#AskDushyant Reflections on Technology, Memoir & Thoughtful Living
Retiring before the age of 40 was once just a quiet ambition. Through patience, resilience, and a willingness to walk an unconventional road, that ambition eventually took shape. Yet the real value lies not in the milestone itself but in the lessons along the way. What follows are reflections from those moments — experiences that gently suggest, ”Life’s journey often unfolds in ways that surprise even the dreamer .”
Life comes full circle. The small village temple where my childhood memories once shaped has now become a place to give back—with gratitude, purpose, and deep reverence. On the auspicious occasion of Navratri, The Gadewal family had the privilege to contribute a Matarani Durga idol to the newly renovated temple at Choti Mohad, Kareli, Narsingpur, Madhya Pradesh.
It stands as an emotional reminder that true leadership is not just about progressing ahead, but about returning to uplift the very roots that shaped your journey. #AskDushyant #NextStruggle
On 15 December, I set out on one of my most audacious adventures, riding my Harley Davidson from NCR to Indore—over 850 kilometers in a single day. This long-distance bike ride tested every rule riders usually avoid. My ride began in winter fog, racing uncertainty about reaching on time, a firm decision not to postpone, and a night-highway throttle adventure. With over 18 years of solo bike riding experience, I trusted my planning and my mental and physical resilience to pursue an almost impossible feat never heard in bike riding. The Morning That Tested Commitment The day began with Delhi…
Your first job is a milestone that stays close to your heart and shapes your professional mindset forever. I received my first offer through NIT Rourkela campus placement at Erevmax Technologies in Kolkata. Fresh out of college, after spending two months in Sarni, everything felt new, fast, and demanding. That one month in Kolkata became unforgettable, blending office memories with challenging experiences at my rented place. The training focused not only on technology applications but also on corporate life, discipline, and office ethics. I clearly remember traveling alone by train to Kolkata for the first time in my life. My…
In December 2012, I found an innovative way to break the monotony of office life and boost my team’s creativity at PeopleStrong HR Tech, sector 34 gurgaon office. As a leader, I firmly believe that regular motivation at workplace is crucial for employee retention—far more impactful than monetary rewards or occasional outings. To inspire creativity, innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, I personally organized a Rubik’s Cube challenge for my tech team.The premise was simple: solve the Rubik’s Cube, and the winner gets a hearty lunch treat on me. To make it inclusive, I offered smaller rewards for solving single or multiple…
The way I build software has fundamentally changed. For decades, I operated in a system defined by timelines, sprint cycles, coordination overhead, and constant follow-ups. Progress depended not just on…
In the early days of the internet, authentication was simple. A username and password protected most systems, and developers rarely worried about complex access control. As the web evolved into…
APIs are the nervous system of modern software. Every mobile app, cloud platform, AI service, and SaaS product depends on APIs to move data and trigger functionality across systems. For…
APIs power the modern digital economy. From mobile applications and SaaS platforms to AI systems and financial infrastructure, nearly every modern software product relies on APIs to exchange data and…
Many tech startups overlook foundational development practices that can significantly reduce engineering effort. With well-designed terminal scripts and automation, teams can eliminate nearly 40% of repetitive development work and build…
Modern developers rely heavily on command-line tools. Package managers such as Homebrew have made installing and managing tools extremely convenient, especially on macOS and Linux. But what if you want…
I’m Dushyant Gadewal—#AskDushyant, a small-town dreamer turned tech entrepreneur and advisor. From chasing cricket dreams and Indian Army SSB interviews to riding solo across India, my journey has been fueled by passion, curiosity, and a relentless drive to explore the unconventional.
My professional foundation was laid at NIT Rourkela, where I graduated in Computer Science & Engineering in 2006—an experience that shaped my problem-solving mindset and long-term view of technology.
Over the last two decades, I’ve lived and worked through the Gurgaon–NCR startup ecosystem, experiencing it across multiple cycles—early-stage experimentation, rapid scale-ups, and acquisitions. My journey spans hands-on roles at Travelguru (Desiya), Vriti Infocom, and Nagarro, where I operated in fast-moving environments that demanded product-first thinking and execution at speed.
In 2010, I joined PeopleStrong as an early member of the core technology team, where I played a hands-on role in shaping the platform’s foundational product architecture. Over nearly a decade, I had the opportunity to see the organisation scale into one of India’s leading HR technology companies. Importantly, this journey gave me perspective not only as a technologist, but also as a shareholder—including exit participation in its April 2025—Goldman Sachs–led transaction—and, therefore, a front-row view of how disciplined long-term technology and product decisions compound into sustainable enterprise value.
These experiences ultimately came together in the founding of ArcTop Labs, my own venture recognized under the #StartupIndia DIPP7405 initiative. Here, I apply everything learned from the startup trenches—building scalable, resilient technology platforms designed for real-world business impact, not just launch-day success.
In 2022, after two decades in the industry, I stepped away from full-time employment #RetireAt40 to pursue work rooted in freedom, creativity, and long-term impact. Now, I guide students, startups, and businesses as a tech advisor—helping them align technology with vision, growth, and strategic clarity.
Through my blog, NextStruggle, I share personal memoirs, tech insights, and social reflections drawn from a life of experiments, risks, and reinvention.
Let’s connect if you’re building, transforming, or simply seeking clarity in your tech journey.
#AskDushyant #NextStruggle
#RetiredAt40
Branding My True Self:#AskDushyant #NextStruggle: Tech, Memoir, Social & Thoughtful Life Experience Chronicle 💡📖🤝💭.
BlackDemon India: Forging the Future of AR/VR Gaming and 3D world 🎮🕶️🌐.
Embracing the Power of Fitness, Fueled by the Energy of My Little Angel. Conquering Realms with XBox Mastery, Roaring along on the HarleyDavidson Bike. Crafting a Purposeful Existence, Rooted in Tech Innovation. Proudly an Early Tech Member and Shareholder of Peoplestrong. Forever Connected to the Legacy of NIT Rourkela Alumni, Where Dreams Ignite and Achievements Resonate.
Always Prepared for Building The Next, One Struggle at a Time.
Tech, Memoir, Social & Thoughtful Life Experience Chronicle
