Say hello to Karan Malhotra, Vice President – Sales, US Business Development and Sales. Now residing in Pune, Karan fondly remembers the time he was stationed in Folsom, California. This is what he remembers about the nice quiet town: “No traffic woes, easy to get around, and a good social network, but it could get really hot in the summer (110°F), and wildfires were always a concern, with the smoke being a big nuisance for about 6–8 weeks.” Although Pune comes with its own set of troubles, looking back, life in Pune seems like a tame affair!
Karan is proud about what he has been able to achieve for himself and his family. “I’ve worked very consistently to achieve it,” he says. “My happiest memory is buying my first house in the US (in Rochester Hills, Michigan) in 1998.”
Karan’s favorite thing about himself is his discipline and being organized: “That has not diluted in all these years,” he adds. But he admits that he sometimes thinks too much.
Karan’s pet peeves: people who keep pets but cannot take care of them, who cannot maintain their things properly, and who do not listen to others and are obsessed with themselves. He also doesn’t get the idea behind spreading rumors and what people get out of it. While Karan’s dependability and sincerity are his claims to fame, he does have an irrational fear of not feeling needed by anyone. If he could have one super power, he’d like to not get older and avoid the health issues that come with it.
Three things no one at Newgen knows about Karan: his love for watching drama movies, being with nature and travelling (especially short train journeys), and his penchant for keeping his car ultra-clean all the time. A secret talent that he has recently developed, during the pandemic, is cooking. He recharges with power naps, a light podcast, a TED talk session, or a comedy show. After a hard-day’s work, he relaxes by watching a good game, preferably live. If Karan didn’t have to sleep at all, he says, “I’d make sure I’ve addressed all urgent priorities (professionally and personally), and then watch a relaxing movie where I do not have to think too hard! And if time and money weren’t an issue, I’d also like to pursue golf and do some leisure travelling to cities I haven’t been to, especially in Europe and Australia.”
Karan loves the fictional universe of the Madagascar movies, but he’d most like to live in the world of Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham … (Sometimes there is joy, sometimes there is sorrow…): “Living happily ever after, after some ups and downs. Knowing that even the most complex issues can be resolved if you want to, by putting your ego aside.” If a movie on his life were to be made, he would like Amol Palekar to play his role. Karan has mentioned the song “Itne Bazu Itne Sar” (So many arms and heads) from Main Azaad Hoon. “It’s an Amitabh Bacchan starrer. The movie inspired me a lot!”
Speaking of inspirations, Ratan Tata is a huge one: [“It’s] unbelievable how humble he is and how much he has accomplished.” In fact, if Karan had to change his name, he would pick Ratan as his new name – “in an attempt to try and emulate the man by getting it right from day one!” On that note, Karan’s father played a vital role while growing up: “He is not with us anymore,” says Karan, “but I learned the power of consistency and dedication from him. The kind of respect he commanded at work and among his friends was tremendous.”
The top three items on Karan’s bucket list: watching a cricket match at Lord’s or a tennis match at Wimbledon, visiting Australia, and owning a business. Karan is always early, and the nicest compliment he has received is that he is a pleasure to work with – “both from my teams and my bosses!” he adds. Karan says he has been learning a lot from his Newgen colleagues, which has helped him in talking more intelligently to customers. Small things such as helping others and feeling accomplished with what has been done make his day better. His take on women’s place in today’s society: “No question around it – there is no reason for any differentiation when there is no difference in the skills/qualities/experience.”
Karan is a believer of the adage “the first impression is often a lasting impression.” The first thing he notices about a person is their overall attitude. In today’s world, Karan believes in reducing the overcommunication and the technology behind it – “it causes too many issues rather than helping!” Winning by Jack and Suzy Welch is the best book he has read. If he had to give a 40-minute presentation with no prior preparation, he would pick the topic “How to produce results by being consistent versus being brilliant.” Earning the genuine appreciation of others is something he thinks everyone should do in their lives.
Stories of animal adoption warm Karan’s heart, “I’ve always had dogs (and love the two dogs I have at the moment) and appreciate good attitude towards animals.” If there was a fire in his house and all his loved ones were safe, Karan says he would save his car first: “I have put a lot of effort into maintaining it, and I can also run away from the fire as fast as possible!”
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