On irreverence and play – in books about creativity and innovation we often read about how it’s important to have a sense of humour; to be able to laugh at yourself and to be un-afraid to crack jokes about anyone and anything – but today I experienced it.
I had gone to meet the founder-CEO of a gaming company with his team in their office in one of the poshest areas of South Delhi.
“Bhoot Nath, Ganja” was his name in my mobile phone’s contacts – got probably through the “true-caller” app, based probably on the name under which someone else may have saved his name and number.
But i knew that on phone he introduced himself by a different name. A name which I forgot in the several weeks since I had talked to him.
So, I asked his name upon entering his office. And then I chuckled and said “Do you know true-caller shows your name as “bhoot nath ?”. And he asked if his full name “bhoot Nath ganja” is shown. Since that’s his call sign and nickname in many games and online communities. So I told him “yes – and a name like “pandit bhoot Nath ganju would totally suit you” which you can shorten to BN Ganju.
The guy laughed and asked “but is Ganju an actual surname ?”.
To which I said “yes of course that’s a Kashmiri Pandit surname” and the guy next to him commented that’s the name of a large chunk of one branch of his family.
But so immersed in his gaming ; his self deprecating humour and his world war-2 obsession was this guy that he hadn’t heard of Ganju being a proper surname. And he hadn’t really even thought about demanding respect or reverence from his team or random folks like me.
Anyhow he was totally focussed on merit and the task at hand: a game project into which he and his team have been digging into since 2016 and which they think can be one or the biggest games of its kind in the whole world!
So folks… gamers, artists, programmers with 2 or more years or experience; in my network looking for contract work or for assignments hit me up and I’ll connect you to this guy and you too can meet bhoot nath ganja or Pt.BN Ganju as I now (reverentially) think of him!!!
Btw I’m Hindi, word meanings:
Bhoot = ghost or ghoul – in a slightly rude way
Ganja = bald headed person
ganju = in Hindi is a slightly ruder way of calling someone a baldie
Nath = master or Lord
Pandit or Pt = short form for pandit – which is used to address a learned man or as a title for a person of the brahmin community