Nikhil Patil

As the Head of Technology, I am responsible for the company’s entire IT department. This includes the teams that build our software, manage our servers, and handle data reports. I also sit on the board committees that decide our technology and security strategies.

Key Achievements:

• Moving to the Cloud: I led the project to move all our data from a physical data center to AWS (Amazon’s cloud). We moved 3 terabytes of database data and 5 terabytes of files. I planned this carefully so that we lost absolutely no data during the move.
• Fixing Infrastructure: When we moved to the cloud, I redesigned how our systems are set up to make them more stable. I upgraded our software versions (Java and MySQL) to the latest versions to keep everything running smoothly and securely.
• Security & Rules: I make sure we follow all the strict rules set by the RBI (Reserve Bank of India). I handle the yearly audits and provide the evidence needed to prove our systems are safe and follow government standards.
• Improving Teamwork: I changed how the team works by moving our project tracking from simple Excel sheets to a professional tool (Redmine). I introduced a "Scrum" approach, which helps the team finish tasks in organized, two-week cycles.
• New Features: I delivered several projects that help the business, such as a "quick disbursement" system for loans and a chatbot for the website and WhatsApp to help customers faster.
• Disaster Planning: I tested our "Disaster Recovery" plan by running the entire business on our backup servers for a full day. This proved that if our main system fails, the company can still function without losing money or data.

Led a team of 10 engineers to build "AcePL," a digital lending platform that enabled customer onboarding for short-term loans in under five seconds.

• Event-Driven Architecture: Designed a non-blocking system using Java, Spring Boot, and Kafka, with a complex "Topic Chaining" architecture to handle business logic across multiple microservices.
• Core Banking Integration: Worked extensively with Thought Machine’s core banking system, developing smart contracts and surrounding layers using a choreography pattern on Kubernetes.
• Global Collaboration: Managed delivery across distributed teams in Poland and India, fostering a culture of technical excellence, and mentoring junior engineers.

I spent seven years at Reliance Jio, joining when the company was just starting its media services. I moved up from a Senior Engineer to a Senior Manager, helping to build the apps that millions of people in India now use on their phones.

Key Achievements:

• Building Famous Apps: I worked on the backend systems (the "engine" under the hood) for apps like JioTV, JioCinema, and JioMusic.
• Handling Millions of Users: In the early days, I managed the systems that handled all the media content. I learned how to build these systems so they wouldn't crash, even when millions of people were using them at the same exact time.
• Storing and Moving Data: I used different types of databases to store user information safely. I also used "Content Delivery Networks" (CDN), which act like local warehouses for data, so that videos and music load instantly for users across India.
• Developing Smart Features: I built the system that lets you set a 'JioTune' (caller tune) on your phone number. I also helped create a 'Recommendation Engine' for JioMusic, which is the logic that suggests new songs you might like based on what you’ve already heard.
• Leadership During COVID-19: During the pandemic, I led a project called 'JioWorks.' This was a digital tool to help teams manage their work and stay organized while working from home.
• Team Growth: I grew from being a developer who writes code to a leader managing a team of five people. I was responsible for making sure my team delivered their work on time, and that our apps stayed secure and fast.

• Global Client Delivery: Developed enterprise-scale eLearning platforms and web portals for the United Nations (UNV) and WIPO using Java (J2EE), JSF, and Apache Tomcat.
• Data Visualization: Built interactive analytical dashboards and automated financial reporting modules using JavaScript, Google Charts, and Core Java/Oracle.
• LMS Customization: Managed and extended the Moodle (LMS) ecosystem by developing custom plugins to meet specific, international training requirements.
• Full-Stack Development: Maintained diverse technology stacks, including PHP, MySQL, and Oracle, within a CMMI Level 3 process environment.

• Core Platform Development: Engineered high-traffic modules for user registration, payment gateway integration, and matchmaking algorithms using the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, PHP, MySQL).
• AI Innovation: Developed a photo face recognition system using Python to enhance profile verification and security.
• Telephony Integration: Built automated IVR response modules using web services to streamline customer interactions.
• Performance Engineering: Optimized and scaled backend code to support a massive subscriber base, ensuring low latency during peak traffic.