‘Your vibe attracts your tribe': Bhanu Chopra, Founder, RateGain
The Proust Questionnaire is a questionnaire about one’s personality. It has its origins in a parlour game popularised by Marcel Proust, the French essayist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.
Bhanu Chopra is the Founder and Chairman at RateGain, a SaaS company. The company delivers comprehensive solutions for revenue management decision support using scientific pricing methodologies, rate intelligence, seamless electronic distribution and brand engagement. Bhanu oversees the business strategy at large and leads innovation efforts, with a key focus on product development and business intelligence.
Bhanu completed his master’s degree from Indiana University Bloomington, USA, in Finance and Computer Science, and began his career with Deloitte Consulting, Chicago. A second-generation entrepreneur, Bhanu identified an opportunity in the increasing popularity of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) in the early 2000s, and the resultant shift in dynamics in the hospitality space, and founded RateGain in 2004. He is also a well-known speaker and writer.
Here are his responses to our Proust questionnaire…
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
When all my loved ones (family, friends, and work colleagues who I treat like family) are happy.
What is your greatest fear?
An increase in mental health issues and no inner peace.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Impatience.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Ego.
Which living person do you most admire?
Mukesh Ambani, for his ability to think really big.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Travelling to remote places. My favourite place is Zermatt, where I like to go skiing.
What is your current state of mind?
Awesome.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Magnificence.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I always wish I was a whole lot leaner.
Which living person do you most despise?
Anyone who lacks empathy.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Humility.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
A woman who is independent and chases her dreams.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Insanely awesome.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My family.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
My ability to answer rapid-fire questions like these with ease.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I don’t think I have done enough yet to conclude this but I’m on that path with RateGain.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
A lion.
Where would you most like to live?
London.
What is your most treasured possession?
My family.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
The lowest depth of misery is having no family or friends.
What is your favourite occupation?
Entrepreneurship, as it gives you the ability to create something that impacts the world.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Loyalty and truthfulness.
What do you most value in your friends?
A stress-free environment with loads of laughter and fun.
Who are your favourite writers?
Carol Dweck (author, Mindset), Ben Horowitz (author, The Hard Thing About Hard Things).
Who is your hero of fiction?
Don’t have one.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Tim-Berners Lee, who invented the World Wide Web and brought connectivity to the world.
Who are your heroes in real life?
At present, the frontline workers across medical, logistics, and tourism industry who have helped people survive the pandemic.
What are your favourite names?
Ruhan and Ridaan (my sons).
What is it that you most dislike?
The lack of humility and openness to collaborate.
What is your greatest regret?
I don’t have a lot of regrets. I own my actions and always make peace with the situations that life throws at me.
How would you like to die?
I would like to die peacefully, knowing that my journey helped inspire a certain section of society.
What is your favourite journey?
The journey to self-realisation of your weaknesses and admitting that it is ok to be not ok at times.
What is your motto?
Your vibe attracts your tribe. Stay insanely awesome.
Edited by Megha Reddy