“My parents realized about polio when they spotted a delay in me walking. I was crawling till the age of 7, an age when all the other kids would be running around. Inclusive schools were rare back then; the only school that I could have got into was thankfully near my home, but it was only till grade 7. My mother would carry me to school for years, which made me embarrassed, but my parents were far from making me feel sorry. They took it in their stride and did whatever best was available and affordable to them.”

Having gone through the experience himself, Ganesh has associated himself with communities that help kids with disabilities. He and his family have been supporting through both counselings as well as supporting aid.

In his career, however, Ganesh was oblivious to the limitations that came with the disease. He was too brave and optimistic for a person to have succumbed to the challenges.

“When ABB hired me for the shortest contract, my job was to reconcile bank accounts which had a fair bit of travel. They looked at me for the value I brought and that’s exactly how I viewed myself.” asserts Ganesh.

“I was chasing this company for two years, when I got to know there’s an opportunity in Finance, I was ready to give my best. This meant having to leave my stable job but it was worth the risk. After my contract, I made myself available for any other role where I could be of help knowing that there’s no vacancy that I could be hired for then. I would hop three buses and reach office earlier. To my luck, I got to know there’s a need for a trainee in the taxation department. Similar stints continued till I was finally hired two years later, in 1998 at Peenya Location.”

From then on, he has had an accelerated career growth taking up one project after the other. He’s had such a formidable rapport with the banks that he helped with a tender on a Sunday requesting the bank authorities to sign on an essential document, last minute.

In his current profile, he is the last authority for AMEA when it comes to supplier invoices. Talking about his journey within ABB, he exclaims,

“I didn’t have this as my dream for no reason. The organization has stood by me, valued me and has given me excellent opportunities that befitted my skillset. Most importantly, the warmth, the feeling of a community here, is unmatched. In 2013, I met with an accident that left me almost immobile for a couple of months. ABB not only gave me the comfort to recover fully before resuming work but went a step further. Our MD and many of my senior managers came home to visit me too, something very rare in a multi-national company.”

On the personal front too, Ganesh has a similar sense of gratitude.

“After having the initial hardships in childhood, I guess I have come full circle. First my parents, my siblings supported me wherever I needed assistance, to help me get good education. Then I was lucky enough to find a partner who wholeheartedly cared for me never making me realize that the disability matters, my kids too are extremely supportive. I have had phenomenal colleagues in ABB who trusted me and are still in touch with me, after so many years. My managers have been wonderful people too. And in fact, in college two of my seniors came forward to teach me English as my schooling was in Kannada medium. They are both doing very well in their careers and we are still in touch. I am living a blessed life and try to give back in whatever way I can.” remarks Ganesh happily.

When asked about an advice to youngsters, he says,

“Look at the big picture, do not be myopic in your vision. There are umpteen opportunities if you have the talent and commitment.”

Wise words, indeed.