Viral Bhavsar - I Strongly Believe in Confidence, Experience, Performance, Which Is Better Than Any Degree Paper (Group CTO BDR Group)

A degree may give you a chance to work with good companies but not give you an idea to tackle day-to-day challenges, performance accordingly business requirement, customer or end-user satisfaction, and root cause solutions. 

Tell us about your background, journey, and upbringing.

I’d be glad. Son of Mill worker and PTC teacher, born on 9th July 1980, in Vadodara and brought up in Nadiad. Also finished the B.Com graduation from I.V.Patel commerce college, Gujrat University Nadiad. Living the life with “Simple Living and High Thinking”. And my tough journey taught me when your worst time continued that time keeps calm and waits for the right time to rise but keeps doing ethically good work.

I’m a tech-focused IT professional CTO for up to 20 years now.

I graduated from Gujrat University, where I made the B.Com and also doing
ADCHN (IT Certification) along with Graduation, after that, I first got into the
industry working experience as a Junior IT officer and different position at
Yash Computers and followed by Pearl Groups of Company, Brisk Computers, CMS
Computer Ltd., Sterling Biotech (Sandesara Group), Netweb Software Pvt Ltd., Apothecon Pharmaceutical Pvt Ltd, Acme Group (Immacule Lifesciences, Acme Generics LLP., Acme Formulation & Veritas Research Laboratory as Group Head IT)., and presently work with BDR Pharmaceutical Int’l Pvt Ltd., work as Group Head IT.

Since 2008 to date, I am managing multiple companies and multiple projects in every organization.

Sandesara Group (Sterling Bio-Tech): In Sandesara Group I managed the corporate office, Manufacturing Unit. Also managed new project plans like Sterling Port Pvt Ltd. and Sterling SEZ.

Netweb Software Pvt Ltd.: In Netweb Software working as a Senior Team lead and manage 4 persons of the team with more than 100 servers. I Will take care and ensure the IT infrastructure is up and running as well as data security. 

Also, manage onsite and offsite Backup. Also ensuring that all server backups are done properly. And manage more than 10 Cloud servers with different service providers like Codero, Big Rock, and AWS, etc.

Apothecon Pharmaceutical Pvt Ltd: From here my journey is started as a Manager as well Head IT. As Head, IT implement VM Ware ESXi 6.5 with DELL VRTX converged solution. Migrate live Physical server infrastructure to Virtual VM Ware. Migrate 9 Live physical servers to VM Servers within 18 hrs of downtime. 

In second stage used one of the old Physical servers as an Acronis Backup server and started a backup of all VM Servers on Acronis Cloud as well as on Tape Drives as per Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly incremental and full backup plans. 

When the company started building a new API facility that time introduces the 3 stages of IT infrastructure of Manageable network with Layer 3 and Layer 2 switches with VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network). 

Apart from all these things major achievement is 4 times USFDA, 1 MHRA, and other countries' regulatory audits passed with “0” 483 (without any observation and suggestions).

ACME Group (Immacule Lifesciences, Acme Generics, Acme Formulation & Veritas Research center): Act as Group CTO at ACME Group. As group CTO looking after all group companies and leading the 15th team members. In the first phase of IT infrastructure, implement the Ticketing System as well as Meeting Room Booking System (MRBS). 

In a lockdown, the period starts the second phase of implementation of the 3-tire architect infrastructure between 4 of 2 companies’ network and implement the VM Ware virtualization with ESXi 7.0 with Qualification, Validation & Go live production environment and saved approx. 1.2 Cr cost for the organization. 

Most achievement is in lockdown period start to implement LMS & E-log application implements within 6 months of the period with Qualification, Validation & Go live production environment. 

The biggest achievement is converting the Microsoft Navision ERP 2013 serve into VM and validating the same. And also achieved the project of Microsoft Navision ERP 2013 upgraded to Microsoft Navision ERP 2016 with 40 days of the pan with E-invoicing facility as per Government norms. 

