Justin Chi

There are some things in life that you would always like to re-live – be it time spent with your family, your friends, your first college experience, and the likes. For me, the entire journey I had in MENTIS, starting from the initial days of working out of a garage alongside Rajesh and Paula, to doing what I do today, has been a dream, and I love to replay it all in my head!

My association with MENTIS started when I first met Rajesh, who came in as a consultant to help us upgrade our accounting software from Intel to Oracle. Rajesh had the vision to foresee the importance data security would have in the not-so-distant future. I was soon on board his plan to start a new company that would create solutions specifically to address data security issues. This marked the start of an adventure, that continues even to this day – 23 years and still going strong!

Initially, it was just the three of us – Rajesh, Paula and I. While Rajesh developed the product, I tested it, and Paula handled the finances. Slowly we went from strength to strength, adding people like Padma who joined us, and took over the arduous task of product development, while Rajesh focused on marketing and selling the product to clients. The work that we did then, and the work that we do today still continue to be as exciting and challenging as it was on day one. Today, when I look back, I am astounded by the progress that we have made over the years, and I am sure that we still have a long way to go!

Personally, MENTIS has been more than just another company where you work to earn your daily bread. I have forged the most wonderful friendships here, and the opportunities I have got to widen my scope of knowledge has been enormous! Recently I had the opportunity to work on a large project for a client in the government sector in the United States. There is no dearth of opportunities for anyone at MENTIS if they are willing to grab it when the situation arises.

What I am today, would not have been possible without the support of my family. They have always had my back and encouraged me in every step of the way, and I am grateful to them. When I ventured on this journey with MENTIS, my parents were very supportive, and never did they ever worry about what the future had in store for me. The amount of trust they put in me, and my trust in Rajesh’s visions are what that brings me here today.

On the personal front, I am a person who loves handicraft work. I designed masks for use during the CoVid outbreak. I am currently learning Sashiko, which is a type of traditional Japanese stitching. Baking bread, clicking pictures are some of the other activities that keep me engaged in my spare time.

Today, as the Chief Technology Officer at MENTIS, I could not have been happier at where we are right now. I had the pleasure of meeting the India team in 2019, and I am eager to meet the folks there again as soon as possible! The dynamism and the energy within each and every individual in MENTIS is extraordinary, and I am confident that whatever is there in store for us in the future is going to be fantastic!