In a remarkable story of reinvention, Valliappa pulled himself up and pivoted to IT. Sona Towers set up by Valliappa in Bengaluru in the 1980s was the birthplace of not only India's IT industry, but also the headquarters of its telecom and consumer revolutions. It was here that Texas Instruments, VSNL and Titan established their initial offices. An exceptional man, at 75, when most people retire, Valliappa ventured into real estate, building over a thousand homes.