Episodes
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My guest today is Elangovan Shanmugam, a seasoned software professional with over 30 years of experience. Among the multiple roles Elangovan has played are Distinguished Engineer, Director of Engineering, leading strategic AI transformation initiatives in a large organization.
In this conversation Elangovan:
Traces his journey from FoxPro and 4MB RAM days to AI engineeringShares how software evolved from standalone systems to connected business ecosystems.A major theme is that the problem often stays the same, but the solution changes.Elangovan describes AI agents as digital humans that help people interact naturally with systems.He explains that in software patents, the method of solving a problem can be patentable.His advice for professionals: embrace AI, keep evolving, and don’t stay in a comfort zone.Elangovan Shanmugam is a seasoned software professional with over 30 years of experience. He has held multiple roles—Distinguished Engineer, Director of Engineering, and now leading strategic AI transformation initiatives.
Most recently, he led a 40-person organization through a fundamental shift: teaching traditional engineering teams to think and operate as AI engineering organizations.
He has worked at the intersection of deep technical architecture and enterprise leadership—helping CTOs and organizations figure out what changes when AI becomes native to how you build.
He also has the distinction of receiving multiple innovation awards and has over 20 patents issued to his credit!
He is super passionate about solving tough problems for customers!
He may be reached at: elangovan.shanmugam @ gmail.com
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In this episode of Software People Stories, Gayatri Kalyanaraman speaks with Indra Vidyaprakash, Vice President | Workday Chennai Site Leader, for a conversation spanning three decades of technology evolution. From her early fascination with programming in Coimbatore and her journey through Cornell University, Oracle, and Silicon Valley, to returning to Chennai to establish and scale Workday's India presence, Indira shares lessons learned across every major technology shift—from the internet era and enterprise software revolution to today's AI-driven future.
The conversation explores product management, customer-centric innovation, leadership, mentorship, women in technology, startup investing, and the importance of staying curious in a rapidly changing world. Through stories of reinvention, growth, and building high-performing teams, Indira offers valuable insights for technology professionals, aspiring leaders, and lifelong learners navigating their own careers
Timestamped Show Notes
00:00 – Welcome to Software People StoriesGayatri introduces Indra Vidyaprakash, Site Leader at Workday India and a technology leader whose career spans Oracle, Workday, product management, and organizational leadership.
00:44 – The Atari That Started It AllIndra reflects on her childhood in Coimbatore and how an Atari gaming console sparked her fascination with logic, programming, and problem-solving. Long before technology became a career, it had already become a passion.
02:19 – PSG Tech, Family Legacy, and the Pursuit of LearningA discussion about growing up in Coimbatore, studying Computer Science at PSG Tech, the influence of her grandfather J.R. Damodaran, and the importance of education and lifelong learning.
04:00 – HCL, Cornell, and the American DreamIndra shares her journey from HCL Technologies in Chennai to pursuing a Master's degree at Cornell University, experiencing a new educational culture, and entering the world of advanced computing.
06:30 – Landing in Silicon Valley During the Oracle EraWhat it was like to join Oracle in 1997 and witness the rise of enterprise software, internet adoption, and the dot-com boom from the heart of Silicon Valley.
08:10 – Why Engineering Alone Wasn't EnoughAfter nearly a decade as a software engineer, Indra found herself asking an important question: "Who is actually using what I'm building?" That question ultimately led her toward product management.
10:45 – Reinventing Herself Through Product ManagementIndra discusses taking a career break, exploring an MBA, learning new business skills, and ultimately transitioning into product management through curiosity and self-discovery rather than a predefined career plan.
14:08 – Learning Design Thinking Before It Became a BuzzwordHow customer empathy, usability testing, user-centered design, and direct customer interaction became foundational to her product leadership approach.
16:00 – The Magic of Product ConferencesIndra reflects on Oracle OpenWorld, customer interactions, product demonstrations, analyst briefings, and how conferences became one of her favorite aspects of product management.
18:38 – Moving from Oracle to WorkdayA story about relationships, professional networks, and following trusted colleagues into a new opportunity that would shape the next decade of her career.
20:30 – Why Culture MattersIndra explains how Workday's employee-centric culture, customer focus, and collaborative environment became major factors in her decision to join the company.
22:17 – Entering the World of HR TechnologyThe challenges and opportunities of moving into HR and Financial ERP systems, understanding customer trust, compliance, security, and building enterprise software at scale.
26:00 – NEYTHRI and Supporting Women LeadersIndra discusses joining NEYTHRI, a professional network for South Asian women leaders, and how community-building eventually led her to participate as an investor in NEYTHRI’s venture fund.
28:45 – Why Representation MattersA conversation about women entrepreneurs, access to capital, and the importance of creating opportunities for women founders and leaders.
30:00 – Returning Home After Three DecadesAfter nearly 30 years in the United States, Indra shares the story behind her decision to return to Chennai and lead the establishment of Workday's India operations.
32:00 – Building Workday ChennaiHow Workday selected Chennai, what it takes to build a new technology center from the ground up, and why creating culture is just as important as creating infrastructure.
34:00 – Scaling Talent and Building Future LeadersIndra discusses mentoring, leadership development, gender diversity, and the excitement of working with AI-native graduates entering the workforce today.
36:30 – Product Innovation, AI, and Learning Through ExperimentationLessons from introducing chatbot technology years before today's Generative AI wave, balancing innovation with customer trust, and the importance of thoughtful experimentation.
39:00 – The Importance of Small ExperimentsWhy successful innovation often begins with a small group of trusted customers, rapid feedback loops, and disciplined iteration.
42:00 – The Most Important Leadership Trait: Growth MindsetIndra reflects on the influence of lifelong learning, adaptability, and why curiosity has remained her greatest career advantage.
44:00 – AI, Accessibility, and India's Digital LeapA fascinating discussion on how AI is democratizing access to knowledge, enabling multilingual interaction, and creating opportunities across diverse communities.
46:00 – Human Connections Still MatterDespite advances in AI, Indra emphasizes that relationships, collaboration, trust, and empathy remain the foundations of meaningful work and leadership.
