The fine art of balance – Neema RM

Written by: Ranjani Rajendra

(April 17, 2023) It’s been more than a decade since Neema RM first left the comfort of her Bengaluru home to set foot in a land hitherto unknown. But it had to be done. Her dreams were big and it was time to cast her net far and wide. That’s how the Bengaluru girl ended up pursuing her Masters in Computer Engineering (VLSI and Computer Architecture) from New York’s Syracuse University. As she embraced her new life, teething troubles and all, she created for herself a new home and found a new family in her roommates.

Fast forward a few years, and the now-NRI found herself a lucrative job and moved to the Bay Area in California where she has been living ever since. Currently a senior design engineer at AMD, Neema works on chip design and software tools in the hardware industry. And she loves her job. “I was always interested in math and science and engineering was the most apt career path for me,” says the 34-year-old mum of a preschooler, who draws inspiration from her CEO and admires the diversity that is celebrated in her organisation.

Neema RM

Even as she lives her American dream and loves her job, Neema is mindful of striking a balance between work and life. While a typical day in her life involves getting her child ready for preschool and going to work, her evenings are strictly for family. “I try to wrap up work by 5 pm and my team is respectful of each other’s time,” says the engineer, who loves to spend her weekends hiking. Some of her favourite hiking trails include the Mount Madonna County Park in Watsonville, Picchetti Ranch Open Space Reserve in Cupertino, and the Martin Murphy Trailhead in San Martin. “I usually go for 10 mile trails of a lower elevation. It’s great to be outdoors,” she says.

An avid tennis player, Neema makes sure she finds the time to fit in her love for the great outdoors and to meet friends as and when she can. “On weekends we also try to visit friends. And there’s always a spot of shopping one can fit in,” she grins.

As she goes about life trying to balance her work, family, and her love for sports and hiking, she believes she’s able to do it all thanks to the support from her folks, her mentors and her friends. Neema also loves to travel and ensures that she manages to get some time off every now and then to travel with her family. Some of her favourite holiday destinations include Australia and Mexico for its great cuisine. Socially conscious as well, Neema ensures she does her bit to give back to society by participating in community events at work. “I also enjoy volunteering to prepare essential kits to distribute among the homeless. In my spare time, I also teach school kids how to code. It keeps things interesting,” she smiles.

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