About

Hey, I'm Rahul. I spent sixteen years at Cisco across Bengaluru, Raleigh, and Gurgaon: solution architecture first, then presales, then product management. After Cisco I spent a stretch consulting independently. I'm now a Solutions Engineer at Selector, working on AI for network observability.

A place for the ideas, the working theses, and innovations.

The career

Engineer by education

  • Half-planned to become a mathematician. Then computers pulled me toward engineering at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. Electronics by selection.

Cisco: technical legs, then a pivot to product

  • 2008, Bengaluru. Joined Cisco as a Network Consultant, upgrading large Service Provider networks.
  • 2012, Raleigh. Crossed over into scoping, consulting, and solutioning. A different muscle, but the engineering depth still mattered.
  • Picked up a product instinct in those years: learn to design for what's coming, two or three years ahead.

Back home, into product

  • 2019.Came back to India for a role at Cisco's Services business, starting as a global lead running large-scale deployments across hundreds of sites.
  • Moved into product management, focusing on observability and automation products.

Selector SE, Consulting, and writing

Joined Selector in 2026 as a Solutions Engineer on AI for networks, after leaving Cisco in late 2024 and consulting independently through InfoCzar. Started putting the ideas and innovations on paper here too.

โ€œWhy does turning on a light need an app?โ€

How I think

I'm a visual thinker โ€” I see systems as pictures first, and spend most of my time imagining designs that don't yet exist. The questions I keep returning to: why is it built this way, what would the ideal look like given today's technology, and where's the friction that shouldn't be there? Best answered with a horizon five or ten years out, not two.

Where my mind goes

PolicyGovernment systemsHow civilisations organiseTechnology stack designOperational efficiencyFintechRoad infrastructure

Principles I work by

  • Design for zero friction.Why does turning on a light need an app? If most users aren't engineers, the system shouldn't ask them to be.
  • Connect the disparate. Real progress is usually two systems that finally got joined.
  • Imagine perfect, walk it back.Picture the end, then move today's system toward it.

Where I've lived

Panchkulaโ†’Ambalaโ†’Chandigarhโ†’Bengaluruโ†’Raleighโ†’Gurgaon

Born in Panchkula. Currently in Gurgaon.

Skills

Solutions EngineeringProduct ManagementAIOpsNetwork ObservabilityPre-Sales/POCsNetwork TelemetryArchitectureAutomationAI

Plumbers of the internet, plus a few extra hats.

What colleagues say

Eighteen recommendations from Cisco, PEC, and beyond. Each links to the recommender's LinkedIn profile.

โ€œOutstanding product management skills, a true customer advocate with sharp data-analytical strengths.โ€

Divya Jain

Consulting Engineering Technical Leader, Cisco (CCIE SP, AIOps)

โ€œHis ability to quickly and correctly identify both the technical and business requirements established him as a leader on the team.โ€

Matt Engle

Principal Architect, Cisco

โ€œA Technical Product Manager who can drive product strategy, facilitate seamless execution and deliver measurable results.โ€

Abhilash Saladi

Senior Services Product Manager, Cisco

โ€œDeep knowledge spanning product lifecycle, presales and product design; helped many SD-WAN customers cut cost and deployment time.โ€

Dahlia Leese

Global Snr Program Manager, Digital Transformation

โ€œEverything you look for in a team lead. His ability to set all the correct expectations, in delivery and in problem resolution.โ€

shashi kantshukla

CCIEx2 (ENT & SP), SD-WAN Expert

โ€œNot only a subject-matter expert but a natural leader. His mentorship was a game-changer for me.โ€

Sachin Bodkhe

Network Delivery Architect, Cisco (CCIE DC)

โ€œExceptional skills in product ownership and management. His leadership and strategic thinking were invaluable to our success.โ€

Krystian Rรณลผycki

Software Engineer, Elisity

โ€œA standout Product Manager. Strategic vision, attention to detail, and adaptability contributed to multiple successful launches.โ€

ILLIA DOLSKI

Senior Frontend Engineer, ex-Cisco

โ€œAs a product owner he showed the team a clear vision and perfectly understood the real needs of our users.โ€

Viktoryia Makarevich

QA Automation Engineer

โ€œAn effective leader with notable technical knowledge in network engineering and strong interpersonal skills.โ€

Vitaly Grigorjev

Product Designer, B2B SaaS

โ€œA very innovative and thoughtful mind, always looking for new solutions that bring a positive impact.โ€

Ankush Dabas

Enterprise Network Leadership (CCIE Wireless)

โ€œIt's rare to come across someone as motivated and enthusiastic as Rahul. He always brought fresh ideas to the table.โ€

Chhavi Sharma

Senior Software Engineer (Python, GenAI)

โ€œHis expertise in designing and implementing complex solutions was instrumental. A seasoned and innovative solution architect.โ€

Atul Paul

Senior Technical Program Manager

โ€œImpressed with his deep technical knowledge coupled with astute business acumen. He set the right expectations and delivered.โ€

Nirmaan Aggarwal

Customer Success Manager, Public Sector

โ€œRahul's unique way of handling any complex situation with a great solution without showing any extra effort is his USP.โ€

Suprita

Internet Society Fellow, Network Engineer

โ€œA dedicated, results-oriented professional, willing to take the extra mile to achieve customer satisfaction.โ€

Karim Fahmi

Strategic Customer Engagements Leader, AWS

โ€œA great innovator and a great peer. A diligent hard worker and a great network engineer.โ€

Parampreet Singh Baweja

Enterprise Azure Sales Leader, Microsoft

โ€œSo supportive in a group and very talented. His creativity is amazing and coding even better.โ€

Atul Sharma

Co-Founder & COO, Qyula Narratives