Highlights
- Jigar Shah arrived in Australia as an international student. Currently, he is the managing director of a telecommunication company.
- His company is one of the sponsors of the Melbourne Renegades team in the BBL and WBBL cricket tournaments.
- 'If you keep working hard, follow the process, and do the right thing, eventually you will get what you have dreamed for': Mr Shah's message to international students coming to Australia
Mr Shah says he landed in Australia from India with big dreams.
“After spending almost 19 years in this country, I can proudly say that Australia has given me an equal opportunity to pursue my dream life,” he says.
Based in Sydney, he now runs a telecommunication company named Trikon, which is one of the sponsors of the Melbourne Renegades team in the Big Bash T20 cricket league.
“My life has been fascinating and full of excitement from the day I landed Down Under.”
Great expectations
Coming from a middle-class family in India, Mr Shah says it was always his dream to go overseas and get a higher education.
“I did a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in India and studied a double masters and honours in Electronics and Communications at Victoria University in Melbourne.”
Recalling his early days in Australia, Mr Shah says it was a reality check when nobody was there to pick him up from the airport when he first arrived in Melbourne.
“I didn't know anyone personally and had only mutual acquaintances."
I stayed with other students and did part-time jobs, knocking on doors and selling products to survive during student life.
"I struggled financially, emotionally and professionally, but it was full of excitement! See, if you don't struggle during the initial days, your journey will become colourless. You don't have anything to recall and cherish those golden memories,” he says.
'Slow and steady wins the race'
Jigar Shah thanks his family for his success. Source: Supplied by: Jigar Shah
After obtaining a master's degree in Microelectronics Engineering and Computer Control, Mr Shah joined one of Australia's biggest telecommunications companies. He began his career in sales and rapidly advanced to key sales leadership positions.
“In 2007, when the world was experiencing an economic downturn, it was then that I chose to go on my business adventure, establishing a company named Trikon in Sydney.”
Mr Shah says the first growth phase of the company was undoubtedly modest but consistent. The self-made man recognised the need for diversification and started to expand the company's product range.
Currently, his company provides services including business phone systems, cloud phones, the internet, energy, web technologies, mobile applications, and software solutions.
“As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race. Give it some time, and life will give you more than you have asked for,” he says.
Trikon has gone on to receive numerous awards and recognitions for its contribution to Australia.
Mr Shah says the company won Deloitte's 2020 Technology Fast 500 award, was a finalist in the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence and was nominated for the Australian Small Business Awards.
Mr Shah himself was nominated for the Young Entrepreneur 2021, but he dedicates all the awards to his wife, family and staff of 112 for their hard work.
Sponsoring a cricket team in the Big Bash League
Mr Shah's decision to sponsor a cricket team was an easy one.
“As an Indian-origin migrant in Australia, cricket is in our blood, it is incredibly close to our heart. We love to engage with the game wherever we go."
Moreover, I always wanted to give back to the community and to the beautiful country of Australia.
“When we got an opportunity to support the game, we decided to do it. Firstly, our company engaged with the Melbourne Renegades team in the Women's Big Bash League. And now, we are also one of the sponsors of the Melbourne Renegades team in the men’s BBL competition.”
Mr Shah's company is also supporting club-level cricket in Sydney. Currently, they partner with Kellyville Supersonics, Freemans Reach, Hawkesbury District Cricket Association, Greystanes Cricket Club, and Wenty Leagues Cricket Club to grow their facilities.
Players of Melbourne Renegades team during one of the matches in the Big Bash League. Source: AAP Image/Joel Carrett
Message to international students arriving Down Under
Having first arrived in Australia as an international student, Mr Shah says he endured many ups and downs before establishing himself as a successful entrepreneur.
“Everyone has to give at least 12 months for things to settle; you won't get anything done in a day."
"If you keep working hard, follow the process, and do the right thing, eventually you will get what you have dreamed for," he adds.
