Dr Muralidharan Jayaraman (Murali) : Redefining Leadership At The Confluence Of Technology, Curiosity & Human Impact
Dr Muralidharan Jayaraman
Executive Vice President
From enabling digital transformation to building safety-critical systems, they exemplify how education, when paired with purpose, can elevate industries and societies alike. One such leader is Dr. Muralidharan Jayaraman, Executive Vice President at TVM Signalling and Transportation Systems (TSTS), a group company of Kyosan, Japan, whose inspiring journey reflects NIT Trichy’s spirit of innovation, integrity, and lifelong learning.
Hailing from a small town in Tamil Nadu and raised by teacher-parents, Dr. Murali was instilled early in life with the principles of curiosity, integrity, and perseverance. His fascination with both logic and creativity naturally steered him to the field of computing, prompting him to pursue his MCA from the then Regional Engineering College, now NIT Trichy, in 1990.
Beginning his career at a time when India’s IT landscape was rapidly evolving, he grew in tandem with the country’s transformation into a global technology powerhouse. Over time, his understanding of leadership evolved beyond positions and titles, focusing instead on enabling others to succeed, fostering collaboration, and building opportunities for shared growth.
His educational pursuits, including an Executive General Management Programme (EGMP) from IIM Bangalore in 2010 and a Ph.D. from Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University) in 2024, clearly reflect his commitment to lifelong learning. Guided by the core values of curiosity, integrity, and collaboration, Dr. Murali’s professional philosophy aligns seamlessly with NIT Trichy’s enduring legacy, built on intellect, innovation, and impact. Let’s hear from him.
Your professional journey has spanned continents, industries, and decades of technological transformation. How would you describe this evolution and the milestones that have defined it?
My professional journey has been one of breadth, depth and purposeful reinvention, shaped by diverse roles, cultures, and industries over more than three and-a-half decades. I began my career in Bangalore during the formative years of India’s IT revolution, and expanded globally through assignments in Singapore with Deutsche Bank for three years, followed by five years in the United States with Paragon Solutions. These international exposures immersed me in multicultural environments, complex enterprise ecosystems, and the rigor required to execute consistently at global standards.
Consulting engagements with Fortune 500 organizations across geographies strengthened my ability to approach problems with structured thinking, navigate ambiguity, and engage senior
stakeholders with clarity and confidence. My software career ultimately spanned multiple domains such as enterprise applications, corporate banking, insurance, life sciences, and healthcare, giving me a holistic understanding of how technology underpins mission-critical business processes.
A defining phase of my journey was leading India Operations for Paragon Solutions, where I built a high-performing, client-centric delivery organization from the ground up. This experience strengthened my understanding of organizational scale, P&L ownership, multi-geography collaboration, and talent architecture.
My Board roles at Paragon Solutions India and later at the technology startup Fluidech, expanded my exposure to corporate governance statutory compliance, financial oversight, policy formulation, and leadership succession, dimensions that have refined my approach to strategic decision-making.
A pivotal milestone was my transition from software and consulting into the engineering domain, focusing on railway signalling and safety systems. This reinvention enabled me to bring together electronics, communication, mechanical design, cloud platforms, application software, automation, simulation, IoT, AI, and systems engineering into cohesive, safety-critical product ecosystems.
It also deepened my appreciation for the unseen engineering reliability that quietly safeguards public infrastructure.
From working on floppy-based PCs to shaping and governing AI-driven intelligent systems today, the constant thread in my evolution has been adaptability, continuous learning, and an enduring commitment to solving meaningful problems.
This journey has reinforced my belief that true leadership lies in connecting technology, people, and purpose, and in continuously preparing organizations for what the future demands.
Which key milestones do you believe have most significantly shaped your professional journey?
Several milestones have profoundly shaped my professional trajectory. One defining phase was developing the India Delivery Center from the ground up, where establishing a consulting-aligned delivery organization and cultivating a culture of ownership and transparency proved transformative; the maturity and trust built during this period contributed to Paragon Solutions’ acquisition by CGI in 2017.
