I first met Krishna in the summer of 2020. He’d moved to Dubai and joined my company as a digital advertising and SEO specialist. We’d discussed work over calls a few times before he moved and my first impression of him was that he had a strict ‘speak when spoken to’ policy, with his replies often confined to monosyllables.
My first in-person meeting with him was at a client’s office. I remember his first client meeting was with a particularly difficult person and I remember feeling extremely bad for Krishna because in my opinion, he was being sent straight into the lion’s den and his only weapon of defence was his SEO knowledge.
He was this tall, lanky, spectacled, guy who awkwardly stuck out his hand to greet me. In an attempt to break the ice, I made a bad joke about how it was good to finally see him in person. He smiled, but his eyes were glued to the floor. There was a certain boyish charm he possessed, which I found to be very endearing. I hoped the client would see it too before subjecting him to an intense grilling.
As my boss introduced Krishna to the client as a person who was very skilled, they wasted no time in putting his knowledge to the test. That first interaction, Krishna barely looked the client in the eye. But my boss was right. His knowledge of the industry was solid and although I’m sure the client didn’t hear much of what Krishna said, he exuberated a different sense of trust and confidence when he was speaking about his line of work and you couldn’t help but think that Krishna was someone you could bank upon.
In the months that followed, Krishna worked relentlessly to break out of his shell. He honed himself, took an obscene number of courses and worked hard on every area he felt he needed to grow. He delved into the intricacies of digital marketing and the psychology behind writing compelling ads. Whenever he stumbled upon something interesting, he’d eagerly share reading material with me. In return, he simply asked for proofreading help with important emails, which were generally well-written but sometimes needed an extra set of eyes to catch grammatical errors.
Krishna is someone who has bailed me out of numerous work-related screw-ups. I can’t even keep track of the times I’ve frantically called him, exclaiming, “Krishna, I messed this up!” only to hear his calm voice on the other side ask me, “What happened, Shalom?” before proceeding to douse the fire. In most cases, he had a simple fix. I made a mental note to thank him in person after one such incident that set off all the alarm bells.
But COVID hit before that and changed everything. After being confined to his room for close to 6 months, Krishna decided he wanted to move back to India. He missed his family and friends back home and with limited client interactions (or opportunities to socialize), he felt that going back would be the best option for him.
I don’t know if Krishna and I can be called friends. But after working together for over three years, there is a definite sense of comfort. No matter how busy a day is, we usually find at least 30 seconds during our calls to laugh about something. Apart from his technical expertise, his GIF game is something that I really admire. I mean, how can your day still be bad after seeing a funny GIF?
There are multiple instances where a conversation with Krishna has prompted me to think differently. But what stood out most for me (and has served as inspiration to write this blog) is a conversation I had with him earlier this month. There’s probably an unwritten rule that employees within the same company shouldn’t talk about losing their professional spirit and passion. And yet, in a moment of vulnerability, I broke this rule. While I expected awkward silence and a quick line to dismiss the incident, Krishna actually listened and told me not to lose that spark of creativity. His earnestness, belief and confidence were all I needed in that moment and I believe it was a conversation that helped get things rolling for me. In that moment, his growth both professionally and personally, really stood out to me. From being a person who wouldn’t really make eye contact to speaking confidently and with purpose, Krishna had come a long way and I couldn’t help but feel super proud of him.
For me, Krishna today is a living example of how hard work pays off. He’s burnt a lot of midnight oil and walked way out of his comfort zones. He single-handedly leads meetings and it is a pleasure to hear him speak with such command and gravitas. I know for a fact that no matter what he chooses to do or where he chooses to go, he will always be a valuable asset.
So Krishna, if you do get around to reading this humble tribute, I just want you to know that even though I call your GIFs lame and tease you about them, they actually make my day. Thank you for all the support and conversations I never knew I needed to have so badly. It has been a real pleasure watching you grow and I can’t wait to meet you in person and shake your hand. I’m certain this time, we will make eye contact :).