BENGALURU: Nothing proves Shailendra Naidu’s spontaneity more than his first bungee jumping experience. During a professional stint in Uganda, the CEO of a fin-tech company came across some people jumping into the Nile. “After finding out that they were bungee jumping, my next thought was, ‘Oh cool. Let me jump into the river too’,” he recalls. And just like that, Naidu did his first-ever bungee jump in 2012, which only led to more in the coming years. “The first one was spontaneous but that was the best part. I didn’t need any preparation. All the fear is in the mind so I just had to conquer that,” says the Bengaluru-based CEO of Obopay.
Bitten by the bug of thrill, Naidu next went on to do the Bloukrans Bridge Bungy at South Africa, which is the world’s highest commercial bungee jump at 216m above the Bloukrans river. Looking back at the ‘unforgettable moment’, Naidu recalls how there’s a lot of excitement while wearing the harness. “They also play a lot of music just to pep you up. But then, as you stand at the edge of the platform and stare out into the nothingness, you wonder, ‘Do I really want to do this?’,” he says.
Interestingly, what ensued next also taught the CEO some valuable life lessons. “The first five seconds had me trying to grab on to something. But then I realised, the faster I let go, the more I would enjoy the experience,” says the 46-year-old, an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University and London Business School. The same lesson has helped him at home too. As a father to a 17 and a 12-year-old, Naidu feels the ability to let go helps him respect and accept the likes, wants and needs of his children as well. “This applies at work too. As does trusting your team members. When you bungee jump, your team provides you with the right equipment. Similarly, you have to trust your team at work too,” he adds.
Naidu’s streak for adventurism also made him try a 4-5km ziplining venture, shark cage diving and the Everest base camp trek as well. “It’s all about conquering your fear,” he says, adding that he has another trip to Africa due in December or January. And on the agenda for this trip is the Victoria Falls Bungee Jump. But how does Naidu’s family react to his love for adventure sports? “My parents have given up on me,” he says with a laugh, adding that a love for travelling runs in the family. “My father passed it on to me and now, I pass it on to my kids. They seem to be even more adventurous than me.”