Today I am going to share with you some of my life lessons. Learned these lessons in thecontext of my early career struggles. A life lived under the influence of sometimes unplannedevents which were the crucibles that tempered my character and reshaped any future. Thefirst event occurred when I was a graduate student in control theory at the Indian Institute ofTechnology (IT) Kanpur. A breakfast on a bright Sunday morning in 1968, I met famouscomputer scientist who was on sabbatical from a well-known IS university. He wasdiscussing exciting new developments in the field of computer science with a large number ofstudents explaining how such developments would alter our future. He was articulate,passionate and quite convincing. I was hooked. I went straight from breakfast to the library,read four or five papers he had suggested, and left the library determined to study computerscience. When I look back at that pivotal meeting, I marvel at how one role model can alterthe future of a young student for be better. This experience taught me that valuable advice cansometimes come from an unexpected source and chance events can sometimes open newdoors.​