48:00 – Final Advice: Stay CuriousIndra closes the episode with her advice for the next generation: continue learning, embrace change, remain curious, and never lose sight of the human element behind technology.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/indiravidyaprakash/
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Missing episodes?
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My guest today is Ian Hogg, the Chairman of SolvedBy.ai, an applied AI company helping SaaS vendors embed enterprise-grade forecasting, demand and decision intelligence directly into their platforms. In this conversation,
Ian shares his background, from the Royal Navy and Xerox to building early web businesses, a SaaS platform, and an AI-focused company.He describes how his SaaS business began by solving his own operational problem and then expanded when others in the industry recognized the same need.He shares how, In enterprise AI, one needs to distinguish decision-support and forecasting systems from generative AIIan highlights that AI adoption in organizations depends heavily on leadership behaviorThe conversation also covers mindset barriers, the empowerment of non-technical users, and the need to build confidence through hands-on experimentation rather than waiting for formal permission or perfect readiness.On branding and customer acceptance, Ian explains that people may resist AI if it feels like replacement, but respond more positively when it is framed as assistive and human-in-the-loop.He shares career advice for both newcomers and mid-career professionalsIn closing, he shares aspects that help him stay groundedIan Hogg is Chairman of SolvedBy.ai, an applied AI company helping SaaS vendors embed enterprise-grade forecasting, demand and decision intelligence directly into their platforms.
He has spent his career building, scaling and investing in software businesses, with a particular focus on workforce management, SaaS partnerships and AI-driven operational optimisation.
Ian is a strong voice on the “SaaS apocalypse” — the idea that AI will expose weak, seat-based SaaS models while creating huge opportunities for vendors that own deep workflow, data and distribution.
At SolvedBy.ai, he is focused on helping SaaS companies add the AI layer their customers now expect, without needing to build specialist AI engines from scratch.
Ian may be reached at:
https://x.com/ianhogg88
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianhoggworktechgroup/
https://solvedby.ai/
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In this episode of Software People Stories, Gayatri Kalyanaraman sits down with Rajshri Kidambi, CEO of Radus Software LLC, for an inspiring and deeply personal conversation. Rajshri shares her journey from arriving in the United States as an H4 dependent to building a successful software company serving federal agencies for over two decades. Together, they discuss entrepreneurship, motherhood, Agile transformation, government technology, resilience, AI, and the power of taking calculated risks. A thoughtful conversation about leadership, growth, and creating impact that lasts.
Timestamped Show Notes00:00 – Welcome to Software People Stories - Gayatri introduces Rajshri Kidambi, CEO of Radus Software LLC, and sets the stage for a conversation spanning technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, and life.00:57 – From Electronics Engineering to Software Development. Rajshri shares her early journey—from studying Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering in India to arriving in the U.S. on an H4 visa and transitioning into software development during the tech talent boom of the 1990s.02:38 – The Birth of Radus Software. After nearly a decade at CACI Federal, Rajshri realized she could build a company of her own. She discusses the decision to launch Radus Software and the motivation behind becoming an entrepreneur.05:43 – Discovering a Passion Beyond Programming. Moving from coding to customer interactions, Rajshri explains how becoming a subject matter expert and presenting software solutions to military stakeholders revealed her aptitude for business development and sales.07:18 – Overcoming Language and Confidence Barriers. Growing up in a Kannada-medium school, Rajshri initially struggled with confidence in professional communication. She shares how experience helped her overcome those challenges.09:11 – The Turning Point: Why She Started Her Own Company. Rajshri discusses seeing the value she created for her employer, understanding government contracting economics, and making the leap into entrepreneurship while raising young twins.11:28 – Motherhood, Career Pivots, and Personal Choices. An honest discussion on balancing career ambitions with family priorities, and why every woman's professional journey follows a different path.14:49 – Wearing Every Hat in a Startup. Rajshri reflects on the early years of Radus Software, where she managed accounting, invoicing, operations, contracts, and business development while learning entrepreneurship from the ground up.17:31 – Building Software for the U.S. Federal Government. Rajshri discusses her work across agencies including the Department of Defense, FAA, GSA, and NNSA, and explains how government technology modernization differs from the commercial sector.19:19 – Digital Transformation, Data Governance & SAM.gov. A look into large-scale government modernization initiatives, Agile adoption, business process automation, and the evolution of digital government platforms.22:48 – Agile, SAFE Frameworks, and Government Transformation. Gayatri and Rajshri compare experiences implementing Agile practices in government organizations and discuss the challenges of cultural transformation.26:01 – Working with Multiple Vendors on Large Government Programs. Rajshri explains the realities of delivering federal programs alongside large consulting firms, balancing collaboration, competition, and customer expectations.37:19 – Building Credibility as a Small Business. The journey from subcontractor to trusted prime contractor and the importance of past performance, reputation, and persistence in federal procurement.38:45 – The Highs of a 25-Year Entrepreneurial Journey. Rajshri shares one of her proudest moments—co-presenting with SAFE creator Dean Leffingwell and showcasing Radus Software's Agile product innovation.41:18 – The Lowest Point: Losing a Contract She Loved A deeply personal reflection on losing a major FAA contract after years of investment and how family support and lessons from the Bhagavad Gita helped her recover.45:06 – The One CEO Responsibility She Will Never Delegate. Why customer relationships remain the foundation of business growth and long-term success.47:15 – Looking Ahead: AI, Automation, and Agentic Systems. Rajshri discusses the future of AI, how tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are already changing the way people work, and the importance of governance and guardrails.50:52 – Human Intelligence in an AI-Powered World. A conversation about preserving critical thinking while embracing AI-assisted productivity.53:30 – Final Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs. Rajshri's closing message: take calculated risks, build something you care about, stay resilient, and enjoy the journey.
55:44 – Closing Remarks. Gayatri wraps up the conversation and thanks Rajshri for sharing her story and insights.Memorable Quotes"If I can do it, anybody can do it."
"Take calculated risks."
"Relationships are what give you business."
"You should be passionate, but not too attached to the outcome."
