Breakups, Difficult Careers, and Wars: From Math to Journalism | Anjan Sundaram
The cost of difficult decisions
Before we get started, here is some thoughtful advice from Wharton professor Adam Grant who talks about the importance of giving in mentor-mentee relationships. We hope you consider becoming givers. Givers » Takers, in the long run.
Also, check out our founder Utkarsh Amitabh’s new essay in The New Indian Express where he makes a compelling case for internships for professionals.
“The way we recruit needs to change, and so does the way we upskill, acquire practical experience, and position ourselves for our next role. I think organizations that want organizations best candidates across age groups should start a mid-career internship program. While college students are expected to intern and prepare for their work lives, no such avenue exists for working professionals. Suppose someone worked in an industry where automation made most jobs redundant. She would need to find an opportunity in a different industry. Simply taking up an online course or enrolling in a certification program would not be enough. Going to graduate school for an advanced degree could be expensive and time-consuming.”
Today’s newsletter focuses on a Yale graduate who challenges the notion that Yale students are excellent sheep.
Breakups, Difficult Careers, and Wars | Anjan Sundaram
Anjan was a suitable boy. After IIT, he read Mathematics at Yale. Winning Olympiads, topping exams, and working with distinguished academics, he checked every box in the Indian middle-class playbook for a good life.
Things took a sharp turn when he decided to switch careers, move to Africa and become a journalist. He put his life in danger to tell stories of African genocides, unscrupulous dictators, and warzones, among other things. His TED talk will give you a sense of what he did in the early stages of his career.
Documenting difficult stories became his reason for being. He developed contrarian theories about the complicity of the West with African dictators/change makers (depending on what you believe in). Take the Rwandan head of state as an example. While most of the Western media discusses how Kagame transformed Rwanda with technological innovations, Anjan shares how dictatorial his regime has been.
Journalists are not content writers. Propaganda cannot be their KPI. Their job is to bring attention to often ignored subjects. That’s what Anjan has been doing for the last decade. Along the way, he gave up his home, lost his marriage, wrote many books, and even found himself in The New York Times.
In his latest book titled “Breakup”, Sundaram opens up about the toll reporting from warzones has on relationships. Personal is political. “Breakup” will explain why. He will be on Network Capital on Monday to record a masterclass. If you have any questions for him, please send them to us.