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Life is a period in time to cherish and enjoy: Chirag Patel

Do look inside you all the time. Try to find your real self!

About:

Full name: Chirag Bansikumar Patel
Date of Birth: January 07, 1976
Education: Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics from Maharaja Sayajirao university, Vadodara, India. Uncompleted Master of Software Engineering at Pennsylvania State Universtaty, Great Valley, USA.
City I live: Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA and Vadodara, India
Hobbies/Passions: Writing, Reading, Cricket, Tennis, Painting, Yoga, Modern Physics, Indian classical literature, Philosophy, Devotion to Supreme in form of MAA, Any light-soft music, My family and my love
Profession: Senior Engineer at QLogic Corp, USA. Started my own company and launched a venture http://www.ChakaaChak.com
Extra: I regularly write blogs in Gujarati and English at http://rutmandal.info

Chirag Patel

Chirag Patel

My Interview – My Life

Q: Welcome to Speakbindas.com. Let’s start with your childhood. Where were you born and raised? Any fond memories from your childhood that you cherish even today?

  • I was born in Vadodara, India. My father being a Gujarat State Forest officer had transferrable job. So, I got opportunity to live in Godhara for the first 8 years of my life. Then, I lived in Vansda (Near Dang) for next 7 years. I completed my 10th standard in Vansda and then we moved to Vadodara.
  • I always miss beautiful and scenic surroundings of Vansda. It was REAL life. The town is surrounded by hills and forests. There is a river in the town and at the bank of the river, there is a palace which was my elementary school! I was fortunate to have a nice teacher named Shri Madhubhai Parmar who built my base in Science, Mathematics and English.

Q: As a child, you carried any special talent or art?

  • Since the age of 8, I used to practice Dhyana, Yoga every day. I always stood first in any school exams and competitions. I won many trophies for schools. I was such an ardent reader that I completed all 900+ pages of Arabian Nights in just one and half day! I used to play with engines of toy cars. I could influence behavior of my friends then in such a manner that they stopped using bad words which is trademark of Surti people! I founded a hobby club for aero-modeling and books in high school. We purchased many rubber band air planes and many books on science/history. I can keep writing on my achievements, better to stop here.

Q: What nickname/s you have/had so far?

  • Chako, Chika, Honey, Chimpoo

Q: What education you acquired? How was it in sense of troubles? Whether you could complete the same easy way or faced the financial issues? If yes, how you overcame the same?

  • I stood 5th in Vadodara city in 12th science exams. Then, I studied BE-Electronics from M S University which was my dream since age 13. My father had many financial problems at the time I started college. This was mostly due to his health and office politics. Somehow, we all managed the bad patch and could concentrate well in studies.

Q: Who was/were your best friend/s during your school/highschool times?  Are you still in touch with them?

  • In Godhara – Hiren Parikh, In Vansda – Hemant Patra, Tejas Parmar, Hemanshu Rana, Amit Desai, Kalpesh Dhimar, In Vadodara – Digant Jani, Chirag Shah, Nirav Parikh, Ravindra Raj, Tejas Bhatt, Pratik Pandya, Mihir Joshi, Ashutosh Shah, Mehul Bhatt. With the grace of IT revolution, I am touch with majority of the friends.
Chirag Patel

Chirag Patel

Q: What was your favorite subject of study?

  • Physics especially quantum mechanics and universe

Q: What was your favorite sport?

  • Cricket

Q: Any teacher that you still remember as particularly influential?

  • Shri Madhubhai Parmar in elementary school (Shri Pratap High School Vansda), Shri G M Patel in higher secondary (Alembic Vidyalaya Vadodara). These two are architect of Chirag Patel.

Q: What was the first job/profession/business you started working for after completing your education?

  • I joined Anjaleem Enterprises in Vadodara as R&D Engineer for IVR and Voice products. But, my first job was as STD/PCO operator in a shop after 12th exams.

Q: Are you popular in your friend circle or say your community for some art /specialty/talent you have? If yes, tell us about it.

  • Friends can put trust on me. They find warmth in me. But, I am a boring kind of person as I mostly talk on abstract subjects J.

Q: In addition to being paid money, how else has your career created value in your life?