"The future belongs to people who can work with AI, not compete against it." (paraphrased from discussion)
Rajashri (“Raj”) Sankavaram, CEO Radus Software LLC, is the driving force behind the company’s culture of excellence, integrity, and continuous innovation. With a strong background in quality management, program delivery, and organizational leadership, she has built Radus into a trusted federal and commercial partner known for precision, transparency, and reliability. Raj is the evangelist behind the creation of Metronome Orchestrated Agile®️, the company’s flagship platform that unites human-centric design, compliance automation, and AI-assisted orchestration to simplify complex software delivery. Under her leadership, Radus has achieved recognition for its federal contracting excellence, delivering mission-critical solutions for agencies such as the IRS, FAA, NNSA, and DHA. Her emphasis on collaboration, mentorship, and quality-driven growth continues to shape Radus as a company that not only delivers outcomes but also builds enduring relationships grounded in trust and accountability.
can be contacted at https://www.linkedin.com/in/raj-sankavaram-0947427/
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My guest today is a good friend and colleague - and not to forget with whom I was a co-author for a book, Paramu Kurumathur.
In this episode, Paramu discusses how his recent development work evolved from small Google Apps Script utilities copied and adapted from online examples to building AI-connected applications via APIs to tools like Gemini and ChatGPT, including enabling Q&A over his book content.
He describes surprises from “conversing” with his books—especially that LLMs retain details he has forgotten—while noting key risks such as hallucinations and the need for precise prompts. He explains learning Cursor with guidance from our colleague, Raja, discovering that it can generate code, and rapidly producing a proof of concept that maps citizens to the Government welfare schemes using PDFs, Chroma DB, sentence transformers, and queues—work that took about a week instead of months.
The conversation contrasts older development eras with today’s dependency-heavy environments, argues many SDLC intermediate steps are compressed, and highlights transferable mid-career skills in requirements and problem translation, alongside concerns about limited debugging and testing depth.
The timestamps are approximate and do not include the time for the intro. Add about 90 seconds to locate the section
00:00 Welcome and Setup
01:16 Rediscovering Coding via Apps Script
02:02 Connecting Scripts to LLM APIs
03:21 Talking to Your Own Book
05:32 Hallucinations and Prompt Control
06:50 Learning Cursor and Building a POC
09:09 Old School Dev vs Modern Tooling
12:00 AI Changes the SDLC
13:36 Testing and Trusting AI Output
15:10 Debugging Gaps and Assumptions
16:34 Setting AI Standards
17:20 Mid Career Transfer Skills
18:48 Prompting Without Hallucinations
20:21 Courses vs Learning by Doing
23:25 Overcoming First Step Fear
25:24 LLM Limits in Astronomy
28:24 Cursor for Reliable Code
29:37 Anybody Can Code Now
31:13 Next Projects and Wrap Up
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My guest today is Evan J. Schwartz, the COO of AMCS Group North America, a global leader in sustainable cloud technology. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor and Board Advisor at Jacksonville University, mentoring graduate students in AI, cybersecurity, and technical project management.
Evan traces his technology origin from early-1980s bulletin board systems to founding a company that built graphic multiplayer BBS games and a scripted graphics language,
that he says predated HTML, reaching 33 titles across a global BBS market before the internet rapidly displaced it around 1995.
He then shifted from internet gaming into business software, automating insurance workflows and later working in commodity and “reverse logistics” industries including forestry, natural gas, and waste/recycling at AMCS, citing route optimization across 770,000 trucks that saves 17–20 gallons of diesel per truck.
He discusses why ERP adoption is hard, advocating game-design-style gradual introduction, putting people first, and having product teams do end-user jobs.
He emphasizes vendor relationships over feature requests, AI governance and risk frameworks, a “person + AI” stewardship model, and evolving education/career paths toward broad skills, clear communication, domain knowledge, and knowing what “good” looks like.
The timestamps are approximate and do not include the time for the intro. Add about 90 seconds to locate the section
00:00 Welcome and Setup
00:31 Early Computing Origins
01:20 Building BBS Games
03:02 Internet Shift to Business
05:01 Reverse Logistics Mission
06:34 ERP and AI Adoption
08:31 Gaming Lessons for ERP
11:03 People First Strategy
13:00 Empathy by Doing the Job
17:29 Vendor Trust and Roadmaps
21:31 Universities vs AI Change
24:58 Training Architects Without Coding
26:03 AI as Faster Camera
26:58 Stewardship Over Replacement
28:34 Why Hallucinations Happen
29:52 Capstones in One Class
30:37 Excel to AI Migration
33:08 M&A Governance Interop
35:45 EU AI Act Reality Check
37:56 Culture Shapes Adoption
40:31 Interstellar Waiting Trap
41:53 Career Skills for Stewards
44:41 Quiet Failure Risk
45:57 Protect Time and Values
48:52 Closing Thanks
Evan J. Schwartz is the COO of AMCS Group North America, a global leader in sustainable cloud technology. With 35+ years of experience in resource-intensive industries like waste, recycling, and natural gas, he drives digital transformation through AI and data science. Formerly AMCS’s Chief Enterprise Architect, Evan is also an adjunct professor at Jacksonville University, mentoring future IT leaders. A Forbes Technology Council member and sought-after speaker, he advocates for AI-driven sustainability and ethical tech. His bestselling book, People, Places, and Things, cements his expertise in seamless ERP implementation.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Website: https://www.evanjschwartz.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-schwartz-live/
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My guest today is Chaitra Partha Rao, Vice President at Daimler Truck Innovation Center India – Manufacturing , Sales & Aftersales.
Chaitra shares how her childhood aspirations to become a neurosurgeon shifted to commerce due to cost constraints, eventually leading her into IT through an internship at a medical diagnostics firm automating stores processes.
She describes observing early requirement-gathering and MVP-style delivery, learning the importance of user empathy, and contrasts it with a later failure where a $15M trading interface was rejected because designers didn’t listen to analysts.
Her career spans core banking, Fidelity-style investing, equity trading transformation (including crypto/digital assets focus in 2015–2017), and automotive/trucking, emphasizing designing for human touchpoints even amid AI trends.
She discusses patience versus outcome-chasing, staying focused via “recalculating” and timeboxing, scaling systems using “day in the life” simulations, cross-cultural user commonalities, cautious optimism about synthetic data, guidance for women returning from career breaks, and grounding routines like yoga, reflection, cooking, and music.
