Designed to Win: The OG Bangalore Leader & The Birth of Indian IT | Conversations in Bangalore

Описание: Part 1: The OG Bangalore Leader & The Birth of Indian IT | Conversations in Bangalore

In the first part of this gripping episode, we sit down with Mr. S. Devarajan, the former CEO of Tata Elxsi and MD of Cisco India, and author of the celebrated book "Designed to Win". From his roots as an OG Bangalore resident who remembers a 12-minute commute across the city to his high-stakes adventures in the early Indian tech industry, this conversation is a masterclass in leadership and perseverance.

In this episode, we explore:

IIT & The Art of Elimination: How a 6-month accelerated preparation led Mr. Devarajan to IIT Kharagpur, where he debated future statesmen and learned the "process of elimination" that defined his career.
Encounters with Legends: The fascinating story of organizing a convocation for Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the Emergency—and why she remembered his name—alongside a legendary meeting with music maestro R.D. Burman.
Creating a Market from Scratch: What it was like to sell computers in the 1970s when "there was no market," and the "whisker" moment that led him to join a startup over a prestigious multinational.
The Prince of Kurnool: One of the most cinematic sales stories you’ll ever hear—crossing a ferocious river in a rowboat with nothing but a briefcase to secure a deal for a paper mill.
The Tata Elxsi Turnaround: The beginning of his journey at Tata Elxsi, the high-pressure invitation to lead, and the strategic battle to keep the "Elxsi" brand name alive.

About the Guest:
S. Devarajan is a visionary leader who played a pivotal role in shaping the Indian IT landscape. His book, "Designed to Win: The Tata Elxsi Story," provides an inside look at building a global technology powerhouse from India.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Promo and teaser
02:17 – Introduction to Mr. S. Devarajan
03:28 – Memories of OG Bangalore
05:14 – Accelerated IIT Preparation & Life at Kharagpur
12:15 – Debate finals v/s Shashi Tharoor
16:00 – Meeting Indira Gandhi during the Emergency
22:59 – Working with Ananda Shankar
27:32 – Tragedy hits the hostel
30:41 – Hardest Exam of Elimination
32:15 – Campus recruitment Drama!
38:45 – The first steps of the Indian IT industry
44:30 – Selling to IT markets that aren't there
46:15 – Nationalisation - IBM & CocaCola leave
47:40 – Dinosaurs or computers?
48:42 – Creating the market for the IT boom
51:09 – AI will take your job?
52:23 – The "Prince of Kurnool" Coracle Adventure
59:38 – The customer is always right!
1:02:25 – Nightlife in Kurnool
1:05:39 – Meeting R D Burman
1:12:58 – Moving up and moving jobs
1:16:29 – Bangalore calling
1:18:48 – "Team is everything" for a leader
1:20:14 – Tata Elxsi is in trouble!

Subscribe for Part 2, where we dive into global leadership, the Cisco India growth story, and the future of AI in India!

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