Category: Leaders

Dr. J. C. Chaudhry is a pioneer who has set benchmarks in the spheres of entrepreneurship and leadership. His work is immensely inspiring and gives everyone a lesson in perseverance, dedication, and patience. Dr. Chaudhry is the man behind one of India’s largest and most successful test preparatory institute –Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL). After taking it to an absolute pinnacle of success, he sold it to Byju’s last year and is now the Chairman of the entity. He is also a numerologist with an experience of almost 4 decades. Numerology has been a long standing passion for him and in 2018, he decided to start yet another journey. Dr. Chaudhry established Chaudhry Nummero Pvt. Ltd. (CNPL) to give his passion a very meaningful turn. He truly believes that numbers rule our life and favorable numbers attract good luck and success. He set up CNPL to spread this awareness amongst the people and help people achieve the best in their life with the wisdom of Numerology. He has been following his passion for Numerology for a long time but with CNPL he made sure that he shares that skill with others and alleviates people’s problems. He is one of the most famous Numerologists in India.

JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME

Today, Aakash is a name synonymous with the most premium and successful coaching institute in India. It is a brand known for delivering focused and quality coaching and is a leader in the whole paradigm shift that happened in India when it comes to competitive exam coaching. It is all down to Dr. Chaudhry’s persistent hard work and vision that he had for Aakash. Born in 1949 in a small town of Haryana called Hathin, Dr. Chaudhry always dreamt big. His humble beginnings only strengthened his desire to do something grand in life. He focused hard on his studies and completed his Master’s degree in Science (Botany) from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science(BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan in 1972.Soon after completing his studies, he started his professional journey as a teacher at Vaish College, in Bhiwani, Haryana. He taught at the college from 1972-73 and then he moved to New Delhi where he taught at the Hansraj Model School. He then moved to Delhi Administration schools where he became the Principal through the UPSC in 1993. It was during his journey as a teacher that he realized that there was a huge gap in the coaching segment in the country. At the time, coaching centres were not at all known in India and it was an extremely unorganized sector. Dr. Chaudhry saw it as an opportunity to carve his niche and started Aakash in his house with just 12students. In his first batch only, 7 out of 12 students cleared the tests and word spread quickly about his small setup. Rest as they say is history.

THE NEXT BIG LEAP

Dr. Chaudhry has always been known for his commitment to teaching and being a strong pillar of strength for students all across the country. His endeavors all through his life have been to support students who have dreams in their eyes. With more than 33 years of operational experience, he sets an excellent example of how nothing is impossible if you keep working sincerely for it. A motivational speaker, philanthropist, educationist, and powerful orator; he dons many hats and each with equal panache. Next to teaching, he has always had another passion too. He has been interested in Numerology for quite a lot of years. He is intrigued by how numbers and human life are enigmatically interconnected and has always been learning more about it. A few years back he decided that he wants to take it up to a bigger level and spread this knowledge and awareness. For most establishing a giant like Aakash and keeping it consistently on the top for decades is the dream run. But for him, the journey started again when he started CNPL and it took the same trajectory of persistence, success, and reaching the highest pinnacle. This is evident in the fact that Dr. Chaudhry won the 1st-ever Guinness World Record in Numerology and the first world record of 2022. Dr. Chaudhry also has been associated with the fields of Vastu Shastra, Gems and Stones, Nature, and Mudras. He is a well-renowned orator as well as writer. He has authored 2 books on numerology – “Advanced Numerology” & “Prractical Numerology” and 2 books on Vastu – “Fundamentals of Vastu” and “ABC of Vastu Shastra”. His other publications include ‘You and Your Gems’, ‘Meditation’, ‘Chakras’, ‘iThink’, ‘Success A few steps away’, ‘Rungs of the Ladder’, ‘Nature-The Best Cure’ and ‘Mudra-Healthy Life at your Fingertips’. He is a passionate leader who works not only for himself but for everyone associated with him. He aims to take everyone along the path to success. He is a firm believer of Karma and that hard work will bear fruits sooner or later. “I believe in taking quick, instinctive decisions. It is better to cut the cord in life than to endure pain,” Dr. Chaudhry says.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Dr. Chaudhry’s entrepreneurial prowess and business acumen have been recognized far and wide. He has been presented with many awards to honor his diligent work and efforts.

