If I were to distill my entire year into a single sentiment, it wouldn't be a summary, but a realization: you can just do things.
2025 was a year of agency. It was the realization that I could draw on distinct, atypical parts of myself and weave them into a coherent whole. It was about breaking self-imposed shackles, dissolving mental blocks, and understanding that the only barrier between thought and action is often just the decision to act.
The Engineering Switch
I do not have a formal degree in engineering, yet this year I found myself leading a tech company in AI. I dove into deeper engineering work in machine learning, which I had not originally planned to do. It was a year of reintegrating my passion for code - which I had grown up with but had somewhat sidestepped during my business education and corporate jobs.
The result? I made over a thousand code contributions this year, scaling our AI systems for enterprise demands, learnt how I could truly outcompete bespoke engineering talent with sheer execution. A humble start for someone who was "not an engineer."
Business and Survival
We remain a small, stitched-together team of four members handling everything from engineering to business. We've collaborated with numerous well-known brands in India and leading production studios creating full films in the US. Over a thousand customers now use our platform for generative media.
But startup growth always comes with humbling realities. There were multiple moments where it was tough to survive. We faced times where survival was the only goal, yet we got used to the pressure. We were able to work our way around it and surpass those hurdles very well.
Elevating Privilege
For years, I harbored resentment toward privilege, shaped by my own underprivileged roots. I grew up in a household that never exceeded ₹20,000 a month in earnings.
This year, I was finally able to break those mental barriers of coming from a lower middle-class background. By helping my parents retire with stable passive income, I also freed myself from the shackles of a constrained mindset. Owning a house marked a profound shift, moving me from financial limitations to a sense of stability. Looking back, I realize it was more about mindset than the numbers - I wish I'd grasped that sooner, and now I hope to motivate others facing similar hurdles.
Travels and The Element
Travel felt like a fulfillment of a long-held dream this year. Over the past two years, I've traveled to over nine countries, from the UK to the UAE. The highlight was living in San Francisco.
I found myself right in the center of the tech economy. Working out of the GitHub office, for example, was the closest I have felt to my element. It was about the proximity to the craft, to the energy, to the builders. I felt deeply aligned with my environment, finding an almost artistic rhythm in the daily pursuit of innovation. I learnt to be present, to be in the moment, to be in the flow. To understand people and why they feel the way they feel.
The Personal Front
Everything came together personally too. I managed to spend almost 6 to 7 months with my fiancé in San Francisco and time with my to-be-in-laws in Bhubaneswar. I spent a solid 3 to 4 months in Dehradun with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law.
It was not just being there. It was playing football with my brother-in-law and sister and making new friends while reinventing relationships with old ones. Spending that quantity of time with family gives you a quality of connection that shorter visits just cannot match.
Reconciling Friendships
I reconnected with friends from across my life this year. My first school Hilton's, my second school Doon International, and my friends from IIM Indore.
It was not just a quick catch-up. I took a trip with my closest best friends. I hung out with them on separate occasions, really spending time and bringing those circles back together in a way that felt unique and grounding.
Reconnecting with Passions
I picked up music after a 10-year hiatus. I started exploring the cutting edge of music production techniques, which is the space that has always inspired me most.
I am also finally starting to create content and put my face out there again. It is something I loved doing in school and early college but stopped due to a fear of judgment. I have shed that weight. I am putting myself out there again, and it is what I am most excited about right now.
Looking forward to 2026, and looking forward to keep just doing things.