Anil

Our lives are shaped by our unique upbringings, parents, teachers, and peers. Growing up as the eldest of six siblings in a humble household, financial constraints required me to step up early. While in the 12th standard, I balanced my own studies with tutoring a struggling student. Helping him pass his SSLC exams remains one of my proudest early achievements, though the intense stress resulted in a health-related blackout during my very first physics board exam.

By God’s grace, I recovered and earned a seat in Mechanical Engineering at Malnad College of Engineering (MCE), Hassan. (A field chosen in part because my unsteady hands during biology frog dissections ruled out medicine!) My education was fully funded by the National Merit Scholarship, a program for which I am deeply grateful to India’s visionary leaders. At MCE, I shared great times and engineering projects with Mohan Frank and others, and I look forward to catching up with him at the reunion.

Professional Journey & Family Foundations

Upon graduating, I moved to Bombay for its robust employment potential. Although I qualified for an IIT Master’s program through GATE, my responsibilities as the eldest son led me straight into the workforce. In 1985, I enrolled in a rigorous 3-year part-time MBA program at Bombay University, attending evening and weekend classes while working as a Vendor Development Engineer for the Tandon Group in SEEPZ—exporting early personal computer components to IBM USA.

The MBA program brought an immense blessing: I met my classmate Wilma, the most beautiful woman I have ever known. We married in May 1990 and have two sons: Flynn, a senior data scientist at Pfizer, and Floyd, an aerospace engineer and Engineering Manager for Metrolinx (who has blessed us with three beautiful grandchildren).

My career in India progressed through roles as Assistant Manager of Special Projects (ISO9000/JIT) at Gabriel India Limited, and later as Purchasing Manager for LML Vespa.

Immigration to Canada

In 2002, as Bombay’s manufacturing sector shifted, we immigrated to Toronto, Canada. Despite credential evaluation by the University of Toronto and solid experience, the local job market was a rude awakening for foreign-trained professionals. Refusing to give up, I utilized cold-calling to secure my first Canadian professional role with a commercial refrigeration manufacturer, eventually rising to Assistant Manager of Global Purchasing. During this time, I also earned my CSCMP designation, Canada’s top supply chain credential.

Health, Transition, and New Passions

In 2008, a routine checkup revealed severe arterial blockages, leading to an urgent quadruple bypass surgery. My recovery was remarkably swift, but the experience brought deep introspection. I chose to prioritize health and family over corporate stress, and in 2012, I transitioned to a global purchasing role closer to home at Carrier, the renowned HVACR manufacturer, where I am now preparing for retirement.

This professional shift opened the door to new interests. In 2018, I began investing in the stock market. What started small has become a true passion; over the last five years, my portfolio has outperformed mainstream mutual funds, with my investment income eclipsing my employment salary over the past two years.

My Reflection for the Class:

Retirement from employment is not the end of productivity. Life has so much more to offer beyond a 9-to-5 job. Look for it, cherish it, and develop a passion that keeps you moving