In 2017 which executive was appointed as president for India and SAARC operations by global networking technology company Cisco

Introduction / Context:
Multinational technology firms often appoint regional presidents to lead operations in important markets such as India and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC region. These appointments are covered widely in business news and form part of the current affairs syllabus for banking and management entrance exams. This question asks about such an appointment at Cisco a leading global networking company.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The company is Cisco a major global technology firm.
• The role is president for India and SAARC operations.
• The appointment took place in 2017.
• Four names are given as options but only one matches the actual appointment.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to connect corporate roles with the correct person. Aspirants should regularly read business newspapers where such appointments are reported because they often appear in general awareness sections of exams. Here identifying the person with a well known technology and enterprise sales background who joined Cisco to head India and SAARC can guide you to the right answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the role described is a senior leadership position at Cisco. Step 2: Recall business news from 2017 that Cisco appointed Sameer Garde as president for its India and SAARC operations. Step 3: Compare this recollection with the options provided. Step 4: None of the other names Ravi Prakash Vyas Garg or Ravi Mittal were reported in major business news as Cisco India and SAARC president. Step 5: Therefore the correct answer is Sameer Garde.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by remembering that articles about this appointment highlighted Sameer Garde experience in enterprise technology and his responsibility for driving digital transformation with Cisco solutions across India and neighbouring SAARC countries. No similar articles link the other given names with Cisco at this leadership level. Thus the match between the role and Sameer Garde background confirms the answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Ravi Prakash does not appear in coverage as Cisco India and SAARC president in 2017. Vyas Garg is not associated with the specific leadership role described in the question. Ravi Mittal has held various posts in Indian administration but not this Cisco regional presidency.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may not closely follow corporate appointment news and attempt to guess based on name familiarity. This usually leads to errors. Another pitfall is mixing up leadership roles across different technology companies which often appoint regional heads in the same time period. Maintaining a small notebook of such appointments while preparing for exams can greatly improve accuracy.

Final Answer:
The executive appointed as president for India and SAARC operations by Cisco in 2017 was Sameer Garde.