The timestamps are approximate and do not include the time for the intro. Add about 90 seconds to locate the section
00:00 Welcome and Setup
00:42 From Medicine to Commerce
02:37 First IT Breakthrough
05:41 Curiosity Meets Automation
10:56 User Empathy in Practice
16:33 Human Touch vs AI
18:39 Patience and Ambition
22:04 Staying Focused Timeboxing
26:07 Commute Predictability Hacks
26:37 Banking vs Trading Reality
28:10 Learning Traders Language
31:27 Designing for Scale Patterns
36:38 Cross Culture User Insights
40:12 AI Synthetic Personas Limits
44:27 Returning After Career Break
49:12 Staying Grounded Daily Routine
51:13 Closing Reflections Thanks
Chaitra is a seasoned leader with 26 years of experience in IT traversing through Fintech & Automotive domains. Her formative leadership experience stems from working for Fidelity Investments , a company that shaped who she is while putting it to practice and being able to coach and nurture A teams is an opportunity that she experiences with her current organization.
She has played various roles that have taken her through learning paths that have been challenging as well as fulfilling in the areas of technology, process and team building.
She calls herself as ‘still a work-in-progress’, curious learner who takes one day at a time , enjoying it to the maximum and helping coach leaders and teams to bring their best.
She may be reached on: [email protected]
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My guest today is Tyler Wells, co-founder of Brain Grid.
Tyler recounts 25+ years in software, from an early IBM XT to work across military communications, startups, Skype/Microsoft, and seven and a half years at Twilio building video and SRE organizations, before founding Propel Data (which didn’t find product-market fit) and then Brain Grid.
He describes an experiment-driven approach to building high-performance systems by defining hypotheses, creating a “steel thread” MVP, and prioritizing observability for 2:00 AM incidents.
He discusses how AI coding shifts focus from typing code to architecture, documentation, critical thinking, and red-teaming plans, while warning that agents need guidance on separation of concerns and DRY to avoid refactor side effects. Brain Grid emerged from using Cursor agents during Propel’s wind-down and aims to generate detailed specs, acceptance criteria, and validation loops so agents implement features reliably, with attention to token efficiency.
He also covers co-founder traits, chaos engineering, compliance challenges for solopreneurs, career advice, and staying grounded through exercise, cooking, and family.
Tyler Wells is the Co-founder and CTO at BrainGrid, BrainGrid is one of the first platforms built specifically to replace the missing product management role in AI-native software development.
He is currently building BrainGrid — helping engineering teams ship faster with AI-assisted requirements breakdown and task management. We're focused on bridging the gap between product ideas and implementation-ready work.
His Background: He has spent 25+ years building systems where failure isn't an option—from satellite communications at Hughes Space to real-time video at global scale. I led the team that built Facebook's first video calling feature powered by Skype, then spent 7+ years at Twilio building their Video Platform (WebRTC) and leading SRE/Observability across the company.
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My guest today is L.A. Balamurugan, known as Bala. With extensive experience in software development, he now plays the role of a delivery coach.
In this conversation filled with nuggets from his experience, Bala shares his career journey from a computer science degree in the early 1990s to roles at HCL, Perot Systems in the US, and Manugistics.
After earning a master’s in information systems and software engineering from George Mason University, he joined HP Labs in Bangalore as an R&D project/program manager on HP OpenView and became involved in early Agile/Scrum adoption and scaling.
He later launched a boutique consulting firm and co-founded BookMyTrainings.com (a training marketplace), grew it with angel funding, and expanded into payment collection and L&D program management before COVID led to winding it down.
He then spent about seven years as an Agile coach and recently published a startup-focused book, "What I Wish I Knew Before Starting Up," covering founder blind spots, idea alignment, co-founder choices, and emotional resilience.
00:00 Welcome and Setup
00:30 Early Career at HCL
01:53 Textile Systems Tech Stack
02:28 US Onsite Perot Systems
03:41 Supply Chain at Manugistics
05:20 Return to India and Masters
06:13 HP Labs and Agile Shift
08:10 Entrepreneurship Leap
08:57 Building BookMyTrainings
10:23 Payments and Revenue Model
11:52 SAFe Training and Coaching
13:43 COVID Impact and Book Writing
16:22 Learning New Domains Fast
19:03 Dual Hat PM and Scrum
22:48 Two Sided Marketplace Insights
25:03 Training Pain Points
26:05 Building Trust Platform
26:53 Win Win Marketplace
29:26 AI In Learning Paths
32:06 Agile Culture Vs Delivery
34:49 Writing Startup Book
40:08 Career Tips In AI Era
44:47 Co Founder Dilemma
47:24 Staying Grounded
49:56 Closing Thoughts
L. A. Balamurugan, or Bala, began his career as a computer science engineer, studying in India and later completing his Master’s in the USA. After sixteen years building software products and leading teams, he moved into entrepreneurship, founding multiple ventures including BookMyTrainings, a well known training marketplace in India. Following the pandemic and the closure of the startup, Bala now works as a Delivery Coach helping software teams deliver better products faster. His entrepreneurial journey inspired his book, What I Wish I Knew Before I Started: A Founder’s Guide to Understanding One’s Blind Spots and Equipping Before Venturing.
Bala’s Linkedin profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/labmurugan
Link to his book: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0GFNP7NTG
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In this episode, I am in conversation with Rajesh Sharma, co-founder and chief product officer of ProHance. Rajesh covers a lot of ground starting from his move from Public Sector to SaaS Founder.
Rajesh describes his path from a modest middle-class upbringing in Shimla and a mechanical engineering degree to a stable career at HPCL, then a major career reset into software after quitting his public-sector job to take an IBM course and restarting as a trainee. He later co-founded JaMocha Tech (now ProHance) in 2009 with co-founder Kishore Reddy, backed early by angel investor Sudhir Sharma, aiming to build a world-class software product from India. After experimenting with multiple products and learning that market feedback matters more than expert opinions, they focused on ProHance, a horizontal work visibility and effectiveness platform, now with 250+ customers in 23 countries, ~200+ employees, and a private equity majority investor. He emphasizes the importance of complementary co-founders, supportive family, direct founder-customer feedback loops, profitability and frugality, outcome ownership, and adopting AI internally and in-product.
