A  career in telecom was never Arun Dogra’s first choice. In his younger days, he aspired to be a fighter pilot, but failed to pass the requisite tests. Nevertheless, he took the rejection in his stride. “Though my failure was disappointing, it gave me a chance to explore other avenues,” he says.

Interestingly, he had no fixed agenda when he had to abandon his Air Force dreams. “I wanted to bag a job as soon as possible and grabbed the first opportunity that came my way,” he says.

Looking back, however, he says he has had quite a satisfying career so far. He joined the corporate world in 1992 and has since worked with Bharti airtel, Essar, Lucent Technologies and Agilent Technologies India. He has behind him nearly 25 years of experience in the electronics and communication industry, with experience in the field of RADAR systems, electronics manufacturing and quality, wireless research and development, transmission, radio frequency planning and optimisation, captive operations and global business service operations.

Today, he is the country business head of Agilent Technologies’ Electronics Measurement Group. In this role, he has to contend with various challenges. These include meeting client expectations, maintaining Agilent’s leadership position in the Indian market, chalking out strategies to drive Agilent’s business in the country and enhancing customer experience.

Dogra believes that a “can-do” attitude is the key to achieving these challenges. “Over the years, I have met several people who have inspired me to excel in every task,” he says. “I pushed myself to prove that I could do as well as them.”

Besides, he also believes in a hands-on style of management. “A collaborative approach has worked well for me,” he says. “I also believe in encouraging a democratic environment, where everyone can express their views freely. This is particularly useful when dealing with a difficult situation, as it helps one to think out of the box.”

Dogra considers every project he has undertaken as memorable. He says, “All the places I have worked at have provided me with a 360 degree view of telecommunications and technology. This has added immense value to my profile.”

Dogra has chalked out a future plan for himself. “I would love to become an entrepreneur, though not necessarily in telecom,” he says. “Of course, technology will always be my passion but I would like to attempt something different.” 

When not working, Dogra keeps himself busy by playing outdoor sports like football and cricket, and going on holidays with his family.