The Beginning
I was at crossroads after completing computer programming in the early 80’s when a leading engineering college offered me a job as a lab technician, but it didn’t sound interesting and it certainly wasn’t what I was aspiring for.
My room-mate suggested I should visit a few pharma companies and apply for a Medical Rep’s job. To cut a long story short, two companies selected me, and I reluctantly chose Sandoz, not knowing at the time that I would go on to work there for the next 30 years. I hated my job initially. I particularly did not like carrying a bag filled with various drug samples, bottles and strips. Given half an opportunity, I would’ve loved to engage in a meaningful conversation with physicians and other stakeholders, who I was meeting with daily on sales calls, without the overhang of getting them to prescribe these products.
The Transition
I got lucky when Tarun Gupta, popularly known as TG, joined Sandoz. I was a 22-year old sales rep - young and inexperienced with no baggage. This helped me enjoy working under TG and aided in my growth. I was able to adjust better than most of my seniors and soon enough the rewards came in. I was promoted early, and went on to become the youngest First Line Manager in the company’s history. Next few years were a great learning experience for me. I got to work with some wonderful people, many of whom I am in touch with to this day. These individuals helped shape my perspective on the power of teams, learning how to manage and lead people and holding on to your core values, especially in testing times. The biggest takeaway for me during this time was to – Be A Fast Learner and Lead The Change. These lessons have become my guiding principles, something that I follow to this day.
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