Vinod Anupam

One-liner

Technologist-entrepreneur currently focused on building solutions that make mobile phones more useful, both with and without Internet access.

The Past

I was born in India. (I now live in the US.)

My father was an officer in the Indian Air Force. He is currently retired. My mother is a nurturer.

High School

I graduated from High School (Grade 12) in 1984 from Kendriya Vidyalaya Jalahalli, Bangalore, India.

Undergrad

After high school, I wanted to study engineering. I took the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) entrance test, IITJEE, and was admitted into the Mechanical Engineering program at IIT Bombay. However, I wanted to study computer science. (I had yet to see a real computer, but I "knew" that was what I wanted.)

I went to Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India for my undergraduate education in Computer Science. I graduated in 1988. I have very fond memories of BITS. I forged many friendships that have endured the passage of time.

Grad School

After BITS, it was once again time to make a decision about the next step. Should I get a degree in Management (and get a real job) or should I pursue Graduate Studies in Computer Science? I took the IIM (Indian Institute of Management) entrance test, CAT. I also applied for admission to graduate schools in the US. I got into the management program at IIM Calcutta. However, I chose to go to graduate school in Computer Science. I was hooked on CS.

I did my Master's and Ph.D. in Computer Science at Purdue University. I graduated in 1994. I have very fond memories of Purdue. I met my wife there.

My first job

In 1994, I joined Bell Labs as a Research Scientist. I have had the pleasure of working on a variety of interesting projects with many extremely talented people.

Some of my favorites include (in chronological order):

• SurfNChat: a shared browsing system that allowed two or more Web users to dynamically link-up their browsers (by visiting the SurfNChat web site) and subsequently browse the Web together while text chatting. The users could even shop together at any Web site - appearing to be one user to the Web site. Parts of the system were incorporated into Lucent's CentreVu Internet Solutions customer-care suite.
• OfficeTunnel: an application-level VPN solution that let users securely access their office computer environment (files, email, calendar, directory, intranet Web) from any data-connected device (phone, PDA, laptop, kiosk) outside the firewall.
• Untethered Phone: an exploration into a "portable" phone service that would allow a user to take her "phone environment" - the calling plan, speed dial settings, phone service features, billing etc. with her as she moved from an office phone to a mobile phone to a hotel phone.
• Service Broker: a programmable SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) router that enables the creation of interesting telecommunication services both by creating new applications as well as by infusing new behavior into existing applications. This evolved into Lucent's Service Broker.
• Scalable Location-Based Push Messaging: infrastructure that allows messages to be pushed to users based on their current location. This evolved into Alcatel-Lucent's Geographic Messaging System Platform.

The Present

In February 2007, I left Bell Labs.

And started my entrepreneurial quest.