Not an early riser always, but I am very happy with what I wake up to in my present. Looking back to the journey I have had, I thought of sharing the same with anyone who is reading this blog. I hope my journey encourages you to take that ‘one step’.
I am a Digital Asset & Fintech Attorney who specializes in Crypto & Blockchain Space currently leading the Legal team at CoinDCX; India’s first crypto unicorn! This story dates back to my school days when I innocently fought my first case for my friends interpreting the School’s Code of Discipline & Conduct, wherein we took a stand for what was right and won. These small wins molded a knack in me of knowing the legal side of things and my dream of becoming a lawyer was sowed.
The journey for that dream started to take shape in 2010 when I qualified for almost all the National exams for various law schools throughout the country. I therein went on to pursue law, from National Law University, Orissa (NLUO). Those years were undoubtedly the best years of my life! From winning laurels in various mock courts aka moot courts to arguing about legal problems with the best of legal brains on a daily basis certainly improved my soft skills and gave me a holistic view of seeing both sides of a problem.
After completing my degree, I was not 100% sure if getting a job right away was my calling yet. Thus I further went on and pursued my post-grad in Securities, Banking & Finance Law from National Law University, Jodhpur (NLUJ). That definitely helped me in adding a few more stars to my profile. It was then that I decided to get a job and be done with studying for degrees. You cannot learn all that you need with the motivation of earning a degree. Getting into the field is when you start getting your real lessons. Hence, I started my career as an Attorney Litigating in courts with the motto “Justice shall prevail thy heaven shall fall”.
To help counsel organizations from the legal front has always been something I looked forward to. Having walked my initial days with various legal problems to solve, I now usually wake up with the dream of being the first lawyer to help regulate crypto in India. That dream started to take shape when I joined CoinDCX. Today my regular day starts with having a healthy breakfast while reading the Hindu or TOI; updating myself about what the world has been upto while I was getting my energy charged up. Following that, I usually grab a green tea, browse through emails, get on top of my to-do lists for the day. That’s how my work starts at CoinDCX. During the day I find myself engrossed in brainstorming meaningful discussions about real-world problems with an aim of regulating the unregulated. The whole team at CoinDCX is a group of passionate individuals who work with an approach to solve one problem at a time making CoinDCX the most secure and compliant digital asset exchange in India.
‘I always believe that the path to a successful career is to identify the problems and solve them strategically. In the end, it always boils down to making a difference and not just having a 9 to 5 job.’
My journey in the Crypto world started back in 2017 with a vision of bringing some positive impact in the crypto revolution. It was then, that I first read the white paper of Bitcoin and analyzed the benefits of this disruptive technology. As a Fintech enthusiast and an inquisitive investor, I started my journey of investing in Crypto Assets. A few like-minded people offered me an opportunity to be a part of this ecosystem and wanted me to create a strong legal framework for the Setting up of Security Token exchange in India. The initial days of my journey also included convincing a traditional regulator about this idea! It was one of the many failed stints I faced as a lawyer while also being one of the most memorable incidents I get to look back upon and realize how far we have walked since then.
A year later, I had multiple opportunities including being a part of my current legal team at CoinDCX. I challenged myself and took the opportunity to become the first legal counsel with the team. Reflection on the journey, I can remember that I was constantly reminded by my loved ones about the risks that come along with this challenge. But I remember always reminding myself that if we have a clear vision of what we wish to do, we will always find a way.
I can proudly say Crypto is one of the best career bets I took. That one step, however, was not all smooth. I had many sleepless nights working along with all these passionate individuals who believed in the potential. The organization’s hard work was plastered all over the nation when we achieved the status of First Crypto Unicorn in India which helped in creating a strong impact on the fintech industry. I wish to foresee positive regulations for the Industry. I believe we are still in the early stages of a revolution and we still have many more sleepless nights to come our way. This time, we are prepared 10x.
Let us believe in the power of technology and strive to create a more holistic framework of “Crypto for all”.
I would like to end it with advice to all my fellow professionals “Keep learning, un-learning and keep taking risks that You want”.
Writer: Anagh Tiwari.
Designation: Director – Legal at CoinDCX.
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