Team SKA
Vivek Mohile
Vivek has worked on control systems in many domains – here he’s with a process control system for chemical vapour deposition equipment, a materials processing technology.
Software Consultant, Persistent Systems Developing the complex software that will control and monitor the SKA telescopes is a years-long effort, involving computing specialists all over the globe. Vivek Mohile has been part of that effort for eight years, based with the SKAO’s industry partners Persistent Systems in Pune, India. A vastly experienced control systems engineer and product manager, Vivek is also a trained mindfulness facilitator, leading sessions for colleagues to support their wellbeing. Following World Mental Health Day on 10 October, we spoke to him about his career journey, how mindfulness has helped him at work and beyond, and why he volunteered to use his skills to help others. Let’s begin with your early life, Vivek. Tell us about where you grew up and your family. My parents were both serving in the Indian Central Government, so we moved around to different cities across the country when they got transferred. I was born in New Delhi, India where I spent my very early childhood, and then Mumbai and Pune are some places 34
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where I did my schooling. Being in senior government roles, I remember my parents always being quite busy, often being away travelling, or coming home late from long meetings. I have an older sister, and my grandmother also mostly stayed with us, and I was very fond of her. She always indulged my demands for cooking up something special if I did not like what was there for a meal. I remember she was an important influence in my growing up, telling me stories that were fun, and yet had some didactic value. What kind of things were you interested in as a child? Oh, the usual games, comics and fun stuff that children love, of course. After school I always wanted to quickly finish my homework and go out to play with friends. Cricket was what we played
Vivek as an infant.
most often, either in a ground in the community, or even in the parking lots and other spaces between buildings – unless we were banned temporarily for having broken somebody’s window with a shot and run away! Reading was another passion.
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