00:00 Welcome and Setup
01:00 Origin Story and Courage
02:10 From Shimla to Bangalore
04:22 Quitting HPCL for IT
07:06 Starting the Company
11:06 Why Team Matters
14:02 Family Support System
16:56 Finding Product Market Fit
18:45 Choosing the Winning Product
23:18 Selling a Horizontal SaaS
24:31 Business Meets Tech
25:48 Customer Value Mindset
27:36 Product Decisions and Risk
30:36 Start Small MVP
33:01 Founder Led Feedback Loop
35:28 Scaling Global Teams
36:05 Leaders From Customers
39:16 AI Adoption and Roadmap
46:03 Staying Grounded Values
50:21 Parting Advice Start Now
Rajesh Sharma is a first-generation entrepreneur and the co-founder of ProHance, a highly successful, self-funded, profitable SaaS startup built from the ground up in Bangalore, India.
Born and raised in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, Rajesh earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering from MNIT, Jaipur. He began his professional journey with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), one of India’s leading public sector oil and gas companies.
After over 12 years at HPCL, Rajesh identified the rising potential of the IT sector and made a strategic career transition in 2000, moving from a stable corporate role to the technology industry as a software engineer. He gained practical experience in software product development with companies including Network Solutions, International Decision Systems, and JSoft.
In 2009, Rajesh co-founded JaMocha Tech with Kishore Reddy (later renamed ProHance) where he leveraged his techno-functional expertise to build a profitable, debt-free SaaS enterprise. Today, ProHance stands as a global platform with over 200 enterprise customers and an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of around $18 million. In December 2023, ChrysCapital acquired a 75% stake in ProHance, fuelling its next phase of global expansion across regions such as the Philippines, Australia, and South America.
Throughout his career, he has consistently embraced roles beyond his core expertise, applying a hands-on, practical approach that combines on-the-job learning with sound judgment. This rare combination has shaped him into a leader with deep insight into both the business and technical aspects of running any enterprise.
Rajesh continues to be deeply involved with ProHance, now serving as its Chief Product Officer (CPO) after transitioning from his earlier role as COO. In this capacity, he continues to drive ProHance’s product vision, innovation, and technology roadmap—while mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and builders navigating their own zero-to-one journeys.
Contact info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajesh-sharma-12298447
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Host: Chitra Gurjar
4 decades and counting, always energized to do something, work is my DNAFrom post and telegraph to giving tuitions to creating her own agency to studyAn advocate for herself, nurturing her desire to serveTurning away “assured” job offers to join Defence Labs as a Scientist at CABSMoved onto a “lesser assurance” to join HPPeople and culture at the heart of her 3+decade stay at HPChallenging status quo, try and fail, Innovation has to be a part of one’s daily lifeStay focused on problems that you are solving and layer tools and technology to solve your problemFocus on incremental delivery of valueHolding a people vision through the course of her workStrong belief that “AI will improve the quality of jobs”Learning is a constant - continue to build Apply training and learning programs intentionallyWorking on a market analysis - next gen quoterStrong belief on impact of AI on Healthcare and EducationBelieving that coaching is something everyone should learn, enable people as answers lie within each oneWorking with a non-profit Daksham skills and Dreams Designs
Arundathi has been working in technology and leadership related roles for the last 40+ years. She
started her career as a Scientist at Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, India.
While at DRDO, she was involved in development of Radar transmitter and controller systems.
Arundathi joined Hewlett Packard in 1996 and during her 27+ year career in HP and HPE, she has
worked in multiple roles across various business units. Under her leadership, HP rolled out multiple
market leading internet services related products on HPUX. She was on one of the key leader
responsible for setting up Global IT teams offshore centre in India in 2004. She has managed a team
of 3000+ technologists delivering for IT, across multiple technologies and multiple business areas
enabling HP(E)’s business. She has successfully lead and delivered multiple IT transformation
projects. She has also lead the people transformation to move towards digital technologies in
alignment with the market trends and business needs. She has had a short stint of 2 years at EY as
the Engineering leader for India, in Client Technology, building on Product engineering and delivery
capability. In the recent past she was the Global Program Manager for HPE’s industry leading Next
Generation IT transformation program. She leads the Global Delivery Services organisation, which is
the internal the delivery engine for GIT. She is also the India leader for HPE’s Global IT.
Arundathi has led several initiatives in people transformation towards digital transformation,
customer centricity and employee engagement. She is passionate about building teams and leaders
who are future proof and future safe. She has a strong passion towards building women leaders in
technology and mentored and coached many women through focussed initiatives. She has also had
a stint as the chairperson at HP for Prevention of Sexual Harassment at workplace.
Arundathi has as Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical and Electronics from Government
College of Technology, Coimbatore and Master of Technology from Indian Institute of Technology,
Madras (IITM). She is a certified coach.
During her free time, Arundathi loves to teach, coach, travel and read.
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In this episode of Software People Stories, Gayatri speaks with Muthusamy Vetrivel, Manager – Business Analytics at Saudi National Bank (formerly Saudi French Bank), about a career that spans over four decades of technological disruption.
Vetrivel’s journey is anything but conventional.
He began in the granite export business — negotiating documents and standing nervously at bank counters. That experience sparked curiosity: “What happens behind the counter?” That curiosity led him into banking.
In the mid-1980s, when computers first entered Indian banks, he was among a select group trained in programming through Aptech — at a time when unions resisted “computers” and they were rebranded as Advanced Ledger Posting Machines (ALPM).
From:
Assembly language and MS-DOS20 MB storage limits286 machines and floppy disksWriting modules for savings and current accountsTo:
Oracle databasesLAN networksCore banking migrationsAnd today — analyzing 5 million customer records in secondsVetrivel has lived through every wave of banking transformation.
Now in Riyadh, he leads Business Analytics — studying customer behavior, spending patterns, and helping the bank design better financial products while staying compliant with regulations governed by the Saudi Central Bank.