  • It gave me vision to build a strong society. It provided me practical lessons on carrying out tasks systematically and successfully with due regards to allowing failures to occur and how to absorb them to build next task.

Q: What is your most significant accomplishment as a professional/businessman/employee?

  • It happens mostly everyday. I add value to company every day.
(Chirag Patel with wife Parul and son Vrund)

(Chirag Patel with wife Parul and son Vrund)

Q: What does the word “family” mean to you? Who are in your family? Tell us about your family life.

  • When two human beings unite to live together, they bring love, trust and warmth to the garden to flourish. They bloom some blossoms which help the cause of existence. The bases of this garden work towards the nourishment of the garden and its dwellers. This is called family.
  • I am fortunate to have loving wife – Parul and smart, handsome son – Vrund. We all are keepers of our garden and we help one other very well.

Q: According to you what should be the role of a man and a woman in family life?

  • They share their partnership for advancements in life – be it social, be it economical, be it spiritual.

Q: What is your definition of “happiness”?

  • It is a state when you find goodness in everything around you.

Q: What is your most memorable travel experience?

  • First plane travel from Vadodara to Mumbai with Parul.

Q: If you were re-born as an animal, what would you want to be?

  • I want to be human again. Only a human can explore the cause of existence expressively.

Q: Do you think life in villages or small towns is more peaceful than in big cities?

  • Yes, for majority of people atmosphere in small town/village provides opportunity to lead peaceful life. No, the real peace comes from within wherever you be.

Q: Do you believe in God? Do you believe in rebirth?

  • I love God. I believe in rebirth.

Q: Are you happy with present system of education? What changes you aspire to see in it?

  • I am really not happy. We have lost human touch in nourishing children. Both parents and teachers are equally responsible for that. When a child seeks refuge in knowledge and when a child can learn to reason events/phenomena it sees around, the education would prove its worth.

Q: What do you think about corruption amongst politicians/bureaucrats?

  • It is age old since we started documenting history more or less. It is human nature to be corrupt. We must try to contain its degree for routine life. The rest is OK as it existed always.

Q: What are your hobbies?

  • Writing, Reading, Cricket, Tennis, Painting, Yoga, Modern Physics, Indian classical literature, Philosophy, Any light-soft music. I used to collect stamps in school days. I also liked aero-modeling.

Q: What do you read? In other words, are you into reading? If yes, share your favorite books.

  • I mostly read religion, philosophy, physics in English and Gujarati. The books I like: The Devi Bhagawatam, The Bhagavd Gita, The Dancing Wu Li Masters, Gujaratno Naath, The Tao of Physics, A Brief History of Time, RajaYoga, Web of Life, The Holographic universe, Arabian Nights, Miya Fuski series, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Param Samipe, Autobiography of a Yogi, Ramakrushna Kathamrut.

Q: What was the happiest moment of your life?

  • There is a big list, so I will not make you bore.

Q: What was the gloomiest moment of your life?

  • When I lost my first love in life.
Chirag Patel doing Dhyaana

Chirag Patel doing Dhyaana

Q: Say, you are sponsored to travel to 3 world destinations, where you need not to worry about costs for food, hotel or anything. Which destinations would you pick up, and why? Would you like to take someone along with you? If yes, whom?

  1. Kailas – Mansarovar with my family and friends. This is my age old wish.
  2. Hrishikesh – with friends and family. I want to enjoy beauty of the place.
  3. At the top of Himalaya – alone. I want to enjoy myself.

Q: Are you into watching movies? If yes, which fills your list of favorites ones?

  • Ofcourse, English and Hindi both. Sholay, Agneepath, Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, Lagaan, Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, Hum Aapake Hein Kaun, HearaPheri, Back to the Future, Gandhi, Roar, Terminator 2, Golden Eye to name a few.

Q: What are some words or phrases you use most?

  • “E to chhe j”, “saachu”, “I really appreciate that.”

Q: What image about you, you want to create in other people’s mind?

  • They should find me loving and trustworthy.

Q: What would be the one thing you would change about yourself?

  • I am scared of dogs/animals. I want to change that.

Q: What is your deepest fear?

  • Rejection from dear ones.