Integrate Microsoft Navision ERP 2016 with all groups of companies with route-based SD Wan technology with help of Sonic Wall firewall.

BDR Pharmaceutical int’l Pvt Ltd: Recently joined BDR Pharmaceutical as Head IT. Now developed the new Injectable and OSD plant. And start to evaluating 3-tier architecture for the new build facilities. Help project, QC, and QA team for all validation processes of equipment, computerized system, PLC, SCADA, LYO system. Starting to evaluate the SAP S4 HANA.

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What made you interested in this field and how did you narrow it down?

I am a good speaker (Effective Public Speaker) as well as a good Carrom board
player. Win many trophies in both activities. Apart from this in school time done
many stage performances for schools and individual self. But as we all need
to do something for bread and butter, destiny decided for me to move to the IT
field. 

And as earlier said I completed my ADCHN (Advance Diploma In Computer Hardware And Networking) with Nadiad Jerking center in the 2000 year with the Graduation. I always like to motivate people and this specialty leads me into my day-to-day IT jobs. 

Normally IT guys never explain the issue, root cause, and resolution to end-users or reporting to BOSS. But due to this quality, I convinced and explain issues and their solutions to all concerns. It is developing my Managerial skill and I feel proud when Mr. Prime Minister talk about (Saka Sath Sabka Vikas). 

IT field is a field of service when you achieve the highest level of service. When you interact with people and teams then you aware the actual problems and you solve the same accordingly.

What does your typical workday look like?

During a typical day to day work, one of my biggest tasks is checking in on my
Technology (Servers, Storage, Backup, and Data Securities, etc.) and assessing progress on various projects. I like to discuss our priorities for the daily task as well as ongoing projects, once at the end of the day to discuss goal setting for the next day. 

I meet with smaller groups of my team at the end of the day and motivate them and also discussed ongoing issues and problems and given them solutions. For example, during a meeting, I noticed one team was a few days behind on a long-term project. 

I met with the team and together, we came up with a strategy for increasing efficiency. I also appeared in a QRM meeting where I present my department’s progress to the executive board members. Monthly MIS will be sent to management with new requirements in the IT budget.

Several global companies have come out and thrown their support behind not needing a formal education. What is your opinion about this for your field?

Yes, I believe in the specific education required for a specific field job. But I most and strongly believe in confidence, experience, performance, which is better than any degree paper. 

A degree may give you a chance to work with good companies but not give you an idea to tackle day-to-day challenges, performance accordingly business requirement, customer or end-user satisfaction, and root cause solutions. 

Your dignity, dedication, and your eagerness to lead you towards the reach experience in the IT service field. So Yes degree is required but not necessary after you have rich experience in the IT industries. A degree may give you good money but particle work give you rich experience to handle the worst situations.

How has your field evolved over the years and what future changes do you predict?

Covid is has been challenging for everyone and every industry. For pharmaceuticals like us, work from home is not possible. But thanks to digitalization and technology will able to overcome COVID challenges. 

So according the situation, we take the discussion in favor of our employee who
has only documentation work and no need to come to the manufacturing unit will give them the flexibility of work from home with a secured VPN tunnel. 

Due to that, we secured our employee and them families as well as our data as per Data integrity guideline.  Once the situation is improved we start the work at premises every alternate day for required employees.

                               

What advice do you have for those eyeing this career?

Doing an IT job is not the easiest job ever. IT is service industries that are always a thankless job. IT is a responsibility to running a smooth business process for the organization. But a small mistake can make the entire ship sink.

So as IT guy, Manger or CTO we have to work more than 24X7. We alert every time situations like COVID, Ransomware, etc. Every time we need to achieve business requirements and challenges with a 100% of ratio.

Which is your favorite book and why?

It was written by Dr. Dale Carnegie “How To Win Your Friends And Influence People”. Below are the points which I like and learn from this book.

• Make yourself happy in any situation.
• Be a good listener.
• Always talk about other’s interests.
• Give importance, respect, and priority to the other person and feel them important to your life.