12 years of pure bliss

Tulika and I got married on this day in the year 2000. It has been a dream twelve years. This blog post aspires to capture some of the amazing moments we have spent together. Saharanpur 2000: That is where our story began. It was pouring that day. The wedding venue was bustling with friends and family. We went through the grueling process of 3 hour long Bengali marriage rituals. The wedding ceremony extended well past midnight. My brother in laws and sister in laws ensured that the bashor Raat was long and expensive. But fun. Mumbai 2000 - 2002: Newly married and with a new job. And it was Mumbai. Long work hours sometimes extending into midnight and beyond were the norm. So was the bindas lifestyle and fun over weekends. Countless movies, dinners at Dynasty and China Gate, innumerable trips to Lonavla, Goa, Alibagh, Mahabaleswar, Matheran made the 2 years memorable. Mumbai has been and always will have a very special place In our heart. This is the city where we started our new life. This is where we started our family. This also is the place where the seeds of our entrepreneurial journey were sown. Hyderabad 2002-2003: Our son Gogol was born on 8th April 2003 and our lives changed forever. Fatherhood is an amazing experience. Suddenly your life has a new purpose. A new meaning. We had to transition from a bindaas way of life to a more responsible way of life. After all a new family member had arrived and he was totally dependent on us. Hyderabad 2004-2007: The start up years. Tulika and I dived into the crazy world of entrepreneurship. Netelixir started On 26 Jan 2004. We had no experience in entrepreneurship. Gogol was 9 months old. We just had an idea. And, We had a dream. Of helping marketers succeed online. Of working with people we wanted to work with. Of trying to be in greater control of our destiny. To state that it was challenging is an understatement. Tulika managed our home almost singlehandedly with the occasional support of our parents. 16 hour work days were a norm. We were lucky. We survived. Princeton 2007-2012: A new world, a new culture, new people. It needed a big leap of faith on our side. We did not know what awaited us in the Big Apple. It had been a roller coaster ride for NetElixir thus far and future was at best uncertain. We took the plunge, anyway. Tulika was again a rock of support. The decision to move was good, the timing of the move could have been better. We literally walked into the big recession. We decided to re engage in our favorite vocation - traveling. Germany, Austria, California and most of the east coast. We traveled a lot till 2009. That's when Sayuri was born. Fatherhood again assumed a new meaning. Tulika and I had our hands full. And we're loving this new blessing. We made wonderful friends and were constantly supported by our families. US became our new home. Looking back at the past 12 years I feel blessed. I could not have asked for more. Tulika and I have been able to build a new life. We have a wonderful family. We have great friends. We have our own Company that allows us to be in greater control of our destiny. It has been a wonderful journey. A journey that started on 26 January 2000 in Saharanpur with two people who had just met for a couple of hours before they tied the knot. Happy 12 th Anniversary Tulika. Udayan

Comments

[Rilesh Damani]

Udyansir great time spend with bhabhiji good help from her sited side by side with all kind of ur time. u have to tell us about some struggle which also u might got to settle this kind of life, without hard work and struggle it is not possible, but any how godbless help both of u. pls send me ur mail id as i want to mail u some thing.

[Sukrito]

Dear Udayan Da,

Time has flown by. I have seen you grow and foresee bigger growth for all of you.

Mammu has always been a special sis to me and my blessings are always there for Gogol and Sayuri. I wish you greater successes and fun filled life ahead.

Regards,

Sukrito