Yugen Radio: A Conversation with DMETian Cdr. Gaurav Agarwal (Retd.) & Sheeshram Yadav

🎙 Yugen Radio Podcast | Powered by Yugen Infra & DMET Club | Hosted by Prateek Khanna

Introduction

Welcome to another episode of Yugen Radio, where we explore journeys of resilience, leadership, and service that inspire the next generation. In this episode, I had the honor of sitting down with Cdr. Gaurav Agarwal (Retd.), my senior from DMET Kolkata (Batch of 1985), who transitioned from the Merchant Navy to the Indian Navy and went on to play a pivotal role in India’s maritime defence ecosystem.

Joining us in this conversation was Mr. Sheeshram Yadav, Founder of Yugen Infra, who shared his remarkable story of rising from rural India to building one of Goa’s most visionary real-estate ventures.

What followed was a powerful dialogue on the legacy of the armed forces, honesty in business, the camaraderie of DMETians, and the future of India’s shipbuilding and defence industries.

Early Life & DMET Days of Cdr. Gaurav Agarwal

Cdr. Agarwal’s story begins in a naval family. His father, a DMET alumnus (1953 batch, Roll No. 227), served in the Indian Navy, and young Gaurav grew up across postings in Bombay, Delhi, Kolkata, and Visakhapatnam. His schooling ranged from elite institutions like Cathedral & John Connon, Mumbai, to disciplined environments like Timpany School, Vizag.

By the time he entered DMET Kolkata in 1981 (Roll No. 3049), he already carried a deep love for the sea. Though his dream was to be a deck officer, a pair of spectacles pushed him toward marine engineering.

DMET became the 10th educational institution of his life, but also the most defining.

On his first day, like many juniors, he faced ragging—but he highlighted how ragging in those times often instilled discipline, grooming, and confidence. Learning to eat with fork and knife, polishing shoes, keeping uniforms crisp—these experiences built lifelong habits.

Above all, DMET gave him selfless friendships. Even today, he says if he removed his DMET circle of seniors, batchmates, and juniors, very few close friends would remain in his life.

The Leap: From Merchant Navy to Indian Navy

After completing DMET, Cdr. Agarwal sailed with Great Eastern Shipping for nearly two years. But in 1988, life took a dramatic turn. He received a call from the SSB (Service Selection Board)—applied for by his father without even telling him.

“My father told me—just go for it. Don’t think, just go.”

At just 23, he cleared SSB and joined the Indian Navy, leaving behind what he described as the “monotony of Merchant Navy life.”

The Indian Navy gave him 22.5 years of service as a Chief Engineer across Steam, Diesel, and Gas Turbine ships. He also served in machinery trials, ship repair yards, and warship overseeing. His most profound experience came during the 2004 Tsunami relief operations, where the Navy’s speed, efficiency, and selfless service stood in stark contrast to bureaucratic inertia.

“Among all pillars of democracy, it is only the Armed Forces today that stand as the true safeguard of our country. The moment we politicize them, we risk becoming another Pakistan.”

Leadership at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd.

Post his Naval career, Cdr. Agarwal joined Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL), India’s premier warship builder. He headed the Scorpene Submarine Project, coordinating with the French Naval Group to indigenize submarine design and execution.

From contract management of a ₹1000+ crore submarine modernization project to training collaborations with foreign partners, his tenure at MDL proved his mettle in combining defence discipline with corporate shipbuilding execution.

“India has always been a shipbuilding nation. With our coastline and history, we should match China, Japan, and Korea in shipbuilding capacity. The new government policies on shipbuilding are finally steering us in that direction.”

Sheeshram Yadav’s Parallel Journey: From Village Roots to Yugen Infra

In contrast, Mr. Sheeshram Yadav’s story is one of grit, resilience, and honesty. Raised in rural India, he only began learning the English alphabet in 6th standard at the age of 11. His parents were farmers, neither educated, yet they pushed him to study against all odds.

From working in private banks to starting his entrepreneurial journey, Sheeshram has built Yugen Infra, one of Goa’s fastest-growing real-estate developers, with projects like Yugen Golf City near MOPA Airport.

His philosophy: honesty in sales, transparency in communication, and focus over shortcuts.

“In real estate, you can put some masala in sales—but only as much as keeps the taste intact. Repeat customers come only when they trust you. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Dreams don’t need shortcuts—they need 14 years of grinding, just like a Chief Engineer climbs from 5th engineer to the top.”

Lessons from the Forces vs. Corporates

The podcast drew parallels between the military way of working and corporate/startup ecosystems.

• Discipline & Honesty: On ships, honesty is survival. “You can’t lie to the sea,” Cdr. Agarwal said. This DNA, if brought into corporates, would transform workplaces.

• Courage of Conviction: He narrated instances where he refused to sail because the main engine wasn’t fit—placing safety above orders. “In corporates too, employees must be empowered to say NO if something is unethical or unsafe.”

• Entrepreneurs as Soldiers: I (Prateek) observed that entrepreneurs like Sheeshram are also soldiers—fighting not wars, but building the nation through jobs, taxes, and capital.
  

Goa: Naval Legacy & Real Estate Future

Both guests shared their deep connections with Goa.

• For Cdr. Agarwal, his two years in Machinery Trials Unit, Goa Shipyard were among the best of his career—conducting sea trials for warships and living in the unique naval camaraderie where neighbours trusted each other with house keys.

• For Sheeshram, Goa’s growth lies in tourism + connectivity + IT + shipbuilding. The opening of MOPA International Airport was a masterstroke, connecting Goa to Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg belt, boosting tourism beyond 1 crore visitors annually, and catalyzing real estate prices.

“Shipbuilding investments are pouring in. Siemens has set up a ₹600 crore plant, and the government’s new shipbuilding policy is a game-changer. Goa will not just be about beaches—it will be about shipyards, IT corridors, and industrial growth.”

Giving Back: Mentorship, Alumni & Nation-Building

A recurring theme was giving back.

• Cdr. Agarwal has been Secretary of DMECA, re-started the alumni magazine Gauge Glass, and actively mentors cadets.

• Sheeshram emphasized focusing on juniors, teaching accountability, and building culture in startups.

• Both highlighted that mentorship, not money, is the biggest way alumni can give back to institutions like DMET.
  

Books, Humor & Human Side

Cdr. Agarwal is also an author of “From the Crow’s Nest – Memories, Musings & Mirth.”  He believes humor changes lives: “Every morning at MDL, I began with a joke—lifting morale of teams demoralized by project delays. Humor can transform work environments.”

Advice for Young Generation

We closed the podcast with one-line advice:

• Cdr. Gaurav Agarwal (Retd.): “Do your karma, your dharma. Don’t worry about results. Keep working sincerely—everything else will fall in place.”

• Sheeshram Yadav: “Focus. Fix your goal, orient all your energy towards it, and you can achieve anything.”

Together, they echoed: Focus + Karma = Legacy.

Closing Thoughts

This podcast was more than a conversation. It was a bridge between the disciplined world of defence and the gritty world of entrepreneurship, both bound by honesty, focus, and resilience.

Cdr. Agarwal’s naval wisdom and Sheeshram’s entrepreneurial fire left us with a profound realization: India needs both its soldiers and its entrepreneurs—one safeguards the nation’s borders, the other builds its future.