He was awarded the most prestigious ‘Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Memorial National Teachers’ Award in 2002 for the services rendered to schools and the community. Some other notable awards include the ‘Person of the Year Award 2015-16’ by AsiaOne at Abu Dhabi; ‘Person of the Year Award and Life Time Achievement’ at India-UAE Business and Social Forum IN 2017; key Note Speaker on ‘Role of Numerology in business growth and personal life’ at the Indo- European Investors Meet 2018 at St. James Court, Taj Hotel, London; ‘Global Education Leaders Award’ for Shaping the Dreams of Millions of Medical & Engineering Aspirants at India UAE Partnership Summit (IUPS) 2018 held at Atlantis, the Palm, Dubai; ‘Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Award’ by Deshabhimani Charitable Society in October 2019 for his outstanding contribution in the field of Education, Healthcare, Motivational Speech & Writing. His Guinness World Record in Numerology which had the most viewers on his first YouTube Live Session was the first such Guinness World Record. The lessons that can be learned from Dr. Chaudhry range from perseverance to staying relevant through different phases. He ensured that his first venture Aakash stayed relevant throughout the entire time he was at the helm. His second innings as an entrepreneur through CNPL has also been true to this trait. Finding his growth as a renowned Numerologist in a country like India where there is no dearth of astrologers, numerologists and the likes is no easy feat. Dr. Chaudhry is a truly passionate man who knows how to make dreams a reality. “My dream is to put Numerology on the global map.”To realize this dream, Dr. Chaudhry has established the International Numerology Forum (INF) a platform to connect numerologists worldwide. He is also now planning to open an institute –the Indian Institute of Numerology (IIN), which will be an institute of international standards and will produce the world’s finest numerologists. His venture ‘Chaudhry Nummero’ is also undergoing massive global expansion. They have opened the first branch in Dubai and several branches are in the pipeline including NewYork, London, and Australia. Dr. Chaudhry is truly a visionary who has worked tirelessly to transform the world around him. He has taken it upon himself to share the valuable lessons that he has learned all through his life as an academician, entrepreneur, and numerologist to guide the younger generation towards success and empowerment.

Courtesy of Mr. Ali Kochra’s diligence and consistency, Kochra Realty is a well-recognised company in the market today. His primary focus is to transform stressed projects into successful and profitable ones. He ensures timely delivery, quality lifestyle, and value creation. Each project is undertaken after a thorough analysis.

Mr. Kochra is one of the youngest entrants in the real estate sector. In a short period, he has spread his business in many upscale localities such as Bandra, Andheri, and other premium suburbs of Mumbai. He plans to start with the development of around seven projects this year.

The strength and credibility of the developer could be seen in the upcoming project, Aadhayay, which was stuck for ten years before Mr. Kochra decided to take it up. Now, after a decade, this first chapter, Aadhayay in their book of success, is due for delivery this year. Mr. Kochra’s hard work helped him achieve the Best Emerging Realty Brands Award by ET Best Brands Awards in 2022. He also bagged the Emerging Real Estate Company Award by Lokmat-Network 18 Awards 2022.

COMMITTED TO CUSTOMERS

Mr. Kochra and his team have set a firm footing among the other reputed real estate agents in Mumbai by ensuring customer safety and customer satisfaction. He prefers to build a regular clientele and add new clients on the referral of his existing clients.

The team of Kochra Realty has insider knowledge of the workings of the Mumbai realty market and each project is approached keeping the end user in mind. Mr. Kochra is aware of the wide gap in the real estate market. Therefore, he takes up distressed projects and turns them into functional and aspirational spaces for living. He surpasses the customers’ expectations by creating modern real estate marvels at affordable prices.

GOLDEN RULES OF INVESTMENT

Mr. Kochra helps his clients to invest smartly by following the real estate market’s golden rules. He firmly believes that a reasonable investor must be thoroughly knowledgeable about the fundamentals of investment and aware of his assets, expenses, and income. Then, he emphasises on setting a specific investment goal for financial independence. Then, working on long-term goals with better value is always good.

In addition, Mr. Kochra advises that one should invest in properties with a positive cash flow and a higher rate of return. In his view, location also plays a significant role, as it is critical to attracting the right tenants. He follows these factors to achieve success in his professional and personal life.