Beyond banking, he serves as a community leader with the Riyadh Tamil Sangam — supporting migrant workers, coordinating repatriation flights during COVID, promoting Tamil literacy, and building recognized Tamil-speaking Toastmasters clubs globally.
His philosophy is simple:
Be sincere.
Be honest.
Contribute a little more than expected.
A rare combination of technical depth, regulatory understanding, business acumen, and grassroots community service — this episode is a masterclass in longevity, relevance, and purpose.
Muthusamy Vetrivel is a seasoned Banking and Data Analytics Specialist with over three decades of combined experience in both information technology and banking operations. He currently serves as Manager – Business Analytics at Saudi National Bank (formerly Banque Saudi Fransi), where he leads analytics initiatives that harness customer insights, large-scale data, and business intelligence to drive product design, customer understanding, and strategic decision-making.
Vetrivel’s career uniquely spans core banking systems, software project management, and data analysis, rooted in deep experience with legacy banking platforms and modern analytics environments. Over the years, he has witnessed firsthand the evolution of banking technology — from early MIS and core banking implementations to advanced analytics workflows processing millions of records.
Beyond his professional domain, Muthusamy is also known for community leadership, particularly through his involvement with expatriate cultural and support initiatives, mentoring, and building networks that bridge technical expertise with service and social impact.
Vetrivel can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvetrivel/
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In this special Women’s Day episode of Software People Stories, Gayatri sits down with Manisha Deshpande, VP, Digital Platform Engineering at Neurealm, for a deeply reflective conversation on career evolution, motherhood, leadership, and thriving in the AI era.
Manisha’s journey begins in the early 2000s — renting desktops with friends, coding in C++, and working at startups before “startups” were cool. A pivotal on-site experience early in her career changed how she viewed engineering — from writing code to understanding customer impact.
Across 25 years in technology — from digital asset management to identity & access management, from services to product engineering, from engineering leadership to heading UX Centers of Excellence — Manisha shares the inflection points that shaped her:
Choosing to intentionally slow down during certain seasons of lifeMoving from domain specialist to product mindset thinkerBridging design and engineeringLeading horizontally across business unitsPreparing teams for AI not just technically — but mentallyShe speaks candidly about:
Why “letting go” without regret is powerfulThe importance of showing up every dayBuilding a support system beyond workThe shift from executor to thinker in the AI ageWhy curiosity is the only non-negotiable skillFrom rental 386 desktops to AI agents and workflow automation — this episode is about evolution, resilience, and staying human in a rapidly changing industry.
If you’re a software professional navigating change, motherhood, leadership, or the AI disruption — this conversation is both grounding and energizing.
Quotable QuotesHere are powerful pull-quotes you can use for LinkedIn, audiograms, or graphics:
“Technology is shrinking in shelf life — but curiosity never expires.”“You cannot have it all at the same time. But you can choose your season — without regret.”“If you remain an executor, you will be automated. If you become a thinker, you will thrive.”“Letting go is not failure. It is prioritization.”“Show up every day. Even when you’re slowing down, you’re still moving forward.”“AI can accelerate execution — but intent and context still belong to humans.”“Full stack today is not just technical depth — it is empathy, collaboration, and business awareness.”“Build foundations — health, support systems, hobbies. They are your resilience engine.”“Learning is not optional anymore. But evolution is a choice.”“Be curious, not fearful.”With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, Manisha Deshpande is a highly skilled and visionary leader in digital platform engineering. She is deeply committed to design-led, human-centric product development, ensuring that engineering teams align with cutting-edge design principles to deliver impactful, scalable products.
Manisha’s expertise spans the entire product engineering lifecycle, from UX design to cloud infrastructure. She combines a product mindset with AI-powered development to accelerate delivery and drive smarter engineering decisions, creating innovative solutions that address both current and future challenges.
An advocate for diversity and inclusion, she mentors college-bound female students, providing valuable guidance to help them succeed in their careers.
Earlier in her career, Manisha held leadership roles at Persistent Systems, where she led teams in identity and access management, API management, business process management, and security solutions. She is known for her ability to build high-performing teams, collaborate for growth, and drive product excellence.
Outside of work, Manisha’s passions for painting, traveling, and hiking fuel her creativity and provide inspiration for her leadership approach.
Manisha can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/manisha-deshpande-0881b36/
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In this deeply personal and inspiring episode of Software People Stories, Gayatri speaks with Dr. Vaijayanthi Srinivasaraghavan (Viji) — a seasoned technology leader, Senior Director at UPS, and a resilient voice for women navigating complex careers and life transitions.
From learning C++ through shared manuals in the early 90s to leading global logistics technology at massive scale, Viji shares a journey shaped by grit, reinvention, and purpose. The conversation explores her early career struggles, health challenges, and defining leadership moments — including navigating motherhood, rebuilding her career, and evolving across roles at IBM before helping build UPS’s Global Capability Center in Chennai.
Viji reflects on how technology, AI, and analytics are transforming supply chain ecosystems while emphasizing that leadership today requires curiosity, empathy, and continuous learning. More than a career story, this episode becomes a powerful reflection on resilience — rewriting oneself after setbacks, embracing change without guilt, and building ecosystems that help women thrive.
Recorded as part of the Women’s Day special series, this conversation blends technology, humanity, and lived experience — reminding listeners that growth is rarely linear, but always meaningful.
Key Highlights from the ConversationEarly career beginnings as an electrical engineer learning software development in the 90s.Overcoming autoimmune health challenges and redefining career paths.Transformational leadership lessons from early mentors and global work experiences.Career evolution through startups, IBM’s long tenure, and transition to UPS.Building and scaling a Global Capability Center with a startup mindset.The role of AI, analytics, and logistics technology in moving millions of packages daily.Continuous learning culture — embracing AI as a hands-on skill across generations.Personal reflections on resilience, single motherhood, cancer survival, and reinvention.Women’s Day message centered on self-worth, removing guilt, and prioritizing wellbeing. Quotable Quotes“Belong — don’t blur. You are here because you deserve to be here.”“AI is here to stay. Don’t stand on the fence — start embracing it.”“Do not feel guilty for choosing yourself. Put the oxygen mask on first.”“Rewrite yourself. Life will throw curveballs — and that’s okay.”“Leadership is not just about technology; it’s about listening and empathy.”“Only if you are okay, the people around you will be okay.”Dr. Vaijayanthi Srinivasaraghavan (Viji) is a seasoned technology leader and Senior Director at UPS India Technology Centre, bringing over three decades of experience across software engineering, supply chain technology, analytics, and global delivery leadership. Her career spans early R&D engineering roles, semiconductor innovation, a long tenure at IBM, and now building next-generation logistics technology at UPS.
