Junk ‘male’ won’t be blacked out

Which is why, when we land up at his door unannounced for an impromptu interview, he doesn’t slam it in our face. Are you here to know about spamming, he asks politely, and is prepared to give all the answers.

‘Spam’ is unsolicited or junk mail sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups. Typically, they are advertisements like — ‘get slim in a week’.

Husein provides special servers, called bullet-proof servers, which allow companies to send such ‘bulk mail’, as he terms it. He feels the term ‘spam’ has a negative connotation. ‘‘These companies are just trying to advertise through a powerful medium. Advertisement is never welcome, even when its on your TV or over the phone. But that doesn’t make it illegal,’’ he states.

This 24-year-old has had a chequered career. He set up a web portal (one of Mumbai’s first), was involved in network marketing (which, he candidly admits, ‘was a flop show’), ran a mushroom farm and his father’s iron and steel business. All this, while he was still a BCom student at National College, Mumbai, and while doing his MBA.

‘‘I’m an entrepreneur,’’ he says. ‘‘An entreprenuer is one who establishes a business and leaves it once it can run on its own. Like Bill Gates,’’ he smiles. Interestingly, Husein’s knowledge of computers is culled from some basics from school and web-designing skills. ‘‘I’m not a techie,’’ he states categorically. ‘‘I’m a marketing man.’’

In the same breath, he adds he’s ‘‘the best in the business’’. ‘‘I don’t send bulk mails; I know people who do. But I ensure that whoever uses my services is above board and takes responsibility for the mails sent by him,’’ he emphasises.

However, he is known to have association with Alan Ralsky, a convict and one of the most notorious spammers.

‘‘Yes, I’ve worked with Alan but I didn’t know he was a convict. Have I asked you if you’ve been convicted before giving you my interview?’’ he retorts. ‘‘Even if I knew he was a convict, I would have done business with him so long as it was legitimate.’’

This logic, typical of Husein, is now driving him to turn his newfound infamy into an opportunity. ‘‘When people face the wind, some make walls, some windmills,’’ he quotes an anonymous writer.