CTO Sessions: Raj Yavatkar, Juniper Networks

What are you reading now? I read a lot, sometimes two-three books at the same time. Right now, I am reading: Ben Horowitz’s– What You Do Is Who You Are. I am a big fan of Ben and highly recommend this book on company culture. He says a company’s culture is not defined by a mission statement or values, but what you actually do. The second is Walter Isaacson’s Leonardo da Vinci, and the third is Vikram Sampath’s Savarkar, which was written from British archives about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a freedom fighter in India.

Most people don't know that I… was an undergraduate and, in support of flood victims in India who were promised aid but never received it, I participated in a sit-in at the district magistrate’s office. This stopped all the work there. We were detained for one night until the college Dean came to help us.

In my spare time, I like to…Listen to music, as well as hike. I’ve hiked the Grand Canyon, Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood and others, but I really want to go to Kilimanjaro.

Ask me to do anything but… Sugar coat the truth, especially on topics I am very passionate about. I appreciate and value receiving constructive feedback and conversation, and it’s how I like to communicate with others as well.