The Quality Manager at PRIER Products, Krish Maddineni, is a traveler, learner, engineer, and most importantly, a patriot. He will be leaving for his first active duty for the United States Army in November, and in true Krish fashion, he says, “It’s gonna be fun!”.
His positive attitude is admirable; however, not surprising. For many people on Army Reserve, being called up for active duty could be a stressful time. For Krish, this is another opportunity for personal development.
Krish was born in Hyderabad, India, and his appetite for tackling the unknown brought him across the globe to Kansas City. However, it was not a simple decision he made overnight, and it is not just a journey geographically from one country to the next. He grew up in a broad-minded home with parents who encouraged him to look beyond the walls of their home and learn about other cultures.
Although there was not just one defining moment for Krish, there was a trip with three friends that altered the the trajectory of his life. “That’s when my journey started,” Krish says through a mischievous smile.
What was supposed to be their first big adventure as high school grads turned into a bittersweet dose of reality. What could possibly go wrong when four 16 year old boys plan a 25-day trip across India, on their own and without the help of their unknowing parents? Almost everything.
“We wanted to go on an adventure where none of us spoke the language.”
They took a tour of several states across India, and just as planned, the local languages were completely foreign. The national language is Hindi and most places use English as the second language, but they found themselves stranded at a train station with no familiar signage to guide them.
“We went there and realized it was too hard!” A likely outcome for young adults bravely taking on the real world.
After spending the night at the train station, Krish and his friends faced their fears head on to make the best of their nearly month-long trip.
“When you go to an unknown place, you’re kind of forced to learn about that place for your survival.” Easier said than done, but for Krish, it has become second nature.
His curiosity also led him to mechanical engineering where he was delighted in taking things apart and putting them back together. Avoiding the IT trend of his region, Krish’s parents still urged him to focus on education, supporting him in every effort to reach his goals.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and working internships, he decided there was still more to learn. Extensive research brought him to pursue his master’s degree at the University of Central Missouri. While in school he worked part-time and spent his spare moments reading about American history, the Constitution, and just about anything he could get his hands on.
He began to really love America, the values it was founded on, and when he saw the ROTC on campus, he began to consider the idea of serving our country.
“This is where I fit in. I like the values and I like the people.”
He gave it some deep thought and decided America would become his home country. He shared the news with his parents and enlisted in the Army Reserve. Over the last couple years Krish has been serving and training as a medic, and hopefully will be putting his vast engineering experience to use during active duty. We know that whatever he does, he will do it well and with great pride.
The sense of home he found right here in the heart of the country is inspiring. He has traveled across the world searching for his purpose through books, people, and experiences, and somehow we were lucky enough to have him land here at PRIER.
When asked what bit of advice he could offer our readers, it was no surprise that he had a multitude of wise words. The best, though, covers his lifelong quest for learning about the world and the people in it.
“Just read. It doesn’t have to be school books, but there are so many great books about life. Reading will help you gain so much knowledge and can change the way you live. Read about people in history, read about your country’s history, and learn from it.”
