitchell too!!!
https://www.facebook.com/rodinhood/posts/10155366413015495
one more musician to exchange notes about :)))))
vikas chandra shah
By posting your entry and Alok putting his post , you both seem to be contesting for the competition “.. luck” ……………LOL
asha chaudhry
errrr vikas – alok already has the book. that’s why he commented on my post to inspire others.
and yes, i posted my good luck story to encourage other rodinhooders to post as well. there are 500 books to be won, so i would like to be one of them!!
Mridula Arora
Wow! Good Story & a good Writer!
asha chaudhry
🙂
thanks mridula! all of us have great stories. pls post yours to win the book!!!
Manish Sisodia
Wow Asha,
You should be penning a novel soon. If you could drum up facts in such an interesting manner what would happen if you dust up these facts with some fiction too !!
Some of those songs are my favs too.
Great read! Hoping to read more from you soon !!
Rgds
asha chaudhry
hey thanks manish!
my sister uttara chauhan has written 3 books (she’s a weekend writer). i’ve always written for a living so i guess i’d have to retire to get down to writing my books. yes, there are lots of book ideas in my head… let’s see if any materialise in this life time 🙂
Manish Sisodia
Hi Asha,
So its in the blood. Which books has Ms Uttara written?
I dont think you will need to retire. Probably writing books might turn out to be passion and profession.
Anyways I will be waiting for my free copy whenever you decide bcoz Im sure its going to be a superb read and a smashing hit.
Rgds
asha chaudhry
manish,
https://www.uttarachauhan.com/books.htm
🙂
asha chaudhry
thanks shilpi & sweta! just noticed i didn’t thank you two!!