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Raghavendra Joshi, VP and Head IT, VFS Global Services

Title: VP and Head IT

Company: VFS Global Services

Industry Vertical: Travel

Your age: 39

Your first job: Trainee mechanical engineer with MICO Bosch, Bangalore

Biggest influence on your career: What I learned during my time at Citibank (about 4.5 years)

Total experience: 14 years in banking & BFSI related IT.

The person who has influenced your life the most: My father

Some of the most important things that you learned from him: He instilled a value system in me, taught me about rigor of analysis and professionalism.

Best decision that you ever made as a CIO: I chose to go with the latest release of a mail solution and new design (though unproven) in a previous organization despite skepticism from various quarters.

Upcoming technology decision: Productized approach to the development of key applications

Biggest challenge that you have ever faced: One of the units in a previous organization refused to cooperate in the implementation of key software, not realizing the benefits and fearing their "loss of power".

Secret to meet this challenge: Creating buy-in and conviction

Your career plan: To move into a business or revenue generating role

Technology that you cannot live without: GPRS on my mobile and digital photography

Your most memorable moment: My son Aditya's birth

What do you enjoy doing the most: Helping build my son's toy sets and fixing broken toys

Favorite movie: Where Eagles Dare, The Good The Bad and The Ugly, Pushpak

Your obsession: Ecology and water conservation techniques

One thing that you want to change about yourself: Building patience

One thing you would never want to change about yourself: Curiosity

The best advice that you ever received: "There is only one version of the Truth."

From whom: Ex-boss and ex-CIO of Yes Bank, Aditya Menon

A piece of advice to fellow CIOs: Work hard for sure, but you have only one life so enjoy it!

-Mexy Xavier