Tanla is delighted to have Sunil Bajpai join us as the Chief Trust Officer. Sunil Bajpai joins the company after working with the Government of India for over 30 years, including his stint at TRAI as Principal Advisor. At Tanla, he will be responsible for driving exceptional trust standards for the CPaaS ecosystem.
Tanla’s larger purpose is to empower and protect billion+ users – our customers’ customers. We have been at the forefront of building trust in business communication. Trubloq, our blockchain platform has contributed to a 44% decrease in complaints against registered telemarketers. Wisely, the patented platform of Tanla provides data security and data privacy for all business communications. The appointment of Mr. Sunil Bajpai as Chief Trust Officer is a further testament to our commitment to enhancing the consumer experience in business communication. He will work with the regulatory community, enterprises, and partners to drive products and policies to address all concerns of consumers in the evolving space of business communication globally.
We asked him a few questions to know him a little better.
1. What was your first job?
My first job, in 1987, was at a railway workshop in Mumbai and the responsibility was to ensure that all equipment was maintained in good condition. I fancied myself an engineer but soon learned that to be successful it was as important to pay attention to what goes on inside the head of the worker as it was to what the machines visibly did.
The first wages I earned, however, were paid as an occasional cheque from All India Radio (Yuva Vani) for doing a sports roundup of the week.
2. What’s your go-to productivity hack in these times of hybrid and in-person work?
The first is to keep the camera on but with my own image out of sight for myself. It’s the most natural way to connect with people, which is so important when we are not able to meet face to face. And I’ve also invested in a conference microphone and standalone camera.
3. What excites you about taking on this new role at Tanla?
Many things!
Work done for the government affects a large number of citizens, either directly or indirectly. Tanla has a similar reach and impacts people’s lives in an area that matters to them. That appeals to me greatly, given the background I have.
The work here is also inherently exciting because it involves dealing with cutting-edge technologies and evaluating the impact they have on people. In a sense, Tanla is a laboratory for inventing the future.
And finally, what excites me most is the passion I’ve seen here. So, I have a request: if you have an idea, a problem, or an opportunity to discuss, please, reach out to me. I hope to learn and grow with you through such engagement.
4. Which value at Tanla resonates most with you?
The winner’s mindset, which comes from making some serious bets with skin in the game. It keeps you on your toes and forces you to constantly learn and relearn.
5. Tell us about the current regulatory environment in India and the direction the space is headed into.
The current regulatory environment in India is vibrant and technology-friendly.
Look at what RBI has achieved with the success of UPI, which has outcompeted established payment networks that had perhaps stopped innovating for the common man. UPI is now held up as an example to follow in other countries. RBI is supporting innovation in FinTech with the Account Aggregator framework. It even has a cryptocurrency regulation in the works. I hope that when it emerges, this framework would enable even more innovation in the crypto space.
See the improvements SEBI has brought into the stock market compared to the opaque, crony shop of open outcry system that was prevalent till the early 90s. The common man is now able to invest small amounts and partake in economic growth. And large, honest investors can heave a sigh of relief that the regulator is watching over the market and that they would not be done in by some unscrupulous operator.
Looking to the future, be it e-commerce or health care, India is innovating with open stacks as a public good.
In telecom, TRAI has emerged as a sensitive and progressive regulator. Their open consultation process is held up as a benchmark for other regulators to emulate. The result is that India has the cheapest mobile rates of any country and a network that reaches far corners of this vast country.
6. Tell us something about your personal life that would let your colleagues know you a little better.
I won’t give you an easy pass here. Some tidbits about personal life won’t help us get acquainted, especially because it would tell me nothing about you.
So let’s grab a coffee when we meet and speak with each other about work and life. That’s the best way to make acquaintances or friends. Let’s follow each other on Twitter (@sunilbajpai) or take a few moments to write an email.
