I Just Launched The KomSea – And It All Started With a Bug
A Midnight Debug That Changed Everything
20 years ago, when I was a developer writing C code, there was a major downsizing at work. We had lost our test engineers, and I stepped in to do peer testing for a USSD callback telecom feature—back in my Motorola days in Bangalore, India.
I still remember the moment so clearly. It was past midnight. I was sitting in that cubicle, digging through the integration flows, and suddenly—bam—I found a tricky integration bug right before the code was about to be merged into the release branch. My peer was so relieved.
It wasn’t just about catching the bug, I was fascinated to see that feature come together end to end. I realized I had a knack for integration and system-level testing. That night, I fell in love with end-to-end testing.
From Developer to Trailblazing Test Engineer
That moment shifted everything, testing and automation became where I thrived.
So many people told me I was making a mistake by moving from development to testing. I heard it all:
- “You’ll take a pay cut.”
- “Testing is a dead-end for career growth”
- “You’ll lose your technical edge.”
- “You’ll do manual testing and you will get bored!”
But I chose to follow my heart and trailblazed a testing career for myself—one rooted in passion, depth, and long-term impact, I had to take that chance!
Making Myself Obsolete (On Purpose)
I was especially drawn to building scalable systems that plugged right into CI pipelines, giving engineers fast, clear feedback and confidence in the quality of what they were building. There’s something deeply satisfying about making myself obsolete with scalable automation and strong test principles embedded within the system—because I know I’ve done it right.
Over time, I wasn’t just building systems—I was sketching out a test vision and leading engineers who shared it. Even as an individual contributor, I’ve always technically led teams who are passionate about doing things the right way, through structured, process-oriented automation solutions that prioritize efficiency. Together, we have kept pace with fast-moving tech while releasing with confidence in software quality.
Rediscovering My Core Values (and Why I Built This)
In the last year, after a few meditative volunteer trips, something deeper clicked.
Away from the tech world—working hands-on in community gardens, schools, and remote villages—I reconnected with what truly drives me: community and empowerment.
That same energy—the desire to empower others, to create clarity, to multiply impact—is what I bring into every test system I design.
And then 2025 happened! The tech layoffs. The economic churn.
My peers who were affected started connecting for support:
- For automation interview prep
- For advice on career direction
- For support navigating tough transitions
- Or simply for moral encouragement
That’s when it became clear: 🦈 I had to build The KomSea.
Welcome to The KomSea 🦈🌊
This platform is a space to share my 20+ years of software testing experience—especially in Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing for embedded systems.
At The KomSea, I’ll be sharing:
- Simple testing related blogs
- tech talks, YouTube videos, podcasts
- Mentoring sessions and guidance
- and more to come
The Logo? It was inspired by a moment I’ll never forget—scuba diving under hundreds of hammerheads in the Galápagos Darwin and Wolf islands. I felt completely alive, free, and clear. That feeling captured the resilience and clarity I’ve built over the years in my career. But that’s a story for another time.
Join Me and The KomSea
The KomSea is still in its early days—a little infant of an idea that’s just starting to find its voice. But the intention behind it is clear: to empower, connect, and multiply impact across the testing world.
If you’re part of the testing world or supporting teams that ship high-quality software—The KomSea has something for you.
Explore it. Use it. Ask me questions. Share it with someone who might need a little clarity, confidence, or direction in their testing journey.
Let’s build this together. Let’s multiply impact together, and raise the bar for software safety and quality.. 🌊🦈
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