Vijay Ratthinam

Watch my NewsX Take on the Future of the H-1B Visa Program and Indian Skilled Workforce #AIBusinessSkills Business AI NYC The H-1B visa program remains a powerful gateway for highly skilled Indian professionals to access opportunities in the United States, addressing critical shortages in technology, healthcare, and innovation sectors. Despite recent policy changes, including the $100,000 application fee, these reforms are designed to enhance the program’s focus on top-tier talent and fair wages, ultimately raising the bar for global competitiveness. This creates an exciting opportunity for Indian workers to sharpen their skills, specialize in cutting-edge fields, and demonstrate their global leadership in emerging technologies like AI, biotechnology, and space exploration. Far from being a setback, the evolving H-1B landscape can inspire Indian professionals to diversify their career paths—not only by seeking roles in the U.S. but also by leveraging global markets and contributing to India’s own booming tech industry. The challenge to meet higher standards will drive innovation, creativity, and long-term professional growth, positioning Indian talent as truly world-class. Moreover, as AI transforms the future of work, the demand for specialized human expertise will grow, highlighting the unique value Indian professionals bring to the international workforce. The H-1B visa program continues to be a vital bridge connecting global talent with America’s innovation ecosystem. For Indian skilled workers, this is a call to rise stronger, innovate smarter, and embrace a dynamic, borderless world of opportunity—paving the way for sustained success and global impact in the years to come. INDVest Forum, NYC Balamurugan Balakreshnan Nayan Paul Michael Walton Jeff DeGraff Rajeev Chandrasekhar Gopal Krishna Agarwal Anand Shah Karl Mehta Ankush Sabharwal Vibhu Kapoor Gagan Nandi Sriram Viswanathan MR Rangaswami Mukesh Aghi Dhruva Jaishankar Michael Kugelman Cdr Navneet Kaushik Cdr Kartik Gopal Sid Jain Durga Das Somsubhra GanChoudhuri Vikram Bhardwaj Karl Mehta Anand Shah Santhana Krishnan N V Chandrika Tandon Paul Storm Vijay Shekhar Sharma Ravi Ladva Revathi Advaithi Adrian Hall John Spencer

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Today in Delhi, we announced the 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗵𝘂𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗻𝗮𝗺—a transformative investment of US$15 billion over five years. This initiative is aligned with the Indian government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, and anchors the next phase of U.S.–India tech cooperation. What this means for consumers, communities and companies in the region:  • 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲: We are deploying our full AI stack with gigawatt-scale compute capacity, ensuring every enterprise has access to the cutting-edge performance needed to innovate faster and scale their solutions.  • 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Developed with key partners like AdaniConneX and airtel, the hub integrates a new international subsea gateway and clean energy solutions, strengthening the entire national digital backbone.  • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵: This investment is designed to deliver industry-leading services at low latency, creating meaningful opportunities for inclusive growth and advance India's place as a global leader in the AI-driven future. We are proud to bring this unparalleled capacity and these resources closer to our customers, enabling them to compete and thrive on the global stage. ➡️ http://goo.gle/4ogQ03T IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #BharatAIShakti #ProudtoCloud

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🌏 Building Parent Company Culture in a New GCC in India: Intentional, Not Incidental Establishing a Global Capability Center (GCC) in India isn’t just about operations—it’s a cultural extension of the parent company. The real differentiator? How well you embed your global culture locally. Here’s how to make it real: 🔹 1. Start with Clarity Define the non-negotiable cultural values that represent your company. Avoid generic posters—bring values to life through stories and behaviors. 🔹 2. Hire Cultural Catalysts Early hires set the tone. Recruit leaders and teams who align with your values and understand the local context. Look for “culture carriers”—not just top performers. 🔹 3. Localize Without Dilution Translate core values to fit India’s working style. Example: Transform “radical candor” from blunt feedback into constructive dialogue that respects cultural nuance. 🔹 4. Make Culture Operational Bake values into: • Onboarding journeys • Recognition programs (value-based awards) • Performance reviews (behavior + delivery) • Decision frameworks (how vs. just what) 🔹 5. Connect India with HQ Enable two-way influence: • Cross-border projects with shared ownership • Global leaders visiting India regularly (and vice versa) • Shared storytelling platforms—celebrate India wins globally 🔹 6. Measure What Matters Use tools like: • Culture pulse surveys • Value-behavior assessments • Leadership 360s with cultural dimensions • Retention and internal mobility data to assess engagement 🔹 7. Lead by Example Culture is caught, not just taught. Every leader interaction, hiring decision, and promotion sends a signal. Walk the talk. 💡 Pro Tip: Build a local “Culture Council” to steward rituals, drive initiatives, and keep feedback loops alive. When done right, the India GCC becomes a strategic culture amplifier—one that not only reflects global values but helps shape them. #GCC #Leadership #OrganizationalCulture #IndiaTech #CultureBuilding #GlobalTeams #DigitalLeadership Disclaimer: Views expressed are mine and do not represent those of any current or past organizations.

