Mr. Narendra Lakshmana Gowda Senior Engineering Manager | Architect @ Walmart | Techdummies An Exclusive Conversation with Jasmine Francis, Editor-in-Chief of CIOTODAY, Unveiling the Remarkable Journey of Mr. Narendra Lakshmana Gowda Mr. Narendra Lakshmana Gowda for being awarded “Technology Emerging Professional of The Year – Information Technology” Published on :- 14 Apr 2024 Awarded by Bizox Media Network as a Global Technology Leaders Awards 2024  Brief us about the outset of your career. The outset of my career was shaped by humble beginnings in a small village in India, where access to resources was limited, but my determination to pursue engineering was boundless. I cycled to school and college, driven by an innate curiosity for technology and a desire to break through barriers. My career officially began at Tieto Evry, a Nordic software company in Bengaluru India, where I learned the fundamentals of software engineering and developed a passion for building scalable systems. From there, my journey took me through leading tech organizations such as Google, Akamai, Zalando, and eventually Walmart, where I currently manage critical platform engineering efforts. Each step in my career was fueled by a hunger to solve complex problems, improve lives through technology, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of engineering. My early experiences instilled in me a deep sense of resilience, adaptability, and a never-ending quest for knowledge, which continue to guide my professional journey to this day. As a successful leader, which three personal qualities do you believe contributed most to your success? Curiosity: I have an endless thirst for learning, always seeking new ideas, whether through books, projects, or challenges. This drive to continually learn and grow has helped me stay ahead of the curve. Resilience and Consistency: The ability to have high energy every day and also the ability to bounce back from failures has been crucial in my journey. Failures are stepping stones, and I’ve always seen them as learning opportunities that propel me forward. Empathy: Leading with empathy has allowed me to create an environment where my team feels valued, empowered, and encouraged to take risks and innovate. What are the aims and ideals that guide you as an individual and a professional? As an individual and a professional, my guiding aims and ideals are deeply rooted in creating meaningful impact to the organization I work, continuous learning, and empowering others. I believe in using technology as a force for good, solving real-world problems that improve the quality of life and build a better future for the next generation. At the core of my work is a passion for innovation—driving transformation in the systems I design and leading teams to build scalable, reliable, and powerful platforms that serve millions. Another fundamental ideal is empathy. I have always been committed to understanding the challenges people face, both in their professional and personal lives, and using that understanding to drive solutions that make life easier. I aim to create environments where teams thrive, individuals grow, and we all contribute to a larger purpose together. I’m also a firm believer in the relentless pursuit of excellence. Whether it’s mastering new technologies or pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in software engineering, I strive to stay ahead of the curve. This mindset fuels my appetite for learning, my passion for engineering, and my commitment to improving both myself and the people around me. Ultimately, my goal is to be a force for positive change—helping to elevate others while continuously pushing the limits of innovation in my field. What are the primary offerings of your company? Currently, I manage critical platforms like the Inventory and Communications Platforms at Walmart. These platforms have a significant impact, powering everything from notifications for millions of customers to real-time inventory management at a massive scale. Our primary offerings focus on delivering scalable, robust, and innovative solutions that drive operational efficiency and enhance the customer experience in the retail space. What have been the toughest obstacles you’ve faced in your career? One of the toughest obstacles was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, I was separated from my family, who was in India, due to visa issues. The isolation was challenging, and while humans are social beings, I turned to books and deepened my technical skills to stay resilient. Professionally, understanding the complexities of distributed systems and scaling platforms while keeping things simple has also been a constant challenge, but it’s one I embrace as a learning experience. Mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by your organization and yourself. I’ve been fortunate to receive several awards throughout my career, including the 2024 Global Recognition Award, the International Achievers Award, and the Global Leaders Award. These honors reflect the impact of my contributions in platform engineering and leadership. I’ve also been recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in leadership and have a large following(160000 followers) on YouTube and 10000 followers on linkedin and 5000 followers on medium, where my educational content has positively impacted engineers worldwide, helping them secure promotions and elevate their careers and work related technology understanding. Do you have a mantra that you live by? Yes, my mantra is: “Never stop learning, never stop growing.” This applies both to my professional journey and personal growth. The world is constantly evolving, and to succeed, we must remain curious, adaptable, and open to new ideas. Who in your life inspires you the most? My parents inspire me the most. Coming from a farmer’s background, they instilled in me the values of hard work, perseverance, and the importance of education. Their sacrifices and determination shaped my worldview and continue to inspire me to push boundaries in everything I do. I also take inspiration from my spouse who is hard working as me and also manages a lot of things about the family. What would be your future endeavors, and where do you see yourself in the near future?In the near future, I envision myself continuing to drive global digital transformation efforts, focusing on building scalable, resilient systems that make a