An alumna of the University of Madras and a strong advocate of continuous learning, Dr. Viji is also a published author. She co-authored the book Shape It: A Perfect Gift for Budding Engineers to Become Industry Ready, a self-development guide that shares real student stories and practical skills to help young engineers navigate evolving workplaces. ()
Known for her philosophy of “belong, don’t blur,” she blends deep technical expertise with empathetic leadership — mentoring the next generation of technologists while championing resilience, lifelong learning, and inclusive growth in the technology ecosystem.
Viji can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaijayanthisr/
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In this episode of Software People Stories, Gayatri sits down with Hiran , Co-founder of Ashwatta Sustainability Ventures (domain Ashwatta.earth) , to explore how climate innovation is evolving beyond buzzwords into real systems change. From her beginnings in chemical engineering to building a venture studio focused on translating breakthrough science into scalable climate companies, Hiran shares a grounded perspective on what it truly takes to build a sustainable future.
Hiran shares her journey from chemical engineering to climate tech commercialization.Ashwatha Earth focuses on building climate companies by translating science into scalable ventures.Conversation framed around women leaders in climate and deep tech.️ Climate Tech EvolutionShift from clean tech to climate tech, but the mission remains sustainability.Circularity and responsible material use are central themes.Need to rethink systems that nature cannot naturally recycle.Climate innovation goes beyond solar and wind.Key areas: thermal storage, alternative fuels, advanced materials, and fusion.Industrial heat and heavy transport remain major decarbonization challenges. Startup & Solution ExamplesAshwatha Earth building PVC upcycling solutions.Emerging climate startups in emissions tracking, digital twins, hydrogen storage, carbon capture, and biochar.Strong in deployment, financial models, and application-layer innovation.Gaps in deep-tech ownership, patents, and long-term risk capital.Opportunity to move from adoption to innovation leadership. Software & AI in ClimateAI accelerates optimization, modeling, and material discovery.Data availability is still a major limitation.AI complements science rather than replacing it.Institutional co-founder approach to take tech from lab to market for making Venture Studio ModelHigher success probability compared to traditional VC power-law models.Focus on zero-to-one building and de-risking innovation.Local solutions can scale globally when economics and distribution are solved. Quotable Quotes from the Episode“It doesn’t matter whether we call it clean tech or climate tech — the goal is a sustainable future for all.”“Electrons alone won’t solve the energy problem. Heat, materials, and chemistry matter just as much.”“Circularity isn’t a trend — it’s learning to live within the limits of the planet.”“The Global South is great at deploying solutions, but deep-tech ownership is where we need to grow.”“AI can optimize what exists — but the fundamental breakthrough still has to come from science.”Hiranmayee Vedam is a climate tech entrepreneur, chemical engineer, and Co-founder of Ashwatta Sustainability Ventures(domain Ashwatta.earth), a venture studio focused on translating breakthrough science into scalable sustainability ventures. An alumna of IIT Madras, she brings over 17 years of experience spanning process engineering, advanced materials, and climate technology commercialization. Over the years, she has contributed to research-led innovation and knowledge sharing across materials, energy systems, and sustainability, with work that bridges academic insight and industrial application. Known for her systems-thinking approach to circularity, deep-tech entrepreneurship, and production-scale climate solutions, Hiran is actively shaping pathways for Global South innovations to move from research pilots to real-world impact.
Hiran can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiranvedam/
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Sujatha Ramani brings together corporate precision and grassroots purpose. With leadership experience at global companies like HP and Wipro, and two entrepreneurial ventures of her own, she made a deliberate shift into the social sector to build opportunity where it matters most.
Since 2019, as CEO of Pollinate Group, she has led with clarity and conviction advancing women’s entrepreneurship, sustainability, and ethical growth across underserved communities in India and Nepal. She balances sharp execution with long-term vision, always anchored in dignity and agency.
An MBA and computer science graduate, Sujatha also finds joy in soulful singing, nurturing her garden, and passionately following Cricket, Tennis, and Football.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sujatha-ramani-226a665?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
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This is part of the specials we have every year focusing on women in IT.
In this conversation, Srini Sundararajan shares his experiences and perspectives on empowering women in the workplace, particularly in IT. Srini's key messages include:
- His upbringing which emphasized the importance of education and non-discrimination between genders.
- His early professional experiences, including managing and interacting with women colleagues for the first time.
- The importance of treating women as equals in the workforce and his approach to avoiding gender discrimination.
- His story of hiring and supporting a woman who was returning to the workforce after a seven-year break.
- Insights into managing women in his team and the different challenges they face, such as work-life balance and societal expectations.
- Instances from his career that highlight the importance of recognizing and addressing unique challenges faced by women, such as menstrual cycles and maternity breaks.
- Advice on inclusive policies like paternity leave to support working families.
- Emphasizing the role men can play in ensuring a comfortable and empowering work environment for women.
Through real-life stories and learned lessons, Srini Sundararajan illustrates the importance of empathy, fairness, and structural support in empowering women in the IT industry.
