Nevis Launch Party: The Mega Grand Event

Well, I was dying to write this post as much you all were dying to read it. But, contrary to what I expected, schedules were as hectic as they can get even after the launch!

Nevis Launch Party on 12th Dec evening was *the* most happening event in about 2.5 years' history of Nevis. An event this big talks by itself for Nevis. I have worked in a startup before Nevis and I know what it takes for a company to reach this stage from scratch. It's a marvelous performance by Nevis, first of it's kind in the whole of India. Never before has anyone dared to undertake such a mammoth project in India: An indigenous chip, whose complexity (another link) rivals that of Pentium and software that would rival any security appliance!

After Vin lighted the Smai, grand event started with a nice and soothing prayer by one of the first employees of Nevis. Followed by a brief talk by Father of Pentium, Vinod Dham (alias Vin).



That was followed by a short talk by our CEO.


Everyone was happy because their speeches were just like a girl's skirt: Short enough to create interest and long enough to cover the subject! Both talked to point and didn't indulge in general lecturing, something you see in college functions, where give one of chief guests the mic and you curse yourself for rest of the function!

The ice-breaker item was great dance by small kids (no, please don't get your kids for recruitment at Nevis, we don't employ kids, I'm talking about employees' kids). It was a marvelous performance by them.

Then followed the drama. It was a nice play, but being a serious one I personally didn't enjoy it much. But the performance of each of the characters was just too good! Everyone was flawless. Thanks to their endless post-lunch practice sessions. The play was based on: what would happen if God let everyone choose his/her own hell and heaven! Havoc! Yes, that is what it portrayed!

Then came the exciting part: Dance on Kajrare Kajrare! I should admit that it was breathtaking. Everyone was dressed up very well and the jhatka-matka was just too enticing!

But better was yet to come... Fashion Show! This was one of the MOST awaited items of all! No one ever realized we had so many beautiful ladies in our office until this moment, and not to forget handsome gentlemen too! We had following rounds in fashion show:
1. Ethnic
2. Office wear
3. Party wear

It was wonderfully done, after all everyone had practiced for this like never before: Saturdays, Sundays, Morning, Late evenings, post-lunch, etc. etc.

What followed next were a couple of skits... I found all boring except one where my mate enacted my mentor. He was tooooooo precise in mimicking him and too hilarious! I couldn't control my laughter throughout the performance! In fact Raghu himself, in the best of his spirits, admitted that it was too good an enactment of himself!

Hold on! Yes there's more! After all the items were done, people jumped onto the stage for dancing. And it was fun to see everyone dance in his/her own rhythm! Not giving a damn what others might think of them. Exactly what I love to see! Then, people pulled up Vin! And he joyfully joined the gang. He wasn't reserved in dancing, doing whatever steps he felt like doing. Not many of you there can boast of seeing Father of Pentium (one of the most renowned personalities in Silicon Valley) dance to his own tune!!! Unfortunately I couldn't click any snaps of this because I was having my dinner then. Then, our CEO followed, then Bill Scull (senior VP Marketing), Manish Muthal (Director of ASIC Dev), Ajit Shelat (VP Advanced Technology & GM) and Raghu (Director Systems Integration). What I found MOST exciting was none of them felt it demeaning to dance like a rookie.

With Nevis' board lead by luminaries like: Robert Thomas (ex-President & CEO of NetScreen now Juniper) , Krishna Kittu Killouri (Executive VP & GM of Juniper Networks’ Security Products Group), Vinod Dham (Father of Pentium), Tushar (Co-founder & Managing Member of New Path Ventures), NEA's (amongst worlds top 3 VC firms) Mark Perry, it has been proved beyond doubt that that we are headed in the right direction. That's because these high profile people don't just fool around in the valley, they join you ONLY if they are clear enough of your: What-Why-When-How!!!

The battle's not over! What we did all these months was just preparing ourselves for the Grand Finale! All this was to reach the starting line of the race. We have come a long way, nonetheless.

Now, I take a few lines to thank people, which is much overdue...
First off, thanks a lot to my Mom, Bro & Daddy, for without their undying support I would have not been able to give 200% of myself at work. For late night reassurance that I'll be through this, triumphant! Once at office I didn't have to worry about anything else going on at home. They have tolerated my erratic work schedule, prolonged disconnectedness from family, and other numerous nuisances. Not to forget my buddies, for putting up with my non-social behaviour from time to time. Always keeping in touch when I failed to maintain contact with them and making my free time worthwhile. Without them it would have been really tough for me to maintain my sanity. And last but not the least, all my colleagues for always supporting me when I was low for some bug was just getting real PITA! How can I forget my football, who has played a major role in breaking my routines! And thanks to you all, who, in known or unknown ways, might have helped me!

This has been by far my lengthiest post! Thanks for reading!

If you are interested in more press releases, check these out:
1. Nevis launches LAN security system (ET)
2. Nevis Network develops chip-cum-security tool (Sify)
3. Nevis builds up LAN security for India (Financial Express)
4. Father of Pentium returns for an encore (Indian Express)
5. Google