A Walk Down Memory Lane at SAP Labs India
On 6 August 2025, I found myself back at SAP Labs India Campus in Whitefield — a place that holds both memories and milestones. While the original reason for my trip to India was to attend the inauguration of SAP’s stunning new campus in Devanahalli on August 5, it was the following day that touched me the most.
Accompanying Gerhard Oswald (fondly called “Gerd”) — a mentor, a legend, and someone who shaped my professional journey — made the visit deeply personal. Walking through the corridors of the Whitefield Campus felt like stepping into a time capsule. I was first here in 2002 for the opening ceremony, when the campus was built to accommodate just 1,000 people. Back then, Clas Neumann and Martin Prinz, our visionary MDs, laid the foundation, and Peter Zencke, SAP Executive Board Member at the time, inaugurated the campus.
I spent three formative years here before moving to Germany in 2005 to become Gerd’s Executive Assistant — a role that changed my life. Many of my subsequent trips to India were in that same role. After those years, I had the privilege of serving as Managing Director and Head of Globalization Services (GS) at the Whitefield Campus before moving to the U.S. in 2014. To return a decade later, again with Gerd by my side, felt like life had come full circle.
As I stood in the same atrium where I once had nervously greeted global leaders, I was reminded of the words: “Nostalgia isn’t a longing for the past — it’s a celebration of how far we’ve come.”
Yet what made the visit truly special wasn’t just the bricks and mortar — it was the people.
Gerd was celebrating his 50th year with SAP — a monumental achievement. Clas, my first MD and someone I continue to look up to, marked his 30th year with the company. Sindhu Gangadharan, the current MD of SAP Labs India, is from my own cohort — CReW SAP 2 — a reminder of how journeys can begin together and yet evolve in remarkable ways.
One particularly poignant moment was breakfast at the Taj Devanahalli with a group that shares a unique bond: we were all once Executive Assistants to Gerhard Oswald. Present were Thomas Saueressig (SAP Executive Board Member), Stefan Steinle (Head of Customer Support), Stefan Wagner (MD, SAP Labs Germany), and Amogh Umbarkar (VP, Strategic Projects). Over coffee and laughter, we joked that we had all graduated from the “University of Gerd” — perhaps the most lasting legacy of SAP’s longest-serving board member: the next generation of leaders he quietly and deliberately shaped.
I also had the opportunity to engage in a Coffee Corner session — one of my favorite formats to connect with the people. I met hundreds of colleagues, from the very first Academy cohort to dear old friends: Ajay Rao, one of my first managers; Prasad Rao from IT; my former roommate and colleague Gautam Parida; my mentee Rishab Tripathy; my favorite security guard Sridhara G and the ever-cheerful Barkhat Ali. Every handshake and smile was a story rekindled.
But the moment that truly melted my heart? A surprise request from Ramesh, an assistant manager from the facility team, who patiently waited for hours just to find me, have a brief conversation and take a photo together. Sometimes, it’s not the grand gestures but the quiet persistence of appreciation that stays with you.
I was equally inspired by the demos presented by young engineers, brimming with fresh ideas and infectious energy. It reaffirmed my belief: “The future is in good hands — not because they have all the answers, but because they are unafraid to ask the right questions.” One quote that stayed with me was from the IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav during the opening of the new campus: “The best piece of engineering I have ever seen is an SAP system.” A proud moment for everyone who’ve had the privilege of contributing to it.
Of course, no visit to Bengaluru is complete without braving the infamous traffic, but the spirit of the city remains unmatched. As I left the campus my heart was full. Ahead of me was the joy of visiting my parents in Kottayam and my in-laws in Pune. And a last-minute stop at New Delhi.
As I reflect on the whirlwind of emotions and encounters, I am reminded of something I once read: “We leave places, but they never quite leave us. They live on, in people, in stories, in who we become.”
