Refresh Days, Road Trips & a Little Win!
I work as a Visual/UX Designer at Cohesity—and one of the best things about working here (apart from the cool projects) is how much the company cares about our well-being. For the third year in a row, Cohesity has been named a Great Place to Work in India. And honestly, I’m not surprised.
One thing I really love is something we call Refresh Days. It started during COVID and is still going strong. Basically, if there’s a holiday close to a weekend, they give us an extra day off so we get a proper long weekend. It’s perfect for people like me who like to pack a bag and head out with a camera.
I’ve made it my goal to explore all Indian states—and I’m slowly getting there. So far, I’ve covered 18 states and 4 union territories. My latest trip was to Arunachal Pradesh, and I completely fell in love with the place. The landscapes are unreal, and the people are incredibly warm and welcoming.
This trip was special for another reason too—one of the photos I took there is getting published in Asian Photography magazine! It’s my first-ever magazine feature, and I’m honestly still smiling about it. The publication has been in the industry for over 36 years and is the oldest and biggest name in the industry.
The photo was taken near Sela Pass, with my new camera setup (yes, I’m a little obsessed with the Fujifilm GFX100s II + Fujinon 32-64mm lens). The weather was beautiful—clear skies, cold winds, and fast-moving clouds over the mountains. I clicked a bunch of photos there. Sela Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, India, at an elevation of 13700 feet (4,170 meters), connecting the Buddhist city of Tawang to Dirang and Guwahati. It is known for its stunning views and the nearby Sela lake.
On return journey, during a layover at Kolkata airport, I pulled out my iPad Pro, went through my shots, and edited a few while waiting for my flight. One of those edits is now the published one. 🙂
So yeah—thanks to my company for the Refresh Days, to my manager for approving additional leaves, and to my Design Team members for handling the workload in my absence. 🙂 Super grateful to Asian Photography magazine for featuring my photo—my first ever, and it means a lot! I now have a small milestone to celebrate. Here’s to more travels, more photos, and many more long weekends!