Before terms like digitization and smart cities gained currency, leaders like Sam Pitroda and now, Hyderabad’s administrator Hari Chandana #HariChandana recognized tech’s immense potential to accelerate India’s progress. Telecom czar Pitroda equipped the nation to make its first calls. As urban planner, Chandana #Telangana prepares Hyderabad for its smarter future. Beyond roles, both functioned as institutional disruptors – Pitroda driving connectivity ambitions in reluctant 80’s bureaucracies and Chandana seeding innovation cells to uplift governance. #INC Where Pitroda fueled the first telecom boom, Chandana harnesses technologies from blockchain to geospatial mapping for municipal transformation. However, Pitroda enjoyed prime ministerial backing which empowered telecom’s exponential growth. In contrast, Chandana steers steady digital transformation working within systemic constraints. Still, their shared technophile leadership holds lessons for governance in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era. #Congress