More Than a CEO: Lessons, Conversations, and a Quiet Gratitude
Some professional relationships don’t end when roles change or titles move on. They stay with you — quietly shaping how you think, work, and grow.
This story is about one such relationship, my association with Silicus Founder & CEO, Sumant Ahuja, captured beautifully during a simple birthday celebration at the USA office when I was there on a business trip.
At first glance, it was just a birthday. Cakes on the table, colleagues smiling, a momentary pause from packed schedules. But for me, it carried years of memories, lessons, and unspoken respect.
A Mentor Before a Manager
From my very first interaction with Sumant, it was clear he wasn’t just someone approving designs or reviewing decks.
He became a mentor — someone who guided without imposing, corrected without belittling, and trusted without micromanaging.
Over the years at Silicus, we moved far beyond formal meetings. After a point, we spoke almost daily. UI/UX requirements weren’t just tasks anymore — they were conversations.
Landing pages. Event collaterals. Investor presentations. Website redesigns. Each discussion felt like collaborative problem-solving rather than instruction.
What stayed constant was his clarity of thought.
Learning Beyond UI & UX
Sumant’s academic journey — from IIT Delhi to Civil Engineering at the University of Toledo — reflected in how he approached everything. Logical. Structured. Grounded.
From him, I learned far more than design systems or visual consistency:
- How to think logically before designing
- Why project governance matters as much as creativity
- The power of documentation as a thinking tool
- How simplicity often comes from deep understanding
Despite his background and achievements, what stood out most was how grounded he remained. No hierarchy. No ego. Just honest conversations and sharp questions that pushed me to think better.
The Call That Became a Routine
I still remember our very first call for a website redesign requirement.
One call became many. Many became routine. And before I knew it, seven years had passed with near-daily conversations — each one adding a layer to my professional growth.
Those weren’t just work calls. They were lessons in clarity, prioritisation, and leadership — delivered casually, without ever sounding like a lecture.
The Day I Couldn’t Speak
In my last few days at Silicus, I met almost everyone. I hosted a farewell party. I spoke to colleagues individually. I closed chapters properly.
But I couldn’t face Sumant.
Not out of discomfort — but out of emotion. Some goodbyes are harder when the respect runs deeper. We never spoke after that day. Yet, the connection never faded.
Even today, if given a chance to work with him again, I would say yes — without a second thought.
A Birthday, A Pause, A Reminder
That birthday celebration in the USA office wasn’t about candles or cakes.
It was a quiet reminder of how one leader can influence a career — not by authority, but by example.
Some mentors teach you skills.
Rare ones teach you how to think.
And those lessons stay long after the office lights turn off.
Have you ever worked with someone who changed the way you approach your craft — without ever asking for credit?
Those are the people who truly shape us.
If I ever truly succeed in my career — not just in titles or achievements, but in the way people remember working with me — I would want to become an individual like him. Someone who leads with clarity, not control. Someone whose presence makes others think better, not feel smaller. Someone who values logic as much as empathy, process as much as people. If, years from now, a colleague says they grew because of a conversation with me, or found confidence because I trusted them the way Sumant trusted me, I would consider that real success. That is the kind of professional — and human being — I aspire to become.