What are your social activities in Silicon Valley, California?
There are a lot of other activities that people like us are involved in. We have formed an association called the Kannada Association and we have also formed a music group. We sing once a year. We give performances. (Laughs uproariously). This September there is going to be a World Kannada Meet. I am organizing an entrepreneur workshop for this meet. The goal is to give directions to Kannadigas, tell them what to expect and what not to expect - problems that people like us have faced. This is just to guide them and educate them.

Despite being extremely wealthy, how do you keep yourself so simple and accessible?
The difference is of people who have come up having seen the trouble of raising children, having seen what it takes for a poor mother and father to raise children. Having seen all that, it would be very difficult to switch gears just because you have made money. That's where the difference comes as against someone who is a businessman or born to a business family. He makes more money, you know, his behaviour or characteristic would be very, very different as compared to a common man, because our dreams and our materialistic aspect of life is very limited. If you can stay in a nice house, (shrugs) perhaps maybe drive a nice car then you are done with it. You don't have to change cars every month. You don't have to move into a palatial thing - you know in the remote hills somewhere with nobody seeing you.

Dreams…
I think our dreams are very different. Coming back to the community. If I can help 20 to 30 other entrepreneurs be successful before I die - because of me - I'd think it is a great success. If I can provide quality education to millions of people in India…. That really feels satisfactory. That's why all my efforts are in that direction.

Which is the milestone that has the most significance for you?
Getting a break in 1979 - to work on microprocessors, a summer job with Bombay Electronics during my ME days.

Where did you do your schooling?
I did my initial studies, up to class 7, in a small village called Bagalur, 20 miles from Bangalore. From 8th to 10th was at Sheshadripuram High School and 11th through 12th at National College, then I did my BE (Electrical) at University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, all in Bangalore. My ME was from VJTI in Bombay.

Did you study in the US?
No…I worked with Advanced Micronic Devices for two years, and then left for the US. Luckily or not, in my case, I arrived with a job. On day one of arrival, I received a call at my hotel from the receptionist, saying "Your car has arrived" (smiles)…you know, I didn't come from flagship schools like IIT, IIM, Stanford, it counts for something, it matters…but it doesn't…at the end of the day, it's the individual and your determination to succeed that matters - it all depends on the individual and how you want to frame your life.

Favourite food?
In Bangalore?
Mom's food is the best food. (Laughs delightedly). Nothing like it!

Of being
successful? My
definition of being successful is the satisfaction of making other entrepreneurs successful. The knowledge and wealth needed to fund these types of companies or any research organizations; the satisfaction derived out of this knowledge is the definition of my success.

What is the secret of your success?
Discipline, hard work, smart work. Just focus - that's it! Discipline plays a major role

Who gave you the best advice and what best advice would you give? Best advice..... was to have a dream and to work towards the dream to achieve it. My line would be the same thing. But I would like to add 'don't be short sighted'. This is a long time play.
So play it safe. Play it carefully and play with sincerity.

Interview with B V Jagdeesh

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