“Having a good, secure job is important, but it’s equally important to have a passion outside of work,” says UCLA Business Systems Analyst Krithik Udayashankar. “It helps keep the mind refreshed and happy while giving you something to look forward to. My passion has allowed me to do well throughout my education and career because it has made me a disciplined person.”
Krithik’s passion is cricket — a centuries-old, bat-and-ball sport that is played throughout the world, including in Krithik’s home country of India. He has played since childhood; today he captains two teams in the largest Northern California leagues — the Northern California Cricket Association and Bay Area Cricket Association. He also coaches the East Bay Blazers, a minor-league youth team.
These leadership positions have given Krithik many real-world opportunities to hone his skills and abilities while building others’. “I try my best to stay as calm and focused as possible and strive for improvement every day. I work to set examples for my team to follow,” he says. “When I’m mentoring, I divide big tasks into smaller ones. In the game of cricket, the big task, of course, is to win the game. But I coach my team to focus on small targets and divide responsibilities, giving some to each player. This gives us a strategy that allows us to work together — and ultimately win the game.”
Krithik has applied this same level-headed approach to following his professional passion, technology. After completing his undergraduate degree in information science and engineering from the National Institute of Engineering in Mysore, India, Krithik came to Melbourne, Florida, where he completed his master’s degree in computer information systems at the Florida Institute of Technology. “This combination of theoretical knowledge and coding skills has motivated me to bridge the gap between the business and technical aspects of IT,” he says. ”I find the constant learning process in the IT field exciting and I work to stay updated on new technologies, like ChatGPT.”
Krithik’s naturally collaborative approach to life within and outside of work is complemented by the culture of the university. “Working with supportive leaders has made my experience enjoyable and fulfilling. I appreciate having a positive work environment that encourages open discussion and values individual input and ideas. It gets me in a zone where I can do my best and succeed,” he says. “My role involves collaborating with many people, and because of my fantastic colleagues, I am excited and energized every day to begin my work. We are always striving towards collective goals while celebrating each other’s individual successes.”
And, working at UC has enabled Krithik to find a healthy work/life balance, which includes ample time to pursue his professional and personal aims. “I concentrate on my work during business hours, and after work I have time to enjoy my friends, family and passion,” he says.
Meet Krithik
Name: Krithik Udayashankar
Title: Business Systems Analyst
Department/Unit: Financial Aid Cloud and Environmental Technology (FACET)
Location: UCLA
When did you start working for UC? Feb. 1, 2022
In 10 words or less, what do you do for UC? Create business requirement documents and liaison with cross-functional teams.
Why do you love working for UC? I love the culture at UCLA. Everyone I have worked with here has been ready to help out when needed, which I really appreciate. I am surrounded by professionals who I can learn from every day. Also, I am able to learn a lot about the educational system, which I have always had an interest in.
What’s something people don’t know about you? I play a game called cricket. I have been playing this game since I was a 10-year-old kid, and it has remained my greatest passion. I recently achieved a huge milestone — scoring more than 10,000 runs in USA Cricket.
Who is your dream dinner guest (living or dead)? MS Dhoni, a former captain of the Indian National Cricket team. Under his captaincy, India won two World Cups and the ICC Champions Trophy, as well as being ranked first in test matches. He is a very cool captain and I would like to sit with him and chat about how to remain cool during games. I’d also love to hear about his approach towards big games and how he prepares for them.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received? The best career advice I’ve received was from one of my undergraduate professors who told me to pursue my master’s degree in the U.S. I followed that advice and it indeed changed my life.
Read more about Krithik — and watch a video of him — at the UC IT Blog.
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