With gratitude

I don’t often share personal updates on LinkedIn, but the past two months have been so enriching that I felt compelled to do so.

Four years after entering the health tech domain amidst the raging pandemic—first at Castlight Health and later apree health—I decided to take a break. It was an incredible honor to serve together with one of the most talented tech teams in health tech, solving problems that get in the way of people getting access to high quality healthcare that is affordable by putting advanced technology to work and deliver value. My deepest gratitude to the many, too numerous to list here, that made this experience so memorable.

This break allowed my wife and I to enjoy being together with our two children as they embarked on new adventures. Our daughter moved to Boston to start a new role, and our son relocated to Seattle after earning his graduate degree.

The break also gave us an opportunity to spend 6 weeks in our other home in Bangalore, India reconnecting with our extended family, dear friends and past colleagues that we haven't seen in a while.?We were fortunate to visit during the most festive of seasons (festival of Navaratri or nine nights auspicious to the Supreme Goddess, and the festival of lights we know as Diwali). Visiting temples and towns across the south of India, we felt re-engaged in our spiritual journey that naturally led to us pondering the deeper purpose and meaning of our existence.

I was amazed by the strides the people of India are making. Digitization is all around you, from instant digital payments to street vendors and autorickshaw rides, thanks to extensive digital public infrastructure, quick-commerce that delivers home anything you need (even a single cone of ice cream before it melts!) in minutes, and electric vehicles were commonplace. While this change is most visible in cities like Bangalore, the rapid development gives me great optimism for the future.

One of the highlights of our visit was connecting with entrepreneurs at startup events in Bangalore. AI was front and center everywhere. One such conversation at the health tech roundtable made me realize that despite the differences in the U.S. and Indian health systems, many common challenges remain to be solved (access, affordability and value).

?I returned home feeling re-energized and rejuvenated, determined to find a way to stay more closely connected and contribute to the incredible story unfolding there.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone that made our visit feel so memorable. A shout out to dear friend Atul for making it possible to meet many practioners and innovators in the communities he champions. I'm looking forward to being back early in the new year!

(Attaching a few pictures from the visit for your enjoyment.)