I first connected with Vinod Sood four years ago when both of us backed the rockstar founders of Yatrikart, Shivangee Sharma and Gauravv Rana. We finally sat down for a long gupshup at DLF Golf Club last week.
Vinod had read Dil Se Dost and wanted me to sign his copy. That moment of dosti and gratitude meant a lot. But what inspired me most was listening to his journey:
• Academic Excellence: Ranked 12th in the All-India CBSE Merit List and a Gold Medallist from Punjab Engineering College.
• A Scientist at Heart: He aspired to be a physicist and pursue a doctorate, but family responsibilities required him to start earning sooner. What could have been a nine-year academic path turned into the story of an “accidental engineer.”
• Telecom Pioneer: Contributed to India’s telecom revolution at the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), was part of the core team that built Hughes Software Systems Limited (HSS), led global Engineering and R&D, and later co-founded Hughes Systique Corporation (HSC) on values of fairness, openness, respect, trust, and honesty—with employee centricity and happiness as its foundation.
• Mentor and Guide: An early mentor to founders like Ritesh Agarwal (OYO) and a guiding force for entrepreneurs from Tier 2 and 3 cities who may not come from pedigreed backgrounds.
• Bridge Between Academia and Industry: Actively engages in advisory roles to strengthen collaboration between higher education and the corporate ecosystem.
Despite these remarkable achievements, Vinod remains grounded in humility and values. Listening to him reminded me that behind every success lies gratitude, dosti, curiosity, and self-belief.
He also shared a book, Executors by Ashutosh Sinha, in which his journey is featured.
Blessed to have him as a friend and to share this Dil Se connection.
