Badri N. Subramaniyan’s fascination with technology dates back to 1975, when television sets made their first appearance in the country.

“The entire neighbourhood used to gather around the television,” he recollects. “We used to start watching television at 6.30 in the evening. Back then, surfing was controlled by what we thought was a fancy tool called an electric panel. We never missed a single show, even ones like Krishi Darshan, which made no sense to us,” he adds.

Thirty-six years later, his interest in technology hasn’t waned. In fact, from a mere interest, it has become a full-time career.

So what guided this choice? “No other industry in the world has grown at the same pace as the telecom sector. New technologies keep entering the market, connectivity speeds have increased, phones are being used as computers and devices like the iPad are making their debut in India. The best part of this is the fact that this is only the beginning,” he says.

Though his interest in the technology space only grew over the years, a career in the telecom sector was quite accidental. “I was guided by my father’s dream of becoming an engineer. As time went by, I began visualising myself as an aeronautical engineer,” he says.

Nevertheless, he feels he has realised his lifelong dream. “I believe that the ambition of becoming an engineer and doing something different has been fulfilled in a way,” Subramaniyan says.

Today, with over 20 years of experience, Subramaniyan is looking forward to the challenges his role as Etisalat DB Telecom’s chief information officer may entail.

There are three basic challenges in front of Subramaniyan – maintaining costs, ensuring the speedy execution of projects as well as reaching an optimum level of operational efficiency.

“Simply put, the targets are primarily business driven. We have scaled up our entire organisational set up in line with the predicted business growth. The company has a plan for business growth over the next five years, along with the required architecture for accommodating these goals,” he says. 

Subramaniyan likes to unwind by jogging and going to the gym. Weekends are strictly dedicated to the family and friends. “On weekends, I go from being Etisalat’s chief information officer to my family’s chauffeur and a mobile bank. I go wherever I am directed to without complaining,” he signs off.