One of the city's leading professionals-turned-entrepreneur couple, Raman and Anju Aggarwal take us through their new workspace and mantra for success

If there ever was a manual on how to do business in the IT industry in Chandigarh, the credits would go to Raman Aggarwal and his wife Anju. And if there was to be a book chronicling the success stories of professionals-turned-entrepreneurs, this couple would fit right in. Wait, there’s more. If there was a looking back series on Chandigarh, especially focussing on its work life three decades ago, then such an article would be incomplete without quotes by the Aggarwals.

Photo By: Vikram Joy

While Raman, a chartered accountant, has more than two decades of experience in accountancy, tax, corporate law, international taxation, and business management services, Anju is an architect who specialises in corporate architecture and has many projects in the city to her credit.

Today, the two spearhead Aeren IT Solutions Private Ltd, a company that has leading international names like Google, Yahoo, Hult Business School as its client. Apart from software development, the company offers KPO (knowledge process outsourcing) services specialising in legal services, accounting and other high-end processes.

Incidentally, Raman Aggarwal who is a super-specialist of sorts in setting up IT operations, was instrumental in setting up Quark Software in Mohali in 1998. “When I look back to the early 1980s when Anju and I came to pursue higher education in Chandigarh, it seems so much has changed. Back then, this city hardly offered any work opportunities as it does now,” reminisces Aggarwal as we meet him in his swanky new office in IT Park.

The credit for the artsy interiors, the vibrant green environs and the cool vibe of the place goes to Anju, an alumna of Chandigarh College of Architecture, who has been instrumental in giving corporate interiors an offbeat look. “While I do homes and private spaces, over the years, corporate interiors have come to be my specialisation,” says Anju who has also worked on cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s home.

Complementing each other in the work space, the couple tells us that the journey this far hasn’t been easy. “We had to carve out our own niche. Also we realised each other’s strengths and worked accordingly. The hard work followed and that paid off in the long run,” says Raman who spent a great deal marketing Chandigarh as an IT hub to companies overseas. Spreading wings, he also acquired a US-based IT company in 2005.

“The mantra to success is simple. Learning never ends and one must put it all the hard work and do it with sincerity,” feels Raman as Anju adds, “It’s good to take on challenges and despite setbacks, it is important to keep at it. Being an architect, my focus has been to think out of the box using easily available and affordable materials.”

Having worked on umpteen projects, the two share their latest endeavour called myconsumerforum.com. “It’s a one of its kind online consumer dispute resolution and redressal platform that provides total integrated dispute resolution solutions right from follow up with merchant, to complaint to police/regulatory agencies, to complaint to consumer court as a ‘one stop shop’ to assist Indian consumers to get their disputes resolved,” informs Raman. The solutions are offered free and the aim, as Raman adds, is to guide consumers who get intimidated by the various legalities.