In just a few days, my fellow alumni from PSG Tech Coimbatore and I will gather to celebrate our 25th reunion. Though I graduated in 2000—technically 24 years ago—most of my batchmates completed a 4-year engineering program, while we, the BE Sandwich cohort, did a 5-year one. Thus, we are celebrating our reunion a year early.

PSG Tech has been instrumental in shaping who I am today. My professional journey began in the corridors of this esteemed institution, where my dreams were nurtured in its classrooms and my skills honed in its labs. While a detailed account of my life at Tech deserves its own post, I want to take this moment to reflect on the profound impact PSG Tech has had on my life over the past 24 years and how the values instilled in me here have kept me grounded

We are a fortunate generation, witnessing the turn of the millennium—1999 to 2000—an experience ten generations before and after us might not share. Just think of this, it going to be another 1000 years for all four digits (2999 to 3000) in a year change at the new year. Graduating in 2000 and stepping into the professional world was a dream come true. The Indian job market was booming, dominated by the IT services sector. At the dawn of the new millennium, we were brimming with energy, curiosity, and daring ambition. The subsequent decade brought about significant, disruptive changes. For example, communication evolved dramatically; I used wired phones to call home from college, but soon mobile phones, Blackberries, and Nokias became prevalent, followed by the revolutionary rise of smartphones. Today, we live in a world dominated by Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, X.com, YouTube, Zoom, and Teams. While the means of communication have transformed, the essence of effective communication remains unchanged, relying on the communicator and the message. Faceless and connectionless interactions sometimes leave us contactless. The joy of connecting face-to-face is certainly the best.

The same can be said for music. The transition from cassette players to platforms like Spotify and YouTube hasn’t diminished the joy music brings. Listening to music by a stream, accompanied by chirping birds, offers an experience that technology cannot replicate.

Navigating these changes involved grappling with uncertainty, seizing opportunities to improve, and maintaining faith in a better future. Yet, with each technological advancement, human greed emerged—an urge to monopolize, a craving for power, and a desire to dominate. We can call it “man” playing “God”

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened our fears but also presented immense opportunities. Our resilience and confidence helped us thrive through this global crisis. The pandemic underscored that nature can challenge our technological prowess, grounding our hubris. However, as generative AI gains prominence, we see humanity once again trying to play “God.” AI, AGI & GenAI is revolutionizing the world today, every field is impacted by this rapidly evolving technology. There is a fear of Job loss, a question of ethics looms big at the same time, the impact is profound. The AI technology is here to stay.

While disruption is beneficial in many ways, history has shown that the means and modes may change, but human experience, joy, and emotions remain constant. We must recognize that technological advancements alter the means and modes, but the outcomes are rooted in our values and ethos. There is no denial, we are part of the change and we have to adapt to the change. We need to be quick learners and be willing to move on adapting to the advancements. Adaptation to change is essential, but lasting human relationships and values are paramount.

As I prepare to return to college after 25 years, I am reminded that technological advancements address our fears, present opportunities, and bolster our resilience and confidence. However, the ecosystem that provides us with profound experiences, inherent joy, transcendent peace, and lasting relationships is even more vital. This is the purpose for which we were created —to thrive in love for one another, experience joy, and find transcending peace. I am deeply blessed by the Divine Almighty for instilling these values through my parents, school, and college. As nostalgia envelops me in anticipation of our upcoming college reunion, this realization resonates with clarity and intensity.

When our life goals, both professional and personal, are rooted in these values, we truly experience heaven on earth.