HYDERABAD : Life is not just about a fat pay cheque, security and status. It at least is not for these young entrepreneurs, who quit their high-paying jobs to start something on their own, something that keeps them awake at night and something that makes their heart beat.
We speak to three such souls, whose lives are over and above the conventional paisa, bangla, gaadi, as they are driven by a passion for either food, music or making a difference. Their journeys have been tumultuous, there have also been some regrets. But ask them today and they’d say, “It’s all worth it.” Here are their stories.
Sandeep Gorre, Viva Italia (restaurant)
With an education in culinary arts, Sandeep has worked in the top hotels of the country and abroad. Be it the Marriott or the Fairmont, he’s been in the busiest of kitchens creating experiences for the who’s who of the world. A well-traveled man, while he was with the Marriott in Palm Island, Dubai, he was offered a job in Australia. Quite tempting an offer, but he chose to return to Hyderabad and start something on his own, despite having a rich experience of 11 years as a Mediterranean and steaks chef.
“I was 27 years old then, which was the right time to gamble with my career. Not too young, not to old. That’s when I thought of introducing the common man of Hyderabad to the thin crust pizza. I opened Viva Italia in Banjara Hills with an open-air seating back in 2011,” he says. At first things were smooth sailing, barring the few guests who’d wonder why he’s selling them papad with toppings? But four years later is when the road got rocky. “Delivery portals entered the market and people started to order-in. But not many realise that thin crust pizzas need to be had pipping hot.
The concept of thick crusts of pan pizzas came up to suit the takeaway model, as the crust is able to retain the temperature till the parcel is delivered. But if one has managed to survive three years, means they are doing something good,” he says. While Sandeep admits that the pressure of running your own business is high, he seems content with the way things are. So far, so good!
Jai Bharathi, MoWo Social Initiatives Foundation
An accomplished architect, who had an endless list of projects to boast about and was on a promising career path, 39-year-old Jai Bharathi gave it all up. Reason: she was hellbent on making a difference to the lives of the women in Telangana (she also wanted to trot around the globe). But her story goes back a few years. “In 2013, my friends were busy buying apartments and settling down, while I started the Hyderabad chapter of Bikerni (an all-women’s biking group).
I just needed an excuse to travel and, being an architect, I love visiting historical places. In 2012, I took up the ‘Go UNESCO Challenge’ wherein I had to visit all the UNESCO heritage sites in one calendar year. In short, I would do anything that allowed me to travel. And that’s how started biking,” she says. Enjoying the independence of being on the road and the empowerment that comes with being in control of a machine, Jai Bharathi wanted to share this with every other woman she knew.
This made her collaborate with NGO Tharuni in 2017, which works to empower women, to hold weekend two-wheeler training sessions. “My mission in life is to bring women into the mobility sector. I want to get rid of this stigma that only men can be drivers or delivery agents. There’s also this mindset that women can’t ride bikes. Why not? If they can earn a living and support their family through these means, then why not?” she asks. So, to chase her dream of making a difference, she took a break from architecture in 2018 and conceptualised Moving Women (MoWO), which was set up a year later.
“I have a long-term goal: I want to bring women into the mobility sector by 2030.” Now with a pandemic raging across the world, Jai Bharathi does sometimes think if she made the right choice. “It’s a major shift from earning to paying a salary. Now, I have to think twice before buying a pair of jeans or taking a trip. But when I see these women ride and feel independent, I know in my heart that it’s all worth it. It is very satisfying, something that a desk job or a monthly pay cheque could never give me,” says the social entrepreneur who is full of compassion.
Arun Ruben, Fat Cat (restaurant)
The man has dabbled in the corporate world, live music industry and has finally found his feet in the food industry. Ruben started off as a language trainer at BPO, after which a popular MNC absorbed him. He was earning well and had a ‘settled’ life, like many would say. But music happened. “I started doing gigs and it was so fulfilling. As a cover artitse, I loved giving my own twist to English classics. But I never wanted to venture into mainstream music,” he says.
But the pandemic struck the city and Ruben, a vocalist, was forced to break up with music on Valentine’s Day in 2020. “That’s when, to make ends meet, I started Fat Cat in Sainikpuri. This venture is all about no nonsense soul food, food that you can curl up to. I serve basic stuff such as omelette pav, butter chicken with ghee rice and ham sandwich, to name a few,” he says. Ruben’s idea was to bring conversation back to the table, and for that he takes his guests down memory lane.
“The softy ice-creams and chuskis will make you put down your cellphone or turn away from the TV. It will make you share a memory with the others at the table. I want my guests to go back 20 years in a 20-minute meal,” the proud restauranter says.
— Himabindu Reddy himabindugopinath@newindianexpress.com @himureddy