Q: If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

  • Krushna

Q: What’s your favorite food?

  • Bhindi masala and chaash (buttermilk)

Q: What’s your take on the technological advancement these days? Does it make people’s life simple or complicated?

  • Every advancement comes with price. Use it judiciously. We have explored mere 25% of the technology usage in our lives.

Q: What’s your overall perception of life?

  • Mauj ni kutir (A period in time to cherish and enjoy)

Q: Any special message you would like to share with people you know as well everyone else? This question is question-less question. That means, if you have something inside you that you really wish to tell but couldn’t be covered in above questions, you can share it ALL here.

  • Do look inside you all the time. Try to find your real self!

About

Devang Vibhakar is the Founder and Editor of www.SpeakBindas.com. He has interviewed more than 350 people. His effort was recognized by Limca Book of Records, twice. He has been to Scotland as well as Germany as part of vocational & cultural exchange programs and has compiled five books so far. He's passionate about bringing forth interesting stories & interviews of entrepreneurs to avid readers of SpeakBindas. He can be reached here.

11 thoughts on “Life is a period in time to cherish and enjoy: Chirag Patel

  1. I am delighted to see here …
    – my buddy
    – my friend , philosopher and guide
    – and yet my neo son ..

  2. Chirag says:

    Thank you dada and Devang.

  3. Harnish Jani says:

    Thank you Devangbhai for your excellent interview style-You shed a light on Chirag Patel’s current life and activity and philosophy- My wife feels good vibes in presence of Chirag-I also feels good.

  4. અભિનંદન ચિરાગભાઈ!!

    આપના વિશે અહિં વધારે જાણી આનંદ થયો. આપ તો છુપા રૂસ્તમ છો.

    હું પણ વાસંદા-વઘઈના જંગલોમાં વિહર્યો છું. વઘઈનો બોટાનિકલ ગાર્ડન મારો મનપસંદ ગાર્ડન!
    અહિં પેન્સિલવેનિયા અને ન્યુ જર્સીના જંગલોમાં પણ વિહરવા જેવું છે. પણ સાલો સમય નથી મળતો. શું કહો છો?
    આપની એક વાત ઘણી જ પસંદ આવી.
    •Do look inside you all the time. Try to find your real self!
    આત્મખોજ જેવી મોટી શોધ કોઈ નથી.
    હા, આપ દાઢીવાળા ફોટોગ્રાફમાં સાવ અલગ લાગો છો.
    અને દેવાંગભાઈને પણ આવી સ-રસ મુલાકાત માટે અભિનંદન.

  5. Bankim Jani says:

    I know Chirag since he was studying in Alembic Vidyalaya. His father was my one of the best friend.
    How ever from this interview I came to know his real qualities & his vision of life.
    I realy impressed of his thinking .I wish he should advance on his spiritual path vary easy & with blessings of almighty a day is not far away on which he will have ATMA SHAKHATKARA.
    Many many thanks to Devangbhai for such a great interview questionaire.
    Thanks again.

  6. Prarthana Jha says:

    Maja aavi, anne jani ne bahu j aanand thayo, aapnu jivan-kavan…abhinandan..

  7. Chirag says:

    People will love these theories of physics and spirituality. http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~sai/ind3.html

  8. Neela says:

    I read about. your wish for Kailash Mansarovar, then why don’t you join us for this ultimate Yatra?As you know by blessings of Lord Shiva we could do this yatra for 7 times. If Thy wishes then we wish to go next year also. Then you can join us if possible. We will be happy if you join us.

  9. Rajendra says:

    Dear Chirag,

    Your name is true to your self.
    You will start from family and keep shining with your self by good to you, your famly , friends where ever you keep connecting.
    Keep shining and stay connected.

    Geeta – Rajendra and Trivedi Parivar
    http://www.yogaeast.net

  10. Indrajitsinh says:

    Dost,

    Abhinadan!

    Gani navi vato janava mali……

    I will join when you plan to visit Kailash….

  11. Manu Patel says:

    Chiragbahi ,
    JaiShriKrishn
    I read your interview, and it was very nice to know about you . I congratulate you. I am so happy to have read your interview.
    Manu Patel na Ashirwad

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