Previous Occupation: Entrepreneur
Present Occupation: Entrepreneur
Sector: Technology Services (Home Automation)
Work Experience: 8 years
Interests: Professional/ Personal: Playing sports, travelling and reading books.

Can you tell us a little about your family background/ history?
I come from a stereotypical middle-class family. My father, Ashok Vudutha, retired as a Deputy General Manager from Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). My mother, Siva Kumari, is a teacher at Sree Vani Upper Primary School. I have an elder brother, Dinesh who lives in Atlanta with his wife, Hima Bindu.

Briefly describe your personal and professional achievements (including recent awards/ special projects).
I was awarded the “Young Leader Award” while at ISB for my contributions to the school.
My start-up was featured as one of the most promising start-ups by YourStory.in online magazine.

I executed a project in Chennai recently and am very close to bagging a project in Delhi. These projects are opening up new markets for us and I consider them to be milestones and achievements for my business.

Tell us about your profile pre-ISB, and recap your professional life after ISB, including your career progression.
I completed my Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Madras in 2005. After that, I started my career as a software developer at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). I was a Project Manager by the time I quit in 2011 to pursue my dream of becoming an entrepreneur. I started a firm known as eDomotics Smart Systems Pvt Ltd, which is into the business of home automation. It has undergone many transformations over the last 2.5 years, from exploring the various roles that I could play in the market to building new strategic partnerships. I took a break for a year to pursue my MBA from ISB. During this period as well, I was involved in the business that was being run by my business partners. Post-ISB, I am back to my firm to continue my journey as an entrepreneur and to grow the business manifold.

Describe your fondest memory of ISB.
There are many fond memories that are attached to my time at ISB. It is very difficult to pick the fondest. But a couple of memories that come close would be receiving the Young Leader Award from Dean Ajit Rangnekar and being elected as the Director of the Alumni Affairs Council.

In your professional life, how have you changed post-ISB? Do you see yourself doing something differently because you went to ISB? What has left a lasting impression?
I have learned to not say “yes” to every opportunity or project that comes my way. Post-ISB, I evaluate opportunities more critically from a long-term and sustainability perspective. Another aspect is to think big and expand my operations beyond Hyderabad and explore other markets. However, there is no one particular incident or event that has left a lasting impression.

How do you think ISB has contributed to your career growth?
Though I am yet to apply any tools directly from the courses, there are many small things that have become internalised in my thought process. These small things help me critically evaluate situations I face in my day-to-day work and drive me towards taking the right decisions.

If you have to sum up ISB in one word:
Experience.

What was the main highlight of your programme at the ISB?
The main highlight would be the diversity of the student body. I really enjoyed having conversations about business, goals, ideas, etc., with my fellow classmates. This broadened my perspective on business and life in general.

Word of advice for the current class?
Keep your mind open, take in whatever the school has to offer. Learning can come from professors, courses, classmates, friends and activities that you do while at ISB. Grades are important but definitely not something that matter in the long run. However, as someone who knew exactly where he was going post-ISB, I was a minority at the school, so my advice may not apply to everyone.

What was your favourite course/ class at ISB and why?
One of my favourite courses at ISB was “Strategic Challenges of Innovation-based Start-ups” by Professor Anand Nandkumar, primarily because I could relate to the course and take direct learnings from it. It was a case study driven course that explored and studied start-ups in their early stages and the strategic decisions they took, which propelled their growth. Apart from the learning, the course was inspirational and motivational.

Was there anyone during your time at ISB who acted as a mentor for you? Tell us a little about this relationship and why it was valuable.
There were many people – professors, staff and classmates – who acted as mentors during my time at ISB. The value of the interactions is not limited to my time at ISB but extends beyond. These relationships will last a lifetime and I know that I can go back to these mentors anytime in my life for advice or even just to have a sounding board.

What are the areas in which you can contribute to ISB?
I was involved with Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital (EVC) club during my time at ISB and can continue doing the same. Apart from the activities of the club, I can contribute towards activities held by the Wadhwani Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (WCED). Essentially, I would love to contribute towards anything that is related to the start-up space or entrepreneurship.

What do you enjoy most about your current career position?
Independence. I work close to 14-16 hours every day, six days a week, but I thoroughly enjoy my work as I am working to grow my organisation. No one forces me to do so, but I still do so at my own will. This is the kind of work I always wanted to do and I am happy that I am doing it.

What is the next new thing in the industry or vertical you are working in? Any trends that you can see?
Home automation, my core business area, is a new trend that is booming in the market and is all set to be the next new thing in the real estate industry. With lifestyles getting busier and homes getting bigger and having more and more electronic gadgets, home automation will become as essential as a TV remote in every household. Currently, home automation is limited to luxury and high-end residences, but it will soon become a part of affordable housing as well. The trend is growing particularly fast in Bangalore, Pune and Gurgaon but will soon spread to other major cities.

 

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