Riding the wave of change – My journey in technology

In the early 2000s, one of my first clients, a leading infrastructure company, was moving from manual paper-based processes to fully automated systems, a bold step for its time. I still remember the tension in their office as we went live, and the numbers began syncing across departments. The CIO turned to me and said, “This changes how we work.” That moment, as a young engineer fresh out of college, I knew this was the future I wanted to build.My career in technology has never been about chasing the next big thing. It’s been about listening closely to what’s coming, preparing early, and building teams to catch that wave with me. From data centres to cloud: I began my career at Oracle when India’s banking industry was moving from ledgers to systems. I still remember, after a core rollout, a GM-IT of a PSU Bank saying, “For the first time, I can see every branch on one screen.” That was my first glimpse of how technology could transform trust itself – the rise of a new Digital India.By 2013, the next wave was cloud. Oracle India was setting up its cloud business, and I chose to lead it when most still spoke of it as theory. One of my early clients – among the world’s largest FMCG companies – moved their supply chain to cloud to scale globally. The message was clear – India was already ticking all the right boxes for what would soon become the next big boom: the rise of global capability centres (GCCs).From technology to transformation:Today, as a partner at EY, every day, I see how technology, when applied thoughtfully, can transform not just processes but people’s possibilities. Whether it’s catering to clients’ capability augmentation, driving automation, simplifying architectures or enabling AI, my focus is always on delivering value with intent. I often remind my teams, “Don’t chase technology for its novelty, but for the difference it can make.”The Athlete’s Code I still play by:Before I became a technologist, I was an athlete, and the lessons from the field still shape the way I lead today. Sports taught me to lose with grace, win with humility, and keep my eye on the next goal, not the last one. In many ways, my leadership style today mirrors the discipline and humility I learned on that court and track.Looking back and paying forward: As an advisory board member at TA Pai Management Institute, Bangalore, I work closely with faculty and students to ensure we’re shaping not just employable graduates, but industry-ready problem solvers.I’ve learned that the real transformation happens not in systems, but in people. In how we think, adapt, and lift others as we grow.And that, to me, is the most rewarding part of every wave I’ve ever ridden.