Mr. Sumit Bhatnagar Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Microservices, Cloud, Event-Driven Architecture An Exclusive Conversation with Jasmine Francis, Editor-in-Chief of CIOTODAY, Unveiling the Remarkable Journey of Mr. Sumit Bhatnagar Mr. Sumit Bhatnagar for being awarded “Global Leader of The Year – Information Technology” Published on :- 14 Apr 2024 Awarded by Bizox Media Network as a Global Technology Leaders Awards 2024  Kindly brief us about the outset of your career. My journey in the IT industry began nearly two decades ago at Infosys Technologies, where I had the opportunity to work with Adidas Germany. I then transitioned to DXC Technologies (formerly CSC Corporation), where I was fortunate to work with Farm Bureau Financials. After spending more than a decade there, I moved to one of the world’s leading financial institutions. From the beginning, I was captivated by the power of technology to redefine business operations and enhance user experiences. Over the years, I advanced into leadership roles, specializing in cloud computing, microservices, orchestration, and event-driven architecture. I have had the privilege of working with global enterprises and Fortune 500 companies, making significant contributions to the retail, insurance, and FinTech sectors through impactful technological advancements. My career has been a testament to continuous learning, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in designing scalable and efficient IT solutions. As a successful leader, which three personal qualities do you believe contributed most to your success? Success in the dynamic world of technology demands a combination of vision, resilience, and collaboration. First, my ability to anticipate industry trends and drive innovation has allowed me to implement transformative solutions that optimize efficiency and scalability. Second, resilience and adaptability have played a crucial role in navigating challenges, whether it was modernizing legacy systems or architecting large-scale Cloud based platforms. Finally, mentorship and knowledge sharing have been integral to my leadership style. I believe that empowering teams and fostering a culture of learning not only accelerates success but also paves the way for long-term industry impact. What are the aims and ideals that guide you as an individual and a professional? I am deeply committed to technological excellence, ethical AI, and sustainable innovation. My work is driven by the principle that technology should serve businesses and society responsibly and efficiently. I firmly believe in continuous learning and innovation, ensuring that I stay ahead in an evolving digital landscape by exploring cutting-edge solutions in cloud computing, AI, and microservices. Additionally, I prioritize collaboration and knowledge sharing, contributing to global forums, advisory boards, and research initiatives to shape the future of technology. Integrity remains at the heart of everything I do—delivering solutions that are not only efficient but also sustainable and ethically sound. What are the primary offerings of your company? Throughout my career, my focus has been on delivering high-impact technology solutions that drive efficiency and scalability. My expertise lies in architecting resilient IT infrastructures through microservices and cloud solutions, ensuring that enterprises can scale seamlessly while maintaining operational efficiency. Additionally, I provide technology leadership and strategic advisory services, guiding organizations in digital transformation, AI adoption, and cloud migration to remain at the forefront of industry innovation. What have been the toughest obstacles you’ve faced in your career? Overcoming technological, organizational, and industry-wide challenges has been an integral part of my journey. One of the most complex challenges I tackled was modernizing legacy financial systems that were resistant to change. I transformed a 20-day legacy commission processing system into a highly efficient 5-day workflow, significantly improving operational efficiency and resource utilization. Another challenge was optimizing the user experience for one of the world’s top financial firms, where I successfully reduced load times for clients using caching solutions with VmWare Gemfire. Each challenge has reinforced my problem-solving abilities, leadership skills, and ability to drive large-scale technology adoption across global enterprises. Mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by your organization and yourself. My contributions to the IT industry have been recognized through prestigious memberships, certifications, and international awards. I am a member of the Forbes Technology Council (2024-2025), a senior member of IEEE, and a fellow of IETE. I have also been privileged to receive the TITAN Business Award for Financial Services, the Global Recognition Award, the Stevie Award for Executive of the Year, and the Global Technology Leaders Award for IT. Additionally, I have peer-reviewed around 100 research papers and published multiple research studies in renowned international journals, further contributing to the advancement of AI, cloud computing, and microservices. Do you have a mantra that you live by? I strongly believe in “Innovation with Purpose.” Technology should not only be groundbreaking but also serve a greater purpose in business and society. My approach has always been to develop solutions that are scalable, ethical, and future-proof, ensuring that businesses can innovate responsibly while driving efficiency and impact. Who in your life inspires you the most? I am inspired by visionaries who challenge the status quo, such as Ratan Tata for his unwavering dedication to ethical leadership, philanthropy, and industrial innovation, and Sundar Pichai for leading global digital transformation with a focus on AI and cloud innovation. Additionally, I have been influenced by mentors, industry pioneers, and research leaders who have dedicated their careers to advancing technology for the greater good. Their ability to disrupt industries while maintaining a strong ethical foundation continues to inspire my own approach to technology leadership and innovation. What would be your future endeavors, and where do you see yourself in the near future? In the coming years, I aim to further accelerate Cloud Computing, and ethical AI adoption, ensuring that AI systems remain transparent, unbiased, and scalable for enterprise applications. I also plan to expand my global thought leadership, continuing to contribute to research publications, advisory boards, and high-impact technology forums to drive industry-wide advancements. Additionally, I am passionate about mentoring the next generation of technologists and entrepreneurs, fostering innovation, and helping businesses adopt AI and cloud technologies responsibly. Your journey has been inspiring, and it sets a great example for aspiring leaders. What advice