Equally pivotal was my reinvention through engineering—transitioning from software and consulting to railway signalling — which expanded my world view on systems engineering and end-to end product lifecycle management, from R&D and prototyping to certification, manufacturing, and international market expansion.
Completing my Ph.D. in 2024 further strengthened my journey my research on machine learning frameworks for early detection and prediction of cardiovascular diseases reinforced my belief that technology must ultimately serve humanity while deepening my foundation in applied AI.
Most recently, leading R&D and product development in my current role has been both challenging and fulfilling, as driving innovation in a safety-critical domain continues to broaden my intellectual horizons and leadership maturity.
A defining phase of my journey was leading India Operations for Paragon Solutions, where I built a high-performing, client-centric delivery organization from the ground up. This experience strengthened my understanding of organizational scale, P&L ownership, multi-geography collaboration, and talent architecture.
My Board roles at Paragon Solutions India and later at the technology startup Fluidech, expanded my exposure to corporate governance statutory compliance, financial oversight, policy formulation, and leadership succession, dimensions that have refined my approach to strategic decision-making.
In a world where industries evolve faster than job descriptions, I believe that learning is not optional; it is foundational to sustained relevance
A pivotal milestone was my transition from software and consulting into the engineering domain, focusing on railway signalling and safety systems. This reinvention enabled me to bring together electronics, communication, mechanical design, cloud platforms, application software, automation, simulation, IoT, AI, and systems engineering into cohesive, safety-critical product ecosystems.
It also deepened my appreciation for the unseen engineering reliability that quietly safeguards public infrastructure.
From working on floppy-based PCs to shaping and governing AI-driven intelligent systems today, the constant thread in my evolution has been adaptability, continuous learning, and an enduring commitment to solving meaningful problems.
This journey has reinforced my belief that true leadership lies in connecting technology, people, and purpose, and in continuously preparing organizations for what the future demands.
Which key milestones do you believe have most significantly shaped your professional journey?
Several milestones have profoundly shaped my professional trajectory. One defining phase was developing the India Delivery Center from the ground up, where establishing a consulting-aligned delivery organization and cultivating a culture of ownership and transparency proved transformative; the maturity and trust built during this period contributed to Paragon Solutions’ acquisition by CGI in 2017.
Equally pivotal was my reinvention through engineering—transitioning from software and consulting to railway signalling — which expanded my world view on systems engineering and end-to end product lifecycle management, from R&D and prototyping to certification, manufacturing, and international market expansion.
Completing my Ph.D. in 2024 further strengthened my journey my research on machine learning frameworks for early detection and prediction of cardiovascular diseases reinforced my belief that technology must ultimately serve humanity while deepening my foundation in applied AI.
Most recently, leading R&D and product development in my current role has been both challenging and fulfilling, as driving innovation in a safety-critical domain continues to broaden my intellectual horizons and leadership maturity.
You have seamlessly transitioned across technology, management, and research. What inspires your commitment to continuous learning?
Two principles: curiosity and relevance. Curiosity helps me connect patterns across disciplines, whether in banking, healthcare, consulting, and now railway signalling. Relevance ensures that learning translates into meaningful impact for organizations and society as a whole.
The EGMP at IIM Bangalore expanded my under standing of business strategy and managerial thought process. My Ph.D. journey allowed me to explore the intersection of AI, healthcare, and predictive analytics, a space where technology has profound potential to save lives.
In a world where industries evolve faster than job descriptions, I believe that learning is not optional; it is foundational to sustained relevance.
Many professionals aspire to become entre preneurs, yet you have chosen to build your career through leadership roles within organizations. What guided this decision?
Entrepreneurship has always been an internal spark, and it surfaces often. But I have been fortunate to work in environments that offered the autonomy, challenge, trust, and recognition that entrepreneurs often seek. Through leadership roles, I have experienced the entrepreneurial journey from within, whether through creating teams, shaping culture, scaling operations, navigating challenges, or building products and solutions from scratch. In many ways, I have lived the entrepreneurial spirit while enjoying the collaboration, shared ownership, and collective success that comes with organizational leadership.
