Inspiring Friday Session with Mr. Shriram Sanjeevi

On this particular Friday, we were visited by a soul consumed by wanderlust; ENTER— Mr. Shriram Sanjeevi. A man with jobs across an industry as stark as Retail who managed to find his way out of the rat race to build his own kingdom, with expertise absorbed overtime from working with brands such as Pantaloons, Café Coffee Day, Benetton, Royal Enfield and more. He is also a visiting faculty in prominent business schools across the country some of which include IIT Madras, Chennai Business School, and Indian School of Business (Hyderabad).

Mr. Sanjeevi, currently, is the mastermind behind three of his start-ups— Smiling Baby, Miles2Go, and OyeThere.com. You’d think someone who has been recognized among the Top 50 Retail Professionals in India by the Asia Retail Congress would offer us an enlightening session on the Retail sector, but Mr. Sanjeevi had another kind of enlightenment in store for us.

MY TRAVEL DIARIES— why one should travel often, was his topic of discussion for the day.

Mr. Sanjeevi shared with us some anecdotes and pictures from his recent trip to Sikkim. Some of the key points that he shared with us were:

• Discover a new you every time– Travelling enriches you with new understandings that wouldn’t normally be triggered in your day-to-day life.

• Embark upon a new experience– When was the last time you did something for the first time?

New experiences help you grow as an individual, all the while expanding your sense of the world.

• Live in the present– With technology constantly looming over our minds, we seem to have forgotten to live in the moment. Remember to set your phone aside and take your time to absorb a scenic view or the unhurried passing of clouds. The beauty of travel lies precisely in just being.

• A package of perspective– A travel experience never really leaves you. They become a part of you collectively enhancing your consciousness. You gain a new perspective each time an event unfolds. You get closer to knowing yourself, your species, even your habitat as a whole.

• Every photo has a story– Photos are basically a physical form of a memory. It has the power to spark a new thought, idea, or a solution the world needs. You may be able to gain a new insight or unlock creative doors that were previously subdued.

Mr. Sanjeevi reminded all of us that travelling needn’t be expensive. One doesn’t necessarily need to own a passport, possess a big bank balance or fly continents obliquely to witness the beauty of it. In fact, India is one country where the splendor of mountains and the sublimity of oceans are at your disposal.

TIPS FOR TRAVELLING

• Don’t ruin credit
• Travelling can be subjective or objective
• Do your research
• Save money where you can
• Have a rough plan
• Be minimalistic

With that, Mr. Sanjeevi came to the end of his session inspiring us echoVMEians to be more curious, and challenge our limits of exploration. His final saying went along the lines of—

“Don’t be a Tourist, Be a Traveller.”