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Photography: Agendra Kumar’s passion

The country manager of Veritas Software Solutions is passionate about photography. He tells Sudipta Dev how the wonders of nature inspire him to excel

He does not fit into the typical mould of a high-flying corporate executive leading an IT MNC in India. This is because Agendra Kumar is a man possessed by two passions which are equally close to his heart but are very different from each other—driving an IT sales force to exceed its targets, and capturing the beauty of nature and history within the frame of his camera. Kumar’s photography exhibition, Symphony of Silence, organised at the India Habitat Centre last year, proved that the mind of a techie could well complement the heart of an artist.

A self-taught shutter-bug, Kumar started taking photography as a serious hobby during his years at BITS Pilani. “The institute has a good library, and I read many books on the subject to hone my knowledge. We had a photography club…I ran workshops for fellow students and also organised competitions,” recalls Kumar. Meanwhile, the photographs that he would take during his summer vacations started appearing in many publications.

Career milestones

Natural and historic heritage: a few of Agendra Kumar’s favourite photographs

Soon after completing his education from BITS, he joined the IT industry in 1984. He worked with DCM Data Products in Bangalore. At a time when the industry was still in a nascent stage, it was not easy to ask the customer to buy a Rs 2 lakh computer to replace his Rs 10,000 electronic typewriter. “In the beginning we would ask the customer to take Word, which was difficult as they already had typewriters. In fact we used to sell computers with tables,” informs Kumar.

Starting his career in sales, he later moved into management. His next job was with Digital Equipment in New Delhi, where he made significant progress. The next turning point came during his stint at Silicon Graphics, where as the sales director for South Asian countries he played a significant role in building the organisation’s business in the region. He played a key part in bagging many prestigious projects from ONGC, the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the department of space and the department of telecommunications.

In 2002 Agendra joined Veritas and the company has grown many notches since then. “IDC rates us the number one storage software company in the country,” says the man with apparent pride. His dream is that the organisation should be regarded as a place where people are satisfied workers, and they in turn make customers happy.

From Hampi to Yosemite

All through his 20 years in the IT industry, Kumar simultaneously pursued his other passion, photography. His camera went with him everywhere—on his trips to the Americas, Europe and the Far East, and of course the historic sites of India. From the ruins of Hampi in India to the giant sequoias of Yosemite National Park in the US, his SLR has captured umpteen natural and man-made wonders. Declares Kumar, “When you take a picture, you can revisit a place again and again.” Mountains has always been a source of inspiration for him, and Kumar keeps going to the hills of Himachal Pradesh and UP to re-live the experience. When photographing heritage sites, his focus is more on capturing architectural details blended with a play of light and shadow.

His love of nature is not limited to capturing its beauty through the lens of his camera—he actually lives the experience. Though he works in New Delhi, Kumar has made his home in Faridabad, which is 25 kilometres away. The reason? His love of flowers. Kumar’s farm and home at Faridabad showcases several varieties of chrysanthemums and dahlias. His wife, who was a newsreader with Doordarshan for almost a decade, takes care of the farm; the couple has won many awards in flower shows. They also have a small workshop to help needy village women who are taught how to make things such as papier mache items and carry bags.

sudipta@expresscomputeronline.com