Indianness Podcast: Harini Gopalakrishnan on Learning, Integrity, and Career Growth

🎧 How does integrity and a strong foundation shape career success? In this engaging episode of the Indianness Podcast, Sanjay Puri interviews Harini Gopalakrishnan, CTO for Life Sciences at Snowflake. Harini reflects on her career journey, from her early days in Chennai to becoming a leader in healthcare technology.

📌 Topics Covered:

• The impact of growing up in a joint family
• How her grandmother’s lessons on integrity shaped her career
• The value of foundational knowledge in professional success
• Why saying "no" can build more trust than saying "yes"
• How continuous learning and adaptability are key to career longevity

🚀 Watch now to learn how Harini’s approach to integrity and learning drives her success!

Resources Mentioned:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/harinigopalakrishnan/

⏱️ Timestamps:

0:00 - Podcast Episode Highlights

1:05 - Harini’s early life: Born in Kerala, raised in Chennai, bilingual roots, and joint family upbringing.

2:05 - Emphasis on education and gender equality in her family.

3:03 - Memories of grandparents and their influence (moral values, music lessons).

4:03 - Learning veena and lifelong lessons from foundational skills.

5:15 - Career advice: Importance of foundational knowledge and adaptability.

7:34 - Balancing passion vs. practicality in career choices.

10:14 - Transition to college: Networking, curiosity, and cultural adaptability.

13:05 - Discussing integrity and saying "no" in professional settings.

17:38 - Choosing computer science: Pragmatism and societal expectations.

20:07 - Undergrad experience: Fun vs. academic rigor, soft skills.

24:27 - First job at Cognizant: Corporate challenges and self-discovery.

30:01 - Pursuing a master’s in bioinformatics: Risk-taking and career pivots.

34:06 - Career inflection points: Moving to tech, international exposure.

39:56 - Working in Europe and cultural adaptability lessons.

46:04 - Leadership style influenced by Indian values (integrity, customer focus).

50:10 - Failures and resilience: Returning to India post-master’s.

53:44 - Role of mentors: Grandmother, professors, and customer guidance.

55:34 - Lightning round: Coffee lover, remote work preference, intuition over data.