A STRONG PILLAR FOR THE TEAM

Mr. Kochra has successfully built a team that can contribute to his vision and turn challenging projects into successful ones. The business model is designed around robust processes that can easily unlock potential from a difficult task. He has successfully negotiated with the government, developers, and customers, and other stakeholders.

As a leader, Mr. Kochra trusts his team and keeps things simple. He does not believe in enforcing his views and ideas on the workforce, but instead gives them the opportunity to think and ideate, and he stands by them as a pillar when solving their problems.

Armed with an engineering and MBA degree in Instrumentation and Control Engineering, Mr. Richard moved to the Gulf in the year 2000 with dreamy eyes and a dream to change the world. He started his career in 2000 in Muscat and then came to UAE in 2003. He dabbled in a lot of roles until he realised that sales is where his passion and calling lay. He then stuck to the sales sector and worked in different organisations until 2012 when he joined Garlock, a leading sealing products manufacturer headquartered in the United States.

The position at Garlock proved to be a turning point in Mr. Richard’s career, as it is here that he was exposed to a global work culture and explored various leadership programs. He got many reality checks about his professional journey and got attuned to his career goals – where he lies and what he wants to achieve.

TRANSITIONING FROM AN EMPLOYEE TO AN EMPLOYER

He worked through the ranks at Garlock, started as a Sales Manager and went on to become General Manager for Middle-East and Africa. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Garlock decided to close down the physical offices in the Middle East. This proved to be the biggest pivot in Mr. Richard’s career. This is when he decided to start his own company and Erith was born. He offered Garlock to run their Middle East business under Erith and the rest as they say is history.

Interestingly, Garlock had offered him a position in the US, but he turned it down because he did not want to abandon his team in the UAE. He chose to stay back and start from scratch and help whomever he can. This perfectly describes his character and commitment to his people.

He followed his passion and built a company when most of the companies were either downsizing their scale of operations or shutting down. Established in August 2020, with just nine employees, Erith Group grew in no time. The advantage of starting under extreme circumstances is that the worst was already over. When Mr. Richard and his team overcame the pandemic, it made the company recession-proof, sustainable and a responsible business. Since its inception, the Group has been forthcoming in hiring the right individuals and now has over 30 professionals.

Mr. Richard recently opened an office in Chennai, India – the Group’s first overseas office and that reflects a strong growth trajectory. This new office is the company’s fifth office apart from three regional offices and its headquarters in the UAE.

A PEOPLE’S PERSON ALL THE WAY

When Garlock shut down its Middle East operations, Mr. Richard was acutely aware of its effect on the people who worked there. The loss of livelihoods and stranded families was a disheartening thought and that is the reason Mr. Richard offered to take over their operations – to support the employees.

It was at that time that he decided to help whomever he can by taking them on board at Erith Group. His belief was clear – to work together in a transparent manner for a common goal. He is a believer in teamwork and clear communication and that is what is followed at the Erith Group. “If we tell the team the ‘why’ and ‘what’ we want to achieve, the qualified professionals will work to figure out the ‘how’, the right team will do it better than I can,” he says.

Mr. Richard values clarity of thought more than anything else. As a leader, he leads his team by communicating his vision clearly time and again. The ambitious and inspring leader leads by example and shows the team that the ultimate vision of the organisation is what guides him.

PRIORITISE AND MOVE FORWARD

The Erith Group is now a leading supplier of high-quality, high-end sealing products and solutions to the key players in energy, power, chemicals, nuclear, metal, mining and other vital sectors. There are three business units – manufacturing, industrial engineering and healthcare segment. Mr. Richard believes, it has only been possible by believing in himself and his team
together.

Another vital piece in the puzzle was to be aware of the overall strategy of the country they were operating out of. For instance, in the UAE, local manufacturing is given priority and companies that contribute to the GDP by exporting more and importing less are valued – these factors were crucial when Mr. Richard was formulating his company’s overall vision and goals. Prioritising the country’s strategy and aligning his goals with that has really been instrumental in achieving whatever he has done so far.

Another important factor that has contributed to his success has been keeping a customer-centric approach. Not only did he successfully turn over the business from Garlock, but also made sure that none of the customers felt any disruption during the transition. He always ensures that the customers feel valued and feel a sense of growth when they are attached to Erith. “Be closer to your customer and always hear what they are saying and you will achieve great results,” he says.

