The Aurangabad-based Varroc Group's president - Technology & Strategy, Dr Ravi Damodaran has resigned from his post after over a five-and-a-half-year stint at the company. He, however, continues to play an advisory role in the company.

Speaking to Autocar Professional, Dr Damodaran says, "For the next year, I am not looking at taking up an active role. I will be open to playing an advisory role if required and will continue to participate in industry forums." Dr Damodaran had joined Varroc after a nearly 10-year stint at Delphi.

Over the last few years, the Varroc Group has been witnessing healthy growth. A key move of the company was the acquisition of Visteon's exterior lighting business.  

Dr Damodaran joined the Varroc Group in 2012 as President – Technology & Strategy. He has been responsible for scripting Varroc’s strategy to achieve its 2020 vision as well as improving its technology prowess to achieve and sustain market leadership in its product lines. He has over 25 years of experience in the industrial sector, having held positions in business management, technology, program management, engineering and operations.

Dr Damodaran, an industry expert in product development process, new technology development and program management, has been leading the effort to build cutting-edge technologies in the areas of hybrid powertrains, lightweight powertrain components, fuel-efficient transmissions, air filtration technologies to name a few.

He worked at Delphi Automotive Systems for 10 years, in various roles as the chief engineer for powertrain systems first, and then as country manager for the powertrain systems business in India. He set up the first complete product development centre for fuel handling products for the Indian automotive industry and pioneered the launch of India’s first fuel injected motorcycle in 2005. He was also the first to develop capability for gas fuel injection development and calibration for commercial vehicles in India.

Prior to Delphi, Dr Damodaran worked with GE India Technology Centre for their Plastics and Power Systems business as a materials scientist. Ravi is also a Six Sigma Master Black Belt from GE, who has worked his entire career in solving business problems using this approach.

He had spent 7 years in the U.S.A. working on advanced research in materials for space and defence applications, dental implants, cutting tools, environmental cleanups and minerals processing. He was an early user,and an expert in the use of statistical techniques for design, analysis and optimisation and has applied such techniques in varied areas of product development to quality management. 

Dr Ravi Damodaran speaking at Autocar Professional’s Two-Wheeler Industry Conclave – India’s first such event – on November 16, 2017. Also seen are (seated L-R): Vinay Harne, president, NPD, TVS Motor Co;  Brett Chouinard, COO, Altair Inc; Sridhar V Pissay, VP (Sales and Marketing), Industrial Metrology Division, Carl Zeiss; and Dr Martin Pflueger, director – sales (India), AVL.

Dr Damodaran, who is a graduate from I.I.T. Roorkee in metallurgical engineering and has a Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Florida, U.S.A. in materials science, is a sought-after speaker in the Indian automotive and manufacturing sector and has been a panelist at Autocar Professional’s Automotive Forums.