Ratna Garapati has overall experience of 28 years in implementing digital transformation processes in products and service companies. He began his journey with CyanConnode in 2020. Since then, he has overseen CyanConnode’s deployment of over 1 million RF nodes, making it among the largest RF players in the country, just behind EESL/IntelliSmart. Prior to CyanConnode, Garapati has worked at Trilliant and Fluentgrid. He was also involved in the implementation of multiple smart grid pilots and over 5 million smart meters under the Smart Meter National Programme.
The Indian power sector is one of the largest and most complicated in the world, Garapati believes. “Over the last two decades, the sector has seen significant changes, with the government coming out with schemes to improve the T&D infrastructure and enhance operational efficiency.”
However, the biggest unresolved challenge remains discom health. “We will not be able to achieve a high-growth, low-carbon economy unless the distribution segment achieves profitability. The solution is smart meters and smart grids. Smart meters increase billing and collection efficiency and are the first step to implementing a smart grid,” he notes.
The recently launched RDSS aims at improving the operational and financial health of discoms. The benefits of a discom turnaround driven by clean energy portfolios will pay long-term dividends in the clean energy transition. Large renewable penetration brings issues of intermittency and unpredictability in energy flows, which, in turn, risks grid reliability. Building robust and decarbonised energy systems backed by wider digitalisation is pivotal to building a reliable grid.
Garapati’s top priorities for CyanConnode are to maintain its market leadership in RF infrastructure deployment for AMI in India, to become the preferred communication partner for AMISPs, and to have an order book of at least 30 million RF nodes in the next few years. His most memorable assignment at CyanConnode was taking control of the supply chain when he joined the company and delivering 463,000 nodes within four months, thereby setting a milestone of the highest turnover for the company.
Garapati has a laissez-faire management style. He places complete faith and trust in his team and lets them approach problems creatively, which has resulted in great results and unity.