Employee #1 experience

In this episode, Victor Jayakaran- shares his story and experiences related to:His graduation from the Madras Institute of Technology and post graduation from the Indian Institute of ScienceGetting a campus placement at ITI and applying for a job with ISROOn his guide NJ Rao’s suggestion, choosing to join a small and growing company, WiproJoining Wipro in August 1979 and starting work at an IISc labBeing part of the team that decided what systems to go forWorking on technology transfer, with a view to make it as ready to use as possible for their customersMoving on to a hardware specific role, doing everything from system design, testing, purchasing the BOMInterfacing with the Govt. of Karnataka for setting up the Mysore factoryMoving to Mysore as part of the team that set up the facilityReturning to bangalore in 1983 - 88 MG RoadBeing into hardware, subsystems design etcWhen Wipro Systems Limited was set up, moving a part of that teamGetting back to Wipro InfotechHardware, software [OS port], to VLSI technologiesExploring opportunities in VLSI designRecalling that he had the best bosses in all his rolesGL, purchasing, sales processing etc apps as part of delivering computers that can be readily usedOn taking up and playing different roles across organizational functionsExperience of working with other organizations that operate at different pacesWorking in an open culture, where everyone’s ideas and experience are welcomeWorking 18 hour days - in a charged up atmosphere, as part of a very small teamGetting opportunities to meet customers, when they had issues!Making problems into an advantageTechie customers like to buy from techies, rather than sales rolesHis experience of working with Japanese customers, who were very detail orientedGrowing to be a leader of others who were peers till the previous dayLearning to be objective in assessments and sharing reinforcing feedbackOn the emphasis on processes in Wipro, that helped doing things systematically and consistentlyThe friendship bonds that kept him in the organization over timeThe courage a leader needs to bring in the right people as well as be ready to let go of people who don't fitAbout the experience of a spin-in, that could not meet the initial set business goalsOne important ingredient for startup success: fire in the bellyHow technologically deep should a leader be? The team should be confident of your visionGenuineness of the leader is critical to build a successful teamHis experience and views on work-life balance, particularly after getting marriedGetting an advice from one of his bosses about working Smart v/s working hardHis career tips for entry level and mid career IT professionalsEnjoy the workbuild camaraderieVictor Jayakaran, did his B.Sc (Physics), at A.M. Jain College, Madras. He then did his graduation in Electronics From the Madras Institute of Technology. He then did his M.E. from  the School of Automation,  at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in 1979.  He then started with Wipro as their first employee, to be part of Wipro’s Information Technology Business. He was with Wipro for more than 20 years, from 1979 starting off as their first employee (R&D Engineer),  till 2000, when he was the Vice President of Engg at EnThink, Wipro’s startup venture.   He then left them in May 2000, to join SCM India as President of its India operations, which was one of the  two core development centers, worldwide,  in the domain of Digital Media and   Smart Card readers and terminals. Then in 2006 he stepped out of SCM to create SCOLIS Technologies which later was acquired by the Identiv Group and merged with his former company SCM. He   headed  the new  Identiv Tech Center in India, located in Chennai till 2016, when he retired from hands-on operations.Victor is married to Sunithy,  and they have two grown up children, both of whom are married and are blessed with four grand children.   Victor and Sunithy  as  part of the  team of trustees, started and are  running  Amazing Love Home, a home for the elderly  near Chennai, since 2009.Victor may be contacted at: [email protected]