From Ashes to Action: Chocko Valliappa's Inspiring Journey to IAOP's Leadership Hall of Fame
Chocko Valliappa's journey from a traumatic event in 1997 to becoming a leader in the outsourcing industry is a testament to his resilience, determination, and commitment to positively impacting the world.
In February 1997, a labor dispute at a textile factory in India escalated into a devastating fire, leaving Valliappa shaken and determined to make a change.
"I saw a factory go up in smoke because some of the employees lit fire to it," he recalled. "Surviving that, I said, I need to get out of this and look at something else."
Valliappa's transformation began with a vision to create a new kind of business that would succeed and make a difference.
His global impact over the next 25 years has earned Valliappa a prestigious place in IAOP’s Leadership Hall of Fame, a testament to his transformative leadership in the outsourcing industry.
“Had I looked at the world as a failure, then I wouldn't be here today,” he recounted when accepting the award at OWS 24 in Chicago. “I said, let's do something which can transform the world.”
As a fourth-generation entrepreneur, Valliappa has established himself as a global leader known for his innovative spirit, dedication to education, and commitment to community development. He founded Vee Technologies in 2002 and now serves as CEO of Vee Healthtek Inc., formerly the healthcare professional services of Vee Technologies.
With a passion for empowering his community, Chocko founded the Valliappa Foundation and established Sona Yukti Pvt. Ltd., a pioneering initiative that provides skill-based industry training. He is also the Vice Chairman of The Sona Group of Institutions, which has educated over 12,000 students and boasts an impressive 200,000-strong alum network.
His BPO Start Began with a Vision
Valliappa's journey to make an impact started in India around Y2K. Seeing the talent and bandwidth available, he began thinking of ways to leverage that through Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). He shared how he won a significant request for proposal (RFP) from Cigna Healthcare.
“Today, it would take us about six or eight weeks to put an RFP together,” he said. “But the entire business plan just came to me like a vision. We finished the RFP overnight, and I single-handedly handled that. I don't know how I did it.”
This milestone began his journey into the outsourcing industry, which he credits with igniting his passion for innovation and social responsibility.
Valliappa has revolutionized the outsourcing landscape in healthcare and IT services. His leadership has driven groundbreaking advancements in AI applications within healthcare, leading to substantial enhancements in patient outcomes and operational efficiencies worldwide. His initiatives have also been instrumental in strengthening India's position as a leader in technological education and innovation.
He spoke about his company's healthcare, engineering, and architecture initiatives that have made significant impacts worldwide, from safer fire trucks in the US to rocket motors that landed on the moon and Mars.
Among Valliappa’s many notable achievements is creating HireMee in 2017, a social enterprise recruitment platform that has democratized the recruitment process for recent college graduates in India and enabled three million jobs.
This innovative platform was recognized at OWS24 with the prestigious Global Impact Sourcing Award. HireMee's unique approach helps companies discover hidden talent in tier II and III cities while empowering job seekers to find roles that align with their skills and aptitudes.
Valliappa's community initiatives include Sona FM, a radio station providing educational content and health information to Salem, India, and Anadhanam, which addresses hunger by redistributing surplus food to needy people.
Valliappa supports orphanages, senior citizens, and remote villages in India through donations, scholarships, and community service. In the US, Vee Healthtek supplies hygiene products to homeless shelters, offers paid volunteer time off, and matches donations to nonprofits.
Valliappa's acceptance speech was a heartfelt tribute to his journey, company, and the outsourcing industry, which he noted touches some 100 million people.
He thanked his mentors, family, and friends for their guidance and support and his employees for their dedication and hard work, enabling the company to achieve its mission to "globalize success" and improve lives. His son and team members proudly were in the audience.
"Thinking back to that day in 1997, this could have been a reality without our teams' hard work and dedication," he said.
He concluded with these inspiring words for his industry peers gathered for the annual Summit. “Outsourcing is the glue that sticks the world together. Continue to do what you’re doing because you are the messiahs of peace who help make the world a better place.”