Puneet

Born in a small town - Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, India, in 1977, I grew up very curious about the big, wide world outside of my own little one. And perhaps it is the same curiosity that always leads me to seek out opportunities outside of the ordinary. As a young girl on the brink of a new career, even as several of my peers and friends chased lucrative but conventional professions, I wanted to do something truly inspiring, something very different.

It was the year 2001 – a year that was to bring one of the biggest shocks our world was forced to reckon with. The Twins Towers of the World Trade Center in New York fell prey to a brutal terror attack and thousands of miles away – my world was shaken. I was consumed with trepidation for the safety of people – ordinary people, and naturally my own country too. I had this strong urge to do something actively, to fight back, to protect. I decided to join the Indian Army.

I started my journey with the armed force, just two days after the tragic attack, with the Chennai Officers Training Academy. When I graduated with 40 other women officers, it was a landmark achievement for me. And thereon I started off on an adventure that took me from one challenge to another – starting with my first posting in Sikkim, to being stationed wherever my country needed me to be to safeguard our borders and national security.

Several years later, when I made the decision to return to civilian life, what I didn’t quite factor in was that the world would be a completely changed place. So many new skills were now needed to venture into any industry, and I began to worry that I lacked the relevant experience and skillsets in demand. Not the one to give up easily, I obtained an MBA from IGNOU, and joined the Executive management programme for Army officers in the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore - India. I began to fear that this new workplace had no room for someone with such a background as unique as mine. I, nevertheless, continued to diversify my skills - I taught at a university and even delivered Pastoral Care at an International school. These were new experiences, in unfamiliar situations, and, of course, great learning.

Then came the opportunity to work with Infosys. The experience was intensive from the get-go. The selection and training process was tough, but I was ready for it all. I was onboarded to the Testing Environment and Monitoring system team, where I learned not only to identify issues but take steps to resolve issues to create robust apps while working across time zones and sometimes communication gaps! All the discipline, all the patience and perseverance that I had gathered in my days with the Army – came in handy now. I was lucky to have so many colleagues and mentors willingly support and help me every step of the way. Today, some of my best friends at work are 20 years my junior - but that only makes it all more fun and the learning relentless.

If you’re determined to achieve a goal, Infosys will help you leverage every skill, every innate talent you have to achieve it. You are not judged for not knowing something but encouraged to upskill yourself. And that’s exactly what I did. Infosys also has a flexible work environment, giving you the opportunity to branch out into different fields and figure out the best avenue to thrive. Today, I've moved on to the role of a Release Coordinator. It's something I've not done before but find extremely interesting.

With Infosys, I’ve expanded my horizons and delivered far beyond what I thought I had in me. I am a learner, a teacher, an IT professional and perhaps most importantly, a role model for my daughter. I want her to believe that dreams do come true for those who won’t take no for an answer, for those who are willing to learn and grow. And Infosys renews my own belief in all that too. Every day.