Alumna: Preeti Mahaveer Jagadev
Graduation Year: 2015
Programme: BE Electronics & Telecommunication
Current Position: Associate Manager at Sakon, Pune

Journey so far….
Varun Pillai graduated from Don Bosco College of Engineering, Fatorda, in 2015.He stepped into the corporate world as an Analyst at Sakon, a global Telecom Expense Management company. What began as his first job soon turned into a journey of growth, innovation, and leadership.

With a knack for process improvement and a talent for building strong client relationships, Varun quickly became a driving force within the organization. Over the years, he has helped shape Sakon’s internal processes, enhanced its product offerings, and delivered seamless implementations for clients worldwide. Today, as Associate Director – Implementations, he leads a dedicated team, guiding projects with the same passion and precision that defined his early days.

Varun’s story is proof that with dedication, adaptability, and the courage to take ownership, one can grow from a fresh graduate to a trusted leader—making a lasting mark on both their company and industry.

“Innovation isn’t just about products—it’s about people, processes, and the relationships you build.”

What is your message to the current students?
There is always going to be people around who will question you on your capabilities and choices at every point of life. In such times, always have faith in yourself and your choices because no one knows you better than yourself.

You can always hear people give opinion about career options to be chosen with the phrase in mind, “Do what you love to do or else you will hate your work”. What they do not mention is what one should do if there are not many options to choose from. I have been one who is from the latter category and as per my personal experience; I gave a shot trying to love the work I was asked to do. I would say it did pretty well.

The point I am trying to make here is, there is no dead end in your life or career path until you make yourself believe there is one. There can be times which would make you question if you are on the right path. If so, then make up your mind on the path you want to be in and just simply change the lane.

Every achievement begins with a dream, which is fulfilled only when it gets the proper direction, guidance, training, and time. An institute plays a significant role in the overall development of a student. I consider myself very lucky that I got to do my Bachelor's in Engineering from an amazing college like "Don Bosco College of Engineering". These four years of engineering shaped me into a good engineer, as well as a human with good ethics and values. Presently I am a full-time researcher, working on designing novel modules for innovation in health care. I believe in using my knowledge for the betterment of society. Hence, my research mainly focuses on biomedical instrumentation. I am also presently the Vice President of the "SPIE Student Chapter" NIT Goa, and the Chairman of the social initiative "Tech Saheli", which mainly focuses on gender equality in STEM. I have presented my research on reputed international platforms in India, Brazil, USA, as well as published my work in journals of high impact in the research community.

What is your message to the current students?
I have always believed that every person's life is an autobiography, and each one should make sure that it is worth reading. The most important thing a student should know is that there is no fixed road to success. If a person becomes successful by doing a certain thing, it is not necessary that the same will work out for everyone. The guaranteed way to achieve success is by figuring out what is best for you. Do not get scared to dream big, but make sure that you work hard to achieve them. It is okay to fail and make mistakes, but it is never okay to quit in between. I wish all the students of DBCE good luck and a lot of success.

Always believe in yourself.
All the best!