dFlare at Vibrant Gujarat, Showcasing India's Tech Future!
Just when we thought the buzz from GPAI was settling, and we were seeing the fruits of our labor with dFlare converting new customers, another incredible opportunity knocked – or rather, called! This time, the destination was Vibrant Gujarat 2024, from January 12th to 14th. Our mission? To showcase dFlare, now also making waves as Sakti Cloud, alongside the might of Yotta, a Hiranandani Group company. If GPAI was about proving our concept, Vibrant Gujarat felt like taking it to the national stage, showing how we could contribute to India's booming tech landscape.
It was early January, and the phone rang. My CEO. "You're heading to Vibrant Gujarat. Things have changed, the co-founders and I can't make it. It's on you." Just like that! What was initially planned for our top leadership suddenly landed squarely on my shoulders, along with my associate product manager and one of our co-founders who could make it last minute. Talk about a quick shift in gears!
The days leading up to it were a bit of a "bhagam-bhaag" (chaotic rush). January 5th was particularly memorable – finalizing our attire! Yotta had arranged for us to embrace the spirit with Indian clothing: smart kurta-pyjamas topped with classic blue Nehru jackets. Dressed to represent, we were soon flying from Delhi NCR to Ahmedabad, the destination being the much-talked-about GIFT City – tipped to be India's next big IT hub, a vision championed by the Modi government. We landed around 8 PM, grabbed a quick dinner, knowing the next few days were going to be monumental. We were there to represent our joint initiative with Yotta, showcasing dFlare (as Sakti Cloud) and another of our company's key offerings, the Cyrus project.
The Vibrant Gujarat Summit was, well, vibrant is an understatement! It was a three-day marathon, from 7 AM to 9 PM, stationed in GIFT City. The scale was immense. Unlike GPAI, which felt highly specialized and secured, Vibrant Gujarat was a sprawling metropolis of innovation. Imagine 12 massive buildings, each dedicated to different sectors – from textiles and auto components to satellites and microchip technology. It felt like every industry from every corner of the globe was represented. If you could think of an industry, it had a presence there!
Our pavilion, fittingly, was in the newest, most futuristic building, dedicated to AI, Technology, and Data Centers. We were right there amidst companies working on satellites, advanced AI, and the next generation of digital infrastructure. Every day, our booth was swarmed – students with curious eyes, government officials looking for solutions, and tech enthusiasts eager to understand what dFlare (as Sakti Cloud) was all about. The conversations were electrifying: "How can this change our future?" "How can we build a truly indigenous cloud system for India?" "What impact can this have on millions of lives?" These weren't just product demos; they were discussions about nation-building through technology.
The workload was intense! So many people, so many questions, so much interest. Honestly, we didn't even get a chance to step out and explore Ahmedabad, which was a bit of a shame, but the energy of the summit kept us going. There were cultural shows happening, a riot of colors and sounds, but we were mostly engrossed in our own little world of tech showcases and deep discussions. I did manage to get a quick look at some of the satellite and microchip tech being set up – truly mind-boggling stuff happening right here in India!
Reflecting on it, Vibrant Gujarat was a different beast than GPAI. Less of a niche AI focus, and more of a grand spectacle of India's overall industrial and technological prowess. Being there, representing dFlare and Yotta, and talking about building a self-reliant, robust cloud infrastructure for India, felt incredibly significant. It was a testament to how far dFlare had come – from an idea to a product being showcased at one of the nation's premier business summits.
The opportunity to collaborate with Yotta and the Hiranandani Group was invaluable, giving us a platform and reach we were proud to leverage. While the days were long and the work relentless, the experience of connecting with so many people, all driven by a vision for a technologically advanced India, was unforgettable. We went to Vibrant Gujarat to showcase a product; we came back feeling like we were part of a much larger, incredibly exciting movement.