Dil Khol Ke Haste Hain — It Lingers on to Light Up the Room — Vishnu Dusad #JeenaIsiKaNaamHain
The Japanese market opportunity has always been tough to crack. Over the decades, as Indian software massively expanded beyond its traditional shores, things may have gotten slightly easier, but I can tell you that twenty years back, it was very tricky. Perhaps it is because of the way the Japanese look at relationships. For them, the human element comes first, second and third, and things like product market fit come at a distant fourth but only after the first three are ticked vigorously. They put great emphasis on TRUST!
If you have known Vishnu Dusad, you would have seen how people warm up to him easily. Even today, he has that hearty laughter that characterizes his persona, but the English language may not be doing full justice, so I will lean on Hindi to describe it. Dil Khol Ke Hastey Hain!
His laughter, which comes from the heart, is contagious even as he looks you straight in the eye while conversing. If he sees the same kind of passion for an idea, he will go to any lengths to back you. More about that later.
After I joined NASSCOM and was transitioning to the SME role, I started to take great interest in product companies, and Nucleus Software caught my attention. I can’t think of other companies that derived 70–80% of revenue from Japan back then. An incredibly tough market to crack, and in 2006–07, Nucleus Software was one of the hottest companies in Noida.
I wrote to him one day, inviting him to an event. Almost immediately, I get a reply saying, “Please note, my name has a single S”. Profusely apologetic and rather embarrassed, I wrote back saying sorry.
I learnt a very important lesson that day — actually, two. Firstly, people are sensitive to their names, and that must always be respected. With the Autocorrect functionality today, at times unwanted, we should be alert and not fully rely on our robotic assistants. Secondly, names can be spelt differently across India — for e.g., Sangita/Sangeeta. These differences are subtle but very important to the individual.
Mr. Dusad attended the event, and I went up to him and said, “Sir, I am Avinash. I wrote to you the other day, and I am sorry for misspelling your name.” That’s when I saw, heard and felt his characteristic laughter, which immediately put me at ease, and I knew that I was in safe hands. I didn’t know why the Japanese take time to trust people, but I could see a charismatic leader establish a connection. And it was so comforting! First is that level of comfort, trust comes afterwards.
The product wave was catching on in India, and soon I would kickstart the SME Forum, which later morphed into Products. One day, I shared my vision with Mr. Dusad, and he was super-excited! I could see the passion in his eyes, and animatedly, he shared his thoughts about the nation’s potential in leading the software products wave, globally. I spent a lot of time with him that day, and he also spoke about the Japanese market and how India should tap into under-explored opportunities. The discussion was most rewarding and opened new avenues in my mind. He assured me of full support, and to this day, he has not wavered.
When I look back, leaders like Vishnu Dusad set early benchmarks and inspired the next generation of innovators to dream big and adopt a fast-paced growth mindset. With time, he also expanded his venture and moved into a larger office in Noida, where every floor was meticulously designed for a purpose. It all fitted to a definitive plan and was not merely a display of grandeur. Once, after an event which he graciously hosted in his office, he took us around and explained the significance of office design in fostering a collaborative mindset.
Over the years, Mr. Dusad became an active member of NASSCOM’s Regional Council in Noida and contributed immensely towards driving the industry-academia collaboration piece.
In 2012, I joined Paytm. We exchanged emails and decided to meet. I shared my angst that the product companies were not adequately served, though associations like NASSCOM had made a good attempt. Stark whitespaces remained, which provided an opportunity. And Sharad and I were in discussion about starting a new association exclusively for the product companies, attempting to address the gaps. Mr. Dusad was always very passionate about this segment, so he readily accepted our offer to join this new initiative.
In 3–4 months, we started iSPIRT, a beta version, with Sharad Sharma, Naveen Tewari, Bharat Goenka, Vishnu Dusad and me. The rest, as they say, is history, and a rich one at that.
History isn’t created in a day or even in a month, and it wasn’t any different for iSPIRT. While we started the thinktank, the first few months were a struggle, and we needed financial support to meet our costs. That’s when Vishnu Dusad stepped in.
I mentioned earlier that he can go to any lengths if he believes in an idea, and I wasn’t exaggerating. I was having dinner with my family when someone came knocking at the door. He said he was from Nucleus Software — and he had a cheque in his hand. It covered my expenses, and this support was extended for the first few months till we broke even.
That’s Vishnu Dusad for you — he walks the talk!
He supported iSPIRT in every which way he could through financial support, establishing government connects, enabling policy-making and supporting go-to-market initiatives. He has always been very well respected in government circles, which helped us pave the right inroads.
Later, when I joined SaaSBoomi, he was very happy that I still nurtured the passion for product companies and wanted to make a big difference. Even today, he responds immediately when I reach out to him. That’s one quality about all the great leaders I worked with — their responses are prompt, and by doing so, they make you feel valued.
His enthusiasm hasn’t dimmed one bit, and neither has his hearty laughter. With Mr. Dusad, I truly experienced what it is to “support” an idea whose time has come. The industry today owes a lot to leaders like him who were generous in their support in the fledgling years and showed us what it is to collaborate.
Nothing of great significance can ever happen unless we collaborate and support one another. Leaders like Mr. Dusad form the chain and are its strongest link.
In 2006, I couldn’t quite figure out why the finicky Japanese chose to trust Vishnu Dusad and give him business. Today, I am certain, and I know why.
Sir, here’s wishing you a great year ahead and good health.
