Meaning of “Janmejay”?
My first name “Janmejay” is a Hindi word taken from a Indian spiritual book called “Sudha Sagar”. I used to believe that the literal meaning of “Janmejay” roughly translated in English is “invincible since birth!” However, Janmejay Singh from USA sent me following e-mail in 2001 explaining the correct meaning of my first name:
My own name is derived from the Mahabharat king (Arjun’s great grandson, Abhimanyu’s grandson, and Parikshit’s son!!), “Janmejay” who had conducted the famous Naagyagya. The meaning of that name is “he who uplifts the people” or “he who makes people tremble”. I obviously prefer to popularize the first meaning!!
The derivation is from the noun “jan” (meaning people like in Janata) and the “ij” verb which gets converted into “ejay”.
I too at one point thought that the name meant “invincible since birth”, but a Sanskrit scholar at my college was kind enough to point out that in that case my name would have a very different pronunciation and spelling in Hindi!!
Rathore is my family name and implies that I am a descendant of the famous Rajput rulers who ruled the northern India (once upon a time…). Rathores claim to be the descendants of Lord Rama, the hero of Hindu epic Ramayana.
Formative Years
I finished my schooling in the early eighties. If you want to know what it was like to grow up in eighties without TV, Landline phones, Mobile, Internet, and Social Networks then please head to Garbage Bin site or their Facebook page. I enjoyed several outdoor activities including flying Kites, Soccer, Kabbadi, Cricket, Table Tennis, Badminton and many desi games.
In eighties, only few rich folks could afford one of the 2 cars available in India. In school, it was very hard to distinguish betwwen the rich and poor kids. My father worked for central government and his transfers took us to many different cities and cultures in India. I loved the “nomadic” life and the thrill of starting again in a new city. I did my schooling from a Kendriya Vidyalaya and was active in the co-curricular activities. I was particularly fond of drawing & painting. The school had some amazing teachers and some of them had profound impact in shaping my personality. I also remember the school fondly for introducing me to “The Beeb” – the famous computer in 1986. Most of my after school evenings were spent learning programming under a wonderful teacher who stayed back after school to teach only a handful of inquisitive kids.
College
I did my graduation from University of Delhi and simultaneously finished a 2 year diploma in programming. My college had one of the best libraries and I enjoyed reading lot of books. I then went on to do a MBA in HR. I continue to acquire knowledge in diverse areas without caring for certificates or degrees. Even before MOOC became so successful, I used to enjoy learning a lot. In 2009, I used a video tutorial from VTC to become a certified Project Manager. Most of my knowledge comes from self-learning.
Rat Race
I joined the rat race 20 years ago with a very innovative company. I had the privilege of working with some of the best people across the globe who pushed me very hard to bring out the best in me in several diverse areas. Over the years, I have done original work in several areas and have authored several guidelines. I get bored easily and therefore love working on diversified assignments. I have traveled a lot and worked with incredible people from diverse cultures. During the 20 years of professional journey, I have been part of or have managed hundreds of diversified projects with revenues ranging from few thousand dollars to multi-million dollars complex programs. I have used both C&C leadership style and had also experimented with servant leadership. My professional journey has given me both depth and breadth of experience.
