A real natural with Arundathi Rao

A real natural with Arundathi Rao

Author: PM Power Consulting April 18, 2026 Duration: 52:41

Host: Chitra Gurjar


  • 4 decades and counting, always energized to do something, work is my DNA
  • From post and telegraph to giving tuitions to creating her own agency to study
  • An advocate for herself, nurturing her desire to serve
  • Turning away “assured” job offers to join Defence Labs as a Scientist at CABS
  • Moved onto a “lesser assurance” to join HP
  • People and culture at the heart of her 3+decade stay at HP
  • Challenging status quo, try and fail, Innovation has to be a part of one’s daily life
  • Stay focused on problems that you are solving and layer tools and technology to solve your problem
  • Focus on incremental delivery of value
  • Holding a people vision through the course of her work
  • Strong belief that “AI will improve the quality of jobs”
  • Learning is a constant - continue to build 
  • Apply training and learning programs intentionally
  • Working on a market analysis - next gen quoter
  • Strong belief on impact of AI on Healthcare and Education
  • Believing that coaching is something everyone should learn, enable people as answers lie within each one
  • Working with a non-profit Daksham skills and Dreams Designs



Arundathi has been working in technology and leadership related roles for the last 40+ years. She

started her career as a Scientist at Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, India.

While at DRDO, she was involved in development of Radar transmitter and controller systems.

Arundathi joined Hewlett Packard in 1996 and during her 27+ year career in HP and HPE, she has

worked in multiple roles across various business units. Under her leadership, HP rolled out multiple

market leading internet services related products on HPUX. She was on one of the key leader

responsible for setting up Global IT teams offshore centre in India in 2004. She has managed a team

of 3000+ technologists delivering for IT, across multiple technologies and multiple business areas

enabling HP(E)’s business. She has successfully lead and delivered multiple IT transformation

projects. She has also lead the people transformation to move towards digital technologies in

alignment with the market trends and business needs. She has had a short stint of 2 years at EY as

the Engineering leader for India, in Client Technology, building on Product engineering and delivery

capability. In the recent past she was the Global Program Manager for HPE’s industry leading Next

Generation IT transformation program. She leads the Global Delivery Services organisation, which is

the internal the delivery engine for GIT. She is also the India leader for HPE’s Global IT.

Arundathi has led several initiatives in people transformation towards digital transformation,

customer centricity and employee engagement. She is passionate about building teams and leaders

who are future proof and future safe. She has a strong passion towards building women leaders in

technology and mentored and coached many women through focussed initiatives. She has also had

a stint as the chairperson at HP for Prevention of Sexual Harassment at workplace.

Arundathi has as Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical and Electronics from Government

College of Technology, Coimbatore and Master of Technology from Indian Institute of Technology,

Madras (IITM). She is a certified coach.

During her free time, Arundathi loves to teach, coach, travel and read.


Behind every line of code, there's a person with a story. Software People Stories, from PM Power Consulting, moves beyond abstract theory and polished case studies to explore the real, human experience of building technology. This isn't about hypotheticals; it's a collection of candid conversations with the practitioners themselves-developers, designers, product managers, and architects-who share firsthand accounts from the trenches. They talk about the paths that led to success and, just as importantly, the unexpected detours and failures that provided the most valuable lessons. Each episode delves into the nuanced journey of discovering what users need, designing elegant systems, navigating complex development, and ultimately delivering solutions that matter. By focusing on these personal narratives, the podcast reveals the core of software creation: a blend of technical skill, creative problem-solving, and team dynamics. Listeners gain practical wisdom and relatable perspectives on the challenges and triumphs inherent in the tech industry. Tune in for an honest look at the craft, where the stories of people are just as crucial as the software they build. You'll find this podcast a refreshing source of insight for anyone involved in or curious about the technology and business landscapes, offering career lessons learned the hard way.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Software People Stories
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