People at ALPLA – interview with Narendran Anumula
Narendran has achieved a lot in his 34 years. After completing his Bachelor’s degree in India, he moved to Germany for two and a half years, where he did his Master’s degree in Computational Engineering in Bochum. He continued his studies in computational sciences with a doctorate at the University of Belfast, Northern Ireland. He undertook his PhD thesis in Modelling and Simulation in collaboration with ALPLA. He has been working at the company headquarters in Hard since September 2018. At the beginning of 2020, his wife and one-year-old son joined him in Austria.
Name: Narendran Anumula
Location: Hard (AUT)
Position: Modelling and Simulation Development Engineer
What is your role at ALPLA?
I programme virtual models for products and production processes based on digital simulations. I support the design, development and production teams in their work. Simply put: I bring a product that doesn’t exist yet ‘to life’. This enables it to be visualised as realistically as possible. If the simulation is realistic and reliable, it provides quality data that can be used to foresee probable challenges and find solutions before going to the physical sampling phase.
Who would you swap jobs with if you could?
As my job is quite mathematical and is mainly to do with programming and simulation software, I’d be interested in seeing how things are for my colleagues in the research and development department, so I could learn more in real test environments about the properties and behaviour of new materials on the horizon such as biodegradable polymers or recycled materials.
What is your greatest achievement so far – personally or professionally?
The biggest decision I’ve made so far in my life is without doubt when I quit my job and left India to come to Europe in 2010. This time in my life was a huge challenge for me, both professionally and privately. I’m very proud and happy to have made a success of this.
Where is your favourite place in the world?
I feel a deep connection to my home town of Konayapalem in South India, especially to the Ram temple there.
Who is your childhood hero?
I remember that I used to admire the cricket player Sachin Tendulkar when I was a child. When I look back now, I have to say that my father made a strong impression on my life. He saw opportunities for me long before I was able to see them for myself. Such as the opportunity to attend an English-speaking school 60 kilometres away from my home town as well as taking out a loan on his house to enable me to travel abroad. I should mention that my father is a Purohit. That's a priest who lives in modest circumstances.
Can you say something in your native language for us?
In my native language of Telugu, we say ‘thananu thaanu eriginavadu sarvam grahinchagaladu’, which translates as something like ‘if you understand yourself, you know everything’.
What's the one thing you’re not able to resist?
Getting to sleep no later than 10.30 p.m.!
Name a few things on your bucket list?
Speak German fluently, get a European driving licence and visit Paris.
Can you describe ALPLA in your own three words?
Family, leading, diverse
What does the slogan ‘Family of Pioneers’ mean for you?
For me personally, the slogan means that I feel very connected to the company. ALPLA has given me a lot of opportunities in my professional life, initially as a sponsor during my PhD and now as an employer. I’m very grateful for this.
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