What message would you like to share with young professionals, particularly NIT Trichy students, who aspire to become future leaders?
Be versatile yet grounded. Depth builds expertise, but breadth gives perspective. Keep learning. Value relationships, as trust and credibility grow faster than technology. Your network is not whom you know, but who trusts you. Leadership is not a destination, but a continuous journey of learning, adapting, and uplifting others.
Lastly, how do you continue to engage with your alma mater and contribute to the broader community?
NIT Trichy remains the cornerstone of my professional growth and personal identity. I stay connected through alumni networks, mentorship programs, and academia-industry collaborations. I actively contribute by mentoring, sharing knowledge, supporting education and healthcare initiatives, and sponsoring hackathons that inspire students to solve real-world challenges creatively.
Dr Muralidharan Jayaraman (Murali), Executive Vice President, TVM Signalling & Transportation Systems (TSTS)
A visionary leader with over 35 years of global experience, Dr. Muralidharan Jayaraman integrates expertise in software consulting, and engineering. His work brings together AI, systems engineering, innovation, and purposeful leadership, reflecting a lifelong commitment to learning, integrity, and meaningful societal impact. He has been an invited speaker at numerous engineering and technology institutions and has also contributed content for academic textbooks, further extending his influence to the next generation of technologists and leaders.
Two principles: curiosity and relevance. Curiosity helps me connect patterns across disciplines, whether in banking, healthcare, consulting, and now railway signalling. Relevance ensures that learning translates into meaningful impact for organizations and society as a whole.
The EGMP at IIM Bangalore expanded my under standing of business strategy and managerial thought process. My Ph.D. journey allowed me to explore the intersection of AI, healthcare, and predictive analytics, a space where technology has profound potential to save lives.
In a world where industries evolve faster than job descriptions, I believe that learning is not optional; it is foundational to sustained relevance.
Many professionals aspire to become entre preneurs, yet you have chosen to build your career through leadership roles within organizations. What guided this decision?
Entrepreneurship has always been an internal spark, and it surfaces often. But I have been fortunate to work in environments that offered the autonomy, challenge, trust, and recognition that entrepreneurs often seek. Through leadership roles, I have experienced the entrepreneurial journey from within, whether through creating teams, shaping culture, scaling operations, navigating challenges, or building products and solutions from scratch. In many ways, I have lived the entrepreneurial spirit while enjoying the collaboration, shared ownership, and collective success that comes with organizational leadership.
What message would you like to share with young professionals, particularly NIT Trichy students, who aspire to become future leaders?
Be versatile yet grounded. Depth builds expertise, but breadth gives perspective. Keep learning. Value relationships, as trust and credibility grow faster than technology. Your network is not whom you know, but who trusts you. Leadership is not a destination, but a continuous journey of learning, adapting, and uplifting others.
Lastly, how do you continue to engage with your alma mater and contribute to the broader community?
NIT Trichy remains the cornerstone of my professional growth and personal identity. I stay connected through alumni networks, mentorship programs, and academia-industry collaborations. I actively contribute by mentoring, sharing knowledge, supporting education and healthcare initiatives, and sponsoring hackathons that inspire students to solve real-world challenges creatively.
Dr Muralidharan Jayaraman (Murali), Executive Vice President, TVM Signalling & Transportation Systems (TSTS)
A visionary leader with over 35 years of global experience, Dr. Muralidharan Jayaraman integrates expertise in software consulting, and engineering. His work brings together AI, systems engineering, innovation, and purposeful leadership, reflecting a lifelong commitment to learning, integrity, and meaningful societal impact. He has been an invited speaker at numerous engineering and technology institutions and has also contributed content for academic textbooks, further extending his influence to the next generation of technologists and leaders.