Retired military veterans offer a multitude of talents and experiences that benefit the corporate sector and society. They bring essential military attributes such as leadership, discipline, flexibility, and strategic thinking to civilian life. Leadership and team management are two areas where they excel. Military veterans excel at inspiring and managing groups to accomplish goals after leading teams in high-pressure and dynamic circumstances, making them significant assets in directing enterprises and driving organizational progress. Military retirees have learned the capacity to make critical judgments swiftly and effectively by analyzing complicated circumstances due to their military training. Their strategic thinking and risk assessment skills help them navigate corporate challenges and discover new solutions.
Operational efficiency and process improvement are other areas where former soldiers make a huge difference. Veterans can bring experience to companies, increasing productivity and cost-effectiveness. The military heavily focuses on optimizing workflows and resource allocation, and veterans can bring this expertise to businesses, increasing productivity and cost-effectiveness. Their expertise in crisis management and resilience benefits corporate sustainability and growth.
Reji Kurien Thomas is an Indian businessman, technologist, entrepreneur, and retired Indian Navy commander. Thomas has significantly contributed to the IT security, consultancy, and technology sectors. He founded TechnoPilot, an IT security and consulting firm, and is presently the Group Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of VIRENXIA, a major technology solutions firm. Thomas has extensive educational background, receiving doctorates in multiple fields and doing post-doctoral research at notable universities. He garnered several honors and awards for his accomplishments and leadership in various fields.
Reji Kurien Thomas was born in New Delhi, India, on April 6, 1968. He finished his elementary education at St. Columba’s High School in 1986. Thomas completed a Bachelor of Technology from the College of Engineering Trivandrum. He also completed his MBA from Kent State University in 2002 while serving in the Indian Navy. Thomas also received a Master of Technology from Kent State University in 2003. Thomas’ hunger for knowledge compelled him to pursue doctorates in five fields: business management, computer science, technological science, CSR and sustainability, and alternative medicine. The prominent business person and entrepreneur completed his post-doctoral studies at several renowned universities, including Oxford, Stanford, Kent State, and IIT Delhi.
Reji Kurien’s career in the Indian Navy spanned over two decades, from 1991 to 2012. He was a commander and the aviation director. During his tenure in the Navy, Thomas actively contributed to several maritime and aeronautical engineering projects. In 1998, he was instrumental in putting the intranet idea into action enterprise-wide. In 1999, Thomas devised a speech scrambler for secure communications. He also contributed to creating frameworks, designs, and the growth of e-learning training platforms in 2004.
Reji Kurien Thomas delved into business and created TechnoPilot, an IT security and consulting start-up, after retiring from the Indian Navy in 2012. TechnoPilot provides IT security, financial fabric, company management, and health technology solutions. Thomas led TechnoPilot as CEO until 2018, bringing knowledge and direction to the organization.
Reji Kurien Thomas joined VIRENXIA, a famous technology solutions firm, in 2018, as the Group Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Thomas successfully established novel technologies at VIRENXIA using radical new technologies, project management, and Six Sigma approaches. He spearheaded, designed- and developed innovative projects in Quasi-quantum photosynthesis in the endeavor to solve the world water problem, nanotechnology, systemic reclamation-remediation of degraded land for agriculture, healthcare, roads, AgTech, FinTech, waste to energy, development of the world’s first portable instant Test and Monitoring System for Agriculture, coding comprehensive AI-ML engines with Drones for weather prediction, digital agriculture, IIoT, Farm agri inputs design and manufacture including organic fertilizers, biostimulants, bioponics, enzymes, carbon accounting, road to Net Zero and other frontier technologies.
He also participated in the road to acquiring multiple patents in these fields. He innovated and used core quantum sciences and dovetailed into niche technologies to make a significant impact, especially in the agri sector. Devised transition from chemical farming to agroecological-regenerative farming to enable an easy transition without a dip in profits while improving quality and yield consistently for producers. Invented multifarious products and solutions tested and proved in Government and Private institutions to bring about societal transformation, with the goal to be the world’s first for-profit socio-economic empowerment Company.
The retired navy officer and entrepreneur is also an author who has contributed to the academic and scientific communities through his works. Some of his notable works include “Usage of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) for Def Stan” in 1999, “FODA – A Fast Outlier Detection Algorithm for VPNs” in 2003, “Role of Healing Sounds, Scalar Energy, and Vibration in Cure Using Distance Healing Mode” in 2014, “Amelioration of biomass character of basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) by mitigating abiotic stress With green manure application and organic biostimulant treatment” in 2021, “Effect of Enzymatic Chicken manure-based fertilizer and Organic Humic acid – Fulvic acid foliar application impact on fodder and antioxidant activities of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa) grown on the sandy soils of Sultanate of Oman” in 2021, “Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Business and Industry” in 2023, and “Cyber-biosecurity; A Paradigm Shift in the Field of Life Sciences and Agriculture Sector” in 2023.
The author and entrepreneur also received several distinctions and honors during his career. He received the Phi Beta Delta and Epsilon Pi Tau awards in 2003 and the Distinguished Scientist Award in the United States in 2008. Thomas also received the Health Excellence Award from the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine in 2013 and the Excellence in Encryption Award from FINSEC, The Banking Security Summit, Dubai, UAE, in 2019. Some other recognitions included the Emerging Technology Initiative Award from FINNOVEX in 2019, inclusion in the “Top 50 Technology Visionaries & Innovators” at Intercon Oct 2019, Dubai for worldwide excellence in radical technologies over three decades, awarded Winner of the Industry’s No 1
(Category: Business) by BARC ASIA in Sep 2021; “India’s Inspirational Leader- inspiring India through Technology” in 2020.
He was honored with the award for “Worlds Best Emerging Business Leader” at the prestigious House of Lords, British Parliament, London, and at The Royal Military Victory Services Club (VSC) London in 2022, “Most Admired Global Indian 2022 Award at the High-Level Asian-African Diplomatic Meet at Delhi in 2022, was handpicked member of The Leaders excellence membership framework at Harvard, and also awarded with Fellowship of Royal Society for Arts, UK. Reji Kurien Thomas’ path from his early years in the Indian Navy to his current leadership responsibilities in the technology industry represents his dedication to quality, creativity, and continuous learning. Thomas is a prominent player in the Indian business and technological arena due to his substantial educational background, impressive career, and multiple honors.