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In this episode of Software People Stories, VR Govindarajan, aka Govi, the co-founder and executive chairman of Perfios Software, shares his comprehensive journey from the early days of his career to building successful startups. Govi dives deep into his academic background, industry experience, and the various startups he co-founded, including Aztec Soft and Perfios. He emphasizes the importance of technology-focused innovation, building a product company out of India, and navigating the challenges of operating in a regulated industry. Govi also shares his insights on the value of teamwork, culture, and maintaining a larger purpose beyond just making money. Throughout the conversation, he provides valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs on raising funds, managing teams, and scaling businesses globally.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:35 Govi's Background and Career Journey
01:43 Early Startups and Challenges
02:48 Building Aztec Soft and Going Public
03:10 Transition to Perfios and Product Focus
06:18 Navigating the Dot-Com Bust
08:18 Acquisitions and Selling to MindTree
13:41 Importance of Team Effort
17:34 Choosing the BFSI Sector
20:39 Challenges in a Regulated Industry
22:29 Managing B2B Sales and Integration
24:26 Focusing on Product Development
24:46 Creating a New Market Category
25:06 Challenges of Evangelizing a New Product
26:21 Leveraging Global Trends
28:07 Expanding to International Markets
34:25 Managing Code and Customizations
36:54 Importance of Local Customer Support
38:11 Leveraging AI and Data
41:22 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
44:51 The Importance of Culture and Values
48:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The timestamps are approximate and do not include the time for the intro. Add about 90 seconds to locate the section
As the Co-founder & Executive Chairman, Govi has been the driving force behind building Perfios into the Operating system for the BFSI in India and across the globe. Perfios is an acknowledged technology driven SaaS Pioneer that works across almost all financial institutions (Banking and Insurance Sector) both in India and across 18 countries in South East Asia, Middle East and North Africa. Perfios is a Unicorn and is backed by some of the best Global Investors. As a fintech Pioneer, Govi has been part of many committees in industry forums such as FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM. He has been an active speaker at many BFSI related conferences and public institutions.
He brings over 35 years of rich experience in the IT industry across the US and India. Before co-founding Perfios, Govi was the Co-founder, CTO, and Board Member at Aztecsoft, a pioneering force in the offshore product development space. From being a startup, Aztecsoft got listed in the Indian markets and was run as a public company before being sold to another Public company. Prior to starting Aztecsoft, he played a key role in advancing database technologies at global technology leaders such as Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and IBM.
Govi holds an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts and a B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
He may be reached at: [email protected]m
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In this episode of Software People Stories, Jordan Richards, a Digital Transformation and Knowledge Management technologist, and Founder of Tacitous (www.tacitous.com) a Knowledge Management blueprint and platform designed to help organisations capture, retain, and share critical knowledge at scale shares his extensive experience with technology and knowledge management. From his early days with the ZX 80 computer to his consulting work with oil companies, Jordan emphasizes the importance of solving real-world problems through technology. He advocates for a 'people first, process second, technology third' approach, and shares insights on how to ensure successful adoption of IT solutions by understanding user stories and daily workflows. Jordan discusses the critical importance of managing both knowledge and collaboration within organizations, especially with regard to retirees, and touches on the implications of AI and digital twins in modern business environments. He also shares personal practices that help him stay grounded and continuously updated with the latest trends in technology.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:45 Guest's Origin Story in Technology
01:43 Solving Problems with Technology
02:15 User-Centric Approach to IT Solutions
05:02 Challenges in IT Deployment
05:41 Building Effective IT Strategies
06:40 Understanding Organizational Knowledge Flows
11:14 Importance of Personas in IT Solutions
18:56 Knowledge Management and AI
27:56 Engaging Retirees: Challenges and Solutions
29:38 Building a National Repository of Expertise
32:04 Encouraging Knowledge Sharing and Consumption
34:41 The Role of AI in Knowledge Management
39:21 The Importance of Human Oversight in Technology
43:07 Staying Updated and Lifelong Learning
49:00 Personal Principles for Staying Grounded
The timestamps are approximate and do not include the time for the intro. Add about 90 seconds to locate the section
Jordan Richards is a Digital Transformation and Knowledge Management technologist, and Founder of Tacitous (www.tacitous.com) a Knowledge Management blueprint and platform designed to help organisations capture, retain, and share critical knowledge at scale. With 20+ years of international experience across high-risk and complex environments (including Oil & Gas and large-scale operations), Jordan specialises in institutional memory, lessons learned, communities of practice, and AI-enabled knowledge retention. He works with government entities, NGOs, and industry leaders to build practical, technology-enabled KM ecosystems that strengthen workforce continuity and organisational resilience.
Website: www.tacitous.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanrichards/
Email: [email protected]
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In this podcast episode, Sudipta Lahiri, Head Of Engineering and Products at Nimblework, Inc shares his compelling journey from growing up in a cosmopolitan township and studying metallurgical engineering to becoming a leader in the tech industry. He discusses his early career experiences, including a pivotal moment that led him to quit his job at SAIL and pursue further education at IIT Madras. Sudipta delves into his transition from engineering to account management and later into sales. He emphasizes the importance of attention to detail, the challenges and benefits of using AI in software development, and his personal practices that help him stay organized and effective in a fast-evolving industry. Key takeaways include the necessity of understanding the end goal, leveraging change agents for successful tool adoption, and the indispensable role of cognitive behavioral skills in leadership.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:37 Early Life and Education
03:20 First Job and Career Pivot
05:12 Graduate Studies and Entry into IT
07:59 Joining Wipro and Early Projects
12:17 Transition to Sales and Account Management
14:39 Challenges and Success in Sales
15:42 Return to India and Joining i2 Technologies
17:18 Joining Digité and Embracing Agile
19:26 Reflections on Career and Mentorship
28:21 Challenges in Developing Platforms for Developers and Managers
29:24 Focusing on Efficiency for Developers
30:34 Evolving Processes to Minimize Data Entry
33:25 Addressing Tool Adoption Challenges
34:11 Identifying and Leveraging Change Agents
40:06 Balancing Process and Flexibility
46:25 Impact of AI on Software Development
54:19 Personal Practices for Staying Grounded
The timestamps are approximate and do not include the time for the intro. Add about 90 seconds to locate the section
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudiptalahiri/
Head Of Engineering and Products at Nimblework, Inc. (Distinguished Fellow, Kanban University, SPC4, AKT, KCP, DAD/CDA)
● Three decades of international leadership experience across diverse industry verticals
● Multi-cultural exposure ranging from a $4 billion company to running a technology start-up
● A Lean/Agile coach and practitioner passionate about helping multiple organizations and teams gain agility and enhanced productivity
● Demonstrated success in developing new products for Lean Software Development
● Entrepreneurial style with an exemplary record in strategic planning, business development, solid execution, and developing high performing teams
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