Last month, I have requested my manager for an approval so that I can attend SQL Server Geeks Annual Summit 2015,  and now  when I hear back from him, I am really very excited that I will be attending.

You must be wondering what is so exciting about this Summit ? Well, let me tell you, there are number of reasons, at least for me to be that excited. 

• In past  (even this year), when I had a chance I could not attended PASS Summit. And I always use to think why something like this is not organizing in INDIA. Well done Amit Bansal ( Blog | Twitter ) and team. You have done this, and, like other folks, I would be thankful.
• I would be able to meet friends whom I never met in-person despite of knowing them for so long time, and to some I will be meeting after several years. For example Satya Shyam K Jayanti ( Blog | Twitter ), Amit Bansal ( Blog | Twitter ) , Prashant Kumar ( Blog | Twitter ) and probably Denny Cherry ( Blog | Twitter )  as I had few email exchange while I was authoring my book on SQL Server High Availability for Beginners.
• I have always believed in learning, if you believe me learning is never ending process, if we want to make progress  we have to keep learning; SQLServerGeek’s Annual Summit will provide that platform to learn something new, something exciting, for instance BI, Cloud and Big Data. Learning these technologies from experts will be an advantage.

There are some personal reasons as well for me to attend this event, as I already mentioned – to meet few friends in-person, and to make few more friends. I have been knowing few of these friends while I was aspiring DBA, when I was MVP and when I was being transformed as a professional.

I have been knowing Satya Shyam K Jayanti when I was aspiring DBA, I learned many things from him. Amit Bansal, I know him since 2007 when I was an MVP, though we didn’t meet each other personally we have had many occasion to talk over phone,  email and chat. Prashant Kumar is my colleague and friend, we’ve already met in-person and we talk to each other often as he is working as technical escalation, one level up then me. I will also meet Pinal Dave ( Blog | Twitter ) if he is in city, he don’t need introduction in SQL Server community, he is like brother to me.   There are others whom I have read and it would be fun and exciting to meet if time permits, they are Benjamin Nevarez, Sarabpreet Singh and Manohar Punna.

I would like to thank them all and wish belated Guru Purnima, all as I have learned things from them all. I have always admired dedication and zest that Pinal and Amit showed for community, I wish someday I will be able to match that level of energy and dedication. Sorry I missed to name few, if I write about them all this list and post will not end.  

In last, I would like to thank Amit once again for organizing this event and providing a platform to learn and socialize with alike minded community people. I would also like to thank my manager – John Eisbrener and CEO – Paul Vallee  and my company Pythian for sponsoring me so that I can enjoy the company of alike minded geeks and learn something new.

See you there at #SSGAS2015!!!!