Vijayashree Natarajan, SVP- Head of Technology at Omega Healthcare Management Services sheds light on her journey and hurdles in becoming a transparent and fierce tech leader
Vijayashree Natarajan, SVP – Head of Technology at Omega Healthcare Management Services, is an inspiring leader who thrives on passion and excellence.
Hailing from a family of engineers, for Natarajan, IT piqued her interest and came very naturally as a career path to her.
“Though my parents wanted me to study MBBS initially, I was very much fascinated towards Astrophysics. This was due to the inspiration I got from my father’s knowledge on astronomy. But when I got admission into Madras Institute of Technology where Dr. Abdul Kalam, the great aerospace scientist had studied, I decided not to miss such an opportunity. So, I took up engineering and after a period of working in it, I realized that engineering was something I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life,” she said.
Natarajan graduated from Madras Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in
electronics and kick-started her professional shore as a Java developer in the finance
domain. She grew as a leader from the ground up with years of work experience.
She says, “As an entry-level trainee, you will have many possibilities to learn. My first stint
was at a financial services company building solutions and platforms in the BFS domain.
Further, I got the opportunity to work on large-scale technology transformation projects which
helped me to learn and grow as a technology leader.”
Starting as a newcomer in her industry, she completed extensive tenures with notable
organizations such as Inautix Technologies, currently part of the BNY Mellon group and
Cognizant Technology Solutions and climbed the ladder to success via her hard work,
commitment, and enthusiasm.
She shares, “I strongly believe that one should reap the benefits of opportunities that one
gets. When you get an opportunity, you should ensure that you’re giving it your all and
making the best out of it. I strongly believe in continuous learning and it is essential to keep
yourself updated on the latest technologies. Being a leader, you must be a true role model for
your team to perform as a team.”
As a resilient leader, she delved into various technology stacks over the years and rapidly
adapted to the digital revolution. Currently as Head of Technology at Omega Healthcare
Management Services, she aims to employ her experience to help Omega’s customers in
their digital transformation journey. “I have been with Omega Healthcare Management
Services for the last one and a half years. It’s been a great journey so far, and I look forward
to working with my team to drive digital transformation in the organization,” she averred.
Along with being a dynamic technology leader, she values the “me” time and loves gardening
in her spare time. “I enjoy gardening because it provides me serenity and pleasure. I also
love traveling since it is exciting and exposes me to new things,” she continued.
Additionally, she enjoys watching cricket matches with her family and is a big fan of Sachin
Tendulkar, while her son is an admirer of MS Dhoni.
“All of us at home spend quality time watching cricket. Every match is given equal priority,
whether international or domestic tournaments. Watching Cricket with family is one of my
favorite pastimes as it helps us spend quality time together” she added.
With over two decades spent in the tech field, as a women leader, Natarajan believes that
one has to overcome the challenges and stand intact during tough times.
She advises, “Shaping your career by taking the right decisions at the right time is important.
It’s ok to take a pause to take care of one’s self and family. You should make decisions based
on the circumstances and seek out a path that allows you to achieve a sense of balance in
your life.”
Continuing her thrust towards the technology, she is geared up to move forward with the digitization goal with her team and aims to bring the company’s presence to a new light. And as a leader she believes that it is very important to build a healthy atmosphere while striving to achieve our goals. “I am very excited to be part of this digital transformation journey and looking forward to succeed while ensuring we enjoy this journey together as a team.” , she commented.