February 15, 2025

Introductions

Rise Bionics is an ever-changing place. Each day at the office has a new subset of characters as employees travel around India assessing patients, taking measurements, and fitting devices. In just the last two weeks, the gym above Rise’s basement facility has been transformed. Treadmills, dumb bells, and way too over-the-top gym posters have been replaced by the Rise workshop and the growing administrative team. This too is temporary as Rise plans to expand further into a larger space soon.

When we are in the office, we have primarily settled in on one of the old gym floors with Rise’s two person administrative team, Balaji and Geetha. We help with documentation for the Help a Child Walk batches and work on our projects alongside them. When it comes time for lunch, they pull out their packed lunches and we pull out Swiggy. I’m always hungry so we often end up ordering off my phone. After a good wait staring at my phone as the little motorcycle winds its way towards Rise, I eagerly hop up to go collect our food. Usually, when I get down there and say my name, they look a little surprised. I don’t think they expect a Rohan to look like me.

Before this trip, I knew that my name, spelled the way it is, is relatively common in India. Indeed, most of the few people I have met with the same spelling have been Indian. However, I didn’t expect my name to be the conversation starter it has become. Now, I often introduce myself with a bit of a laugh, expecting the brief moment of confusion and intrigue. Sometimes I’m asked how I ended up with an Indian name. I don’t have a good answer. Even if they don’t ask, the lighthearted moment seems to disperse some of the awkwardness.

I have never been the kind of person to strike up spontaneous conversations, or to really engage with a stranger who starts talking to me. In Seattle, it has been easy to become comfortable and get away with staying in my own bubble. While I’m glad I don’t have that option walking through temples and meeting for interviews, I appreciate the connection, of sorts, over my out-of-place name for starting conversations with a smile. My name won’t turn into Ro-han everywhere, but in the months to come I look forward to finding all the other little connections that will spark moments of laughter and curiosity.

By,
Rohan