Pradeep Menon is keen to see that Coimbatore becomes an important Cyber Security centre. He was born to Chandrasekharan and Leela Menon in Palakkad. Pradeep studied at the Pandit Motilal Government Model High School at Palakkad.
Pradeep Menon is keen to see that Coimbatore becomes an important Cyber Security centre. He was born to Chandrasekharan and Leela Menon in Palakkad. Pradeep studied at the Pandit Motilal Government Model High School at Palakkad.
Well, the pre degree was at Government Victoria College and an engineering degree was acquired from Basaveshwar, Bagalkot ( Karnataka ). He worked for sometime at a Wipro Franchisee in Mumbai ( Computer Networking & Communications ), came back to Palakkad and took up the distribution of Zenith Computers for sometime. Subsequently Pradeep took a break and did his MBA from Amrita in Coimbatore ( 1998 - 2000 ).
" I joined a start up ( EAP Global ) as one of the founders. The activity was connected with information security. Went to the USA ( 2001 - 2005 ) as the country manager of the same company. The company was sold off to Sify in Chennai. I took over the operations in Middle East & North Africa ( 2005 - 2007 ). Later on a company was founded with 3 others in the year 2007 - Quadrant Risk Management in collaboration with Quadrant Risk Management ( UK ). It was into financial and operational risk management in the banking sector. Exited the company after it was sold to ISYX Technologies in the Middle East.
We decided to come back to India because our daughter was getting into high school and also because we felt that our kids had to have their share of India. Or else they would not know their country well. Both of us felt that Coimbatore was the closest city from Palakkad and therefore we moved here. Had to do something in Coimbatore and started Lakshya Cyber Security Labs ( 2015 ) with another person ( Premchand Kurup ) who was a CEO of a company in Dubai. Our company was the pioneer with regard to cyber security in Coimbatore and therefore we faced some challenges while bringing in the right people for the tasks. We worked hard for one year and it became a team of 41 members - people who had the mix of energy and experience. Most of the clientele were from Dubai, Saudi, Oman and some pockets of Europe. We had very little Indian business from India and just a few customers from Coimbatore.
The company had some very good global level visibility. We got noticed on releasing some solutions for a couple of major cyber attacks and got ranked very well in Google search in the cyber security space, " stated Pradeep Menon over a 'matter of fact' conversation.
Pradeep's team had helped a lot of Government agencies fight cyber attacks by other States or criminal syndicates. " If one infiltrates into the border security network, one can enter a country at will. Eavesdropping, stealing and infiltration into networks are major issues. We provide solutions for preventing such things from happening. Trouble makers can steal defence information, national secrets, corporate secrets, intellectual property and also create systemic damage like the Ukranian Power Outage Crisis.
They can bring a nation to a stand still. Such people will open and close dams, power stations, metro transport systems, communication networks and nuclear reactors. One can damage centrifuges in nuclear plants by using cyber attack tools like Stuxnet. Iran had to abandon her nuclear programme because of a cyber attack. Our company provides advisory services : assesses the security from the attackers perspective, recommends solutions, monitors the security profile of the organization round the clock, also investigates breaches and compromises, conducts digital forensic examination, does malware analysis among other things. IEEE and Springer have published some of our research papers.
Therefore we got the attention of some western companies. They wanted to partner with us and one such company was ZACCO from Denmark. It is a 150 year old company and it used to be predominantly into intellectual property protection, trademark and copy right registration. They had started a cyber security division and set up a research cum development division for intellectual property protection in Bengaluru. Our facilities and activities encouraged them to acquire ' Lakshya ' as a ' Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security R & D '. So the acquisition happened. This gives the team an oppourtunity to enhance the capability in cyber security R & D, develop products besides enabling an access to larger markets overseas. I continue as the Chief Officer - Centre for Excellence : ZACCO Cyber Security Research Labs ( Private ) Limited, " smiled Pradeep.
Nasscom had conducted a ' cyber security oppourtunity ' survey and had identified Coimbatore as one of the cities. Pradeep continued further, " We always wanted to be in the higher end of the value chain. It is a testimony that a specialized field like cyber security R & D can be built in a tier 2 city. We are moving ahead in the CSR ( Corporate Social Responsibility ) arena by educating students on the threats in cyber space. The awareness thus created will enable the youngsters to use cyber space in a safe manner.
We have done free workshops in a number of schools and wish to do more in Government schools also. Our company has a complete package for schools. We show them how the anonymity of cyber space can harm or mislead, especially the vulnerable sections of the society. The centre is ready to do demos in senior citizens homes too. Now we are located at the Rathinam Tech Park in Eachanari, Coimbatore. Our long term plan is to contribute to the higher end of the value chain from Coimbatore. Our city should not become an IT Minion factory but contribute towards R & D, " added the energetic cyber security man.
Pradeep wants to do more in the interest of the nation and its people, " Want to work on parallel education because our system leaves a lot to be desired for its not tuned towards inculcating life skills, technology acumen development, developing self confidence and understanding of humanities. We should develop a sense of national pride. In the west there are movements like ' Maker Movements ' ( its about teaching children about developing skills and acumen ).
I want to bring together the Indian Value System along with this activity. This will develop an education for life and not just education for jobs alone. I hope to initiate this in a full fledged manner in the near future."
The goal oriented gentleman is also on the Board of Governors of National Institute of Technical Teachers Training & Research as an industry nominee ( Ministry of Human Resource Development ). He is married to Sree Devi Menon and the couple are blessed with Rohini Menon & Goutam Menon.
Pradeep is currently doing a Ph.D on economic anthropology ( in a study wherein economics embedded in the society & culture is being looked into further ). Pradeep elucidated further, " For example in tribal areas and peasant societies, economics was based on socio cultural norms and traditions. There used to be a ' Potlatch ' ceremony among the tribes, wherein the tribal chiefs used to throw away all their wealth once a year. Their wealth used to come to zero every year.
My study specializes on the times when the economy was embedded within society and culture. It was a time when there was a lot more harmony.Post industrial revolution ' economics 'as a discipline has subjugated the society and culture by creating a new reality were ' currency ' is the king. ' Currency ' became the most valued item and it was not kinship or relationship in the society. This has created a lot of fault lines. Therefore it necessitates the establishment of social support systems for the vulnerables while also increasing job stress and mental health issues. In India our culture based on abstinence, value systems, love, tolerance and trust was prevalent. This approach was directing economic activities rather than the economy directing social behavior. Basically we wanted to be happy while making sure that everyone was happy. "
Every Indian will remember Emperor Harsha Vardhana who ruled much of Northern India during the seventh century. The noble ruler used to give away all his wealth once in five years. Those were the times our monarchs lead a detached life. Many of them sacrificed their personal likes in the interest of the people. The famous writer ' Kalki ' Krishnamurthy touches upon this subject in his magnum opus ' Sivakamiyin Sabatham ' through the chapter ' Rajakula Dharmam '. The conversation between Mahendra Varma Pallava ( 600 - 630 AD ) and his son Narasimha Varma Pallava ( 630 - 668 AD ) brings to light the sacrifices that have to be made in order to offer the people safety and prosperity. The study of economic anthropology is sure to bring to light such good instances and their effect on the land.
The Kongu region is set to become the fastest growing regional economy due to the efforts of the entrepreneurs of the region. Cyber security initiatives will add one more feather in the cap.
Coimbatore has every chance of not just becoming a cyber security centre but also a place for studying the impact of culture on economics.