Howdy People!
I’m Agrata, currently a product designer in Atlassian.
They say I’m the first design grad to join the Commerce purchasing and billing team and I think that’s a pretty cool thing to share. Here I’ll share my journey of who I am, what I enjoy and how I ended up in this amazing wonderland. So bring along your snacks, tune into this Spotify playlist 🎧 and let’s have some pun. 🏄🏻♂️
The year 1998, I dropped like a boss baby in a very kind couple’s large family as their first child. They were really happy to see me and showered me with all the love that they can. Couldn’t have been more grateful 💖
However, a year later, my younger brother came along and just to look smart in front of him, I started needing newspapers in the morning for pretentious readings (I’m still the smarter one, okay? Just 'kid'ding) although I don’t pretend to read news anymore.
Until year 2016, I never left Raipur unless for travel plans or summer trips. I can show you where I stu'died' nursery and a few yards away, gave boards exam. During that time, I read a lot of books, (To be or not to be, that is the question - studied As you like it by Shakespeare in Old English for a start), listened to a lot of Bullywood songs (Yara tere sadke ishq sikha - they’re a goldmine, trust me) and placed bets on myself to top the school (Well I kinda did), the first one, I made around 2500, but then lost quite a lot of them later (overconfidence, kids, don’t give into it).
In 2016 I got a portkey to IIT Guwahati, so I travelled solo 1600 km for the first time to pursue magical dark arts (or shall I say, mode ). It is a beautiful place, with rivers on one side and hill areas mountains on another. You can go trekking or diving, both of them work. Since then, I had never regretted not going to Hogwarts.
In my freshmen year I started playing volleyball. That was the first time I got into any kind of sports (apart from winning biscuit race in nursery) and man, I sucked so bad at it. (Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.) Ultimately, Obi-wan showed me the way and the team work I learnt at sports were applied at the place where I was also good individually, in street plays and theatre performances. I wrote funny lyrics on Sirius social issues and sang them loud and clear in front of total strangers to get the message across. It was pretty satisfying to say the least. The force has been with me since then. *inserts yoda gif here*
As a designer, I absolutely love what I do for fool-time. Previously, I have built products to provide fun experiences, to make tech accessible to salt farmers, invented and patented a blanket system to prevent Parkinson’s patients from harming themselves during sleep and interned at Samsung Research. Unfortunately, due to my cheapskate behaviour, my portfolio website has expired (why squarespace when you can code), but would be happy to share my previous work on chats if that interests you.
I sometimes like making epoxy sculptures, render 3D illustrations or make digital arts, mostly for meditative purposes or to rejuvenate myself. I sometimes use them as birthday gifts (which is why some of my friends love me 😉) and would be happy to share the tricks of making them from scratch.
Also I hate mosquitos, so much that I feel they shouldn’t exist at all.
My love for travelling and capturing candid photos has turned me into quite an observant character. I even made a photography portfolio for no reason. My only life goal right now is to visit all of the seven wonders of the world before I die. I have two checked, so now five to go ✅
So much so all, super stoked to meet you and looking forward to some awesome learnings from y’all!
The Force runs strong in your family. Pass on what you have learned. And I’ll do the same 💖
So subscribe to keep yourself posted. And until then, sayonara 👋🏼
(This intro blog was originally published back in July 2020 internally, and recently been updated for y’all. All thanks to Mannu, then buddy/mentor who encouraged me to pen it down.)