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Recently attended the inaugural CII GCC Business Summit in New Delhi, a pivotal gathering that reaffirmed India’s vision to transform GCCs from transactional hubs into strategic innovation engines. Highlights included the keynote by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who emphasized GCCs as key to India’s digital growth story. Discussions centered on vital policy progress—such as expedited digital approvals, infrastructure expansion, early skilling initiatives—and the urgent need to decentralize GCC growth across India’s Tier‑II cities. India currently hosts over 1,800 GCCs, contributing significantly to GDP and employment. With a national ambition to reach 5,000 GCCs by 2030, the agenda is clear: build robust digital infrastructure, attract global investment, and unlock talent outside urban strongholds.

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I hosted a great recent Onbase podcast on behalf of Demandbase. My guest Soumyajit Dey from Thoughtworks delivered a masterclass on modern B2B. We explored why continuous brand building consistently outperforms one-off campaigns and how #ABX becomes truly powerful only when rooted in purpose, consistency, and relevance. Key findings included: - Brand and demand shouldn’t compete, they should connect - The tech stack makes or breaks digital ABX - Sustained brand building warms the ground for ABX - AI orchestration and buying-group intelligence are the future If you want to learn how to merge brand strategy with buying-group intelligence to drive sustained account growth, this one is for you. Tune in on your preferred platform ⤵️ DB Site: https://okt.to/nkperu Apple: https://okt.to/Hdi3MI Spotify: https://okt.to/GKAMxW YouTube: https://okt.to/VwWeTd

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Elevate post   My last trip to India was truly inspiring. As the country accelerates toward an AI-powered future, it’s clear that vocational education will play a defining role in enabling inclusive economic opportunity at scale. One of the highlights of my trip (December 8–12) was launching Microsoft Elevate WAVE — Workforce Augmentation with AI Skills in Vocational Education — at the Tata Strive Skill Development Center in Mumbai. Hearing directly from students about how AI skilling is already changing the trajectory of their lives was a powerful reminder of why this work matters. India’s vocational education ecosystem, under the leadership of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, is designed to bridge the gap between learning and employability. Yet, according to the Economic Survey 2023–24, only 4.4% of Indian youth have formal vocational training. In a country rapidly becoming one of the world’s largest AI markets, this gap represents both a challenge and an extraordinary opportunity. That’s why Microsoft is proud to partner with the Directorate General of Training (DGT) and Edunet Foundation to help make India the AI talent capital of the world. Through Elevate WAVE, we’re equipping 200,000 learners across 1,000+ ITIs and 33 NSTIs with AI skills, industry-recognized credentials, certifications, and pathways to 30,000 job opportunities. This initiative goes far beyond IT—embedding AI into high-demand trades such as Electrician, Mechanic Diesel, Electronics Mechanic, and Fashion Design. These are the skills that power India’s economy, and AI will amplify them even further. Our commitment is simple: ensure that the opportunity created by AI is experienced by everyone. Through the pilot launch in Maharashtra—joined by government leaders, industry partners, and our collaborators—we’re laying the groundwork for an AI-ready workforce that drives inclusive growth and global competitiveness. Together, we’re not just skilling youth—we’re unlocking India’s economic potential. #MicrosoftElevate #AIskilling #IndiaAI #VocationalEducation #FutureOfWork

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