HERE’S TO THE FUTURE

The transition from an employee to an entrepreneur was the greatest gift for Mr. Richard. “It was the high point of my career,” he shares. He believed in himself and the people who went along with him and together moved on to create something great.

Only a couple of years into the business, the journey for Mr. Richard and Erith Group has just begun. It is his dream to make it into a name that is one of the most trusted advisors in the industry.

From being a product supply company, Mr. Richard wants the Group to become a manufacturer of all high-quality products. He has already started this transition and has brought in the best available cutting edge machinery. He started his own manufacturing plant in October 2022.

In the near future, Mr. Richard wants to make Erith a 360-degree firm that gives customers an end-to-end experience. He started by providing high-quality products, added manufacturing and now plans to add servicing as per the customers’ requirements. This will attain his second goal – to become a group advisor for the customers’. At the end of the day, Mr. Richard is a humble man who finds inspiration in the simplest of things. He counts his wife as his biggest support system for standing by him in all circumstances. He draws inspiration from his parents who always instilled the right values in him and feels indebted to Mr. Mike Faulkner from Garlock who acted as a guide and mentor to him during his time at the company.

It is the trait of a true leader who values people, be it his family, employees, or customers. A true leader knows that it’s the people who make or break any enterprise.

Mr. Richard’s story is one of inspiration, passion and determination, but one aspect that stands out in his entrepreneurial journey is his cause. He started the journey to support others in need and as they say, what goes around always comes around.

Sanjib is a digital innovator renowned for developing a more comprehensive strategy for digital transformation. The award-winning leader is a graduate from the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Applications from the Institute of Management Technology in Ghaziabad, India, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Calcutta University.

Sanjib was born into a humble family. Throughout his student life, he was more interested in knowing the “why” than just following the herd. Born and brought up in a small town in India, he lost his father at a young age. To support his family, he had to start working at an early age. He studied computers before continuing higher education to develop his operational leadership abilities. He also studied economics – influenced by his inspiration, Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen – to learn about macroeconomics and concepts that can help developing economies.

As there was limited career scope in this field, Sanjib eventually left his hometown in his youth to pursue a career in transforming businesses. His journey took him worldwide and through several sectors, finally bringing him to his current role at the $54 billion Fortune 100 Company Ingram Micro, which operates across 200 countries. The organization is undergoing a massive transformation under his leadership and in close collaboration with the company’s CEO Paul Bay to modernize the entire technology ecosystem with the introduction and global adoption of its Ingram Micro XvantageTM digital experience platform. Sanjib had no experience in technology when he left his birthplace. Building his IT acumen required a lot of effort for over two years. However, as a finance and computer application graduate, he had a unique perspective on business and technology. Over the years, his perseverance and passion have motivated the leader to take on challenges with constant effort and interest. He says, “I never intended to work as a Chief Digital Officer. However, I wanted to mould myself into a leader of substance and leave an impact in everything I did.”

GROWTH-DRIVEN MINDSET

Over the years, Sanjib has forged an impressive career as a revolutionary and inspirational technology executive, and company leader who consistently develops and delivers actual value. He became a financial firm’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at a very young age. It was the beginning of a rewarding journey for him. In the initial stages of his career, he built applications for various financial services companies, including Deutsche Bank, Citibank, and Charles Schwab (then Xpresstrade). He has also served as the CIO for XPO Logistics’ Transport Division as well as a member of the senior management team. Before joining XPO Logistics, he served as TradeMonster’s (now E*Trade/Morgan Stanley) CIO and CTO, overseeing the creation of a groundbreaking online trading system for both web and mobile. Rather than taking a career path, the leader adopted a growth mindset and worked tirelessly to hone his skills. He always saw his failures as life lessons instead of reasons to give up. As a CIO and CTO, he focused on business and took a keen interest in revenue, margins, and efficiency. Sanjib joined Ingram Micro Inc. in June 2021. As the Executive VP and Chief Digital Officer, he directs Ingram Micro’s strategic initiatives to swiftly produce cutting-edge, world-class customer and user experiences that will help the company differentiate itself from the competition. His responsibilities include overseeing the company’s customer-facing infrastructure, such as applications, subscriptions, and billing consumption patterns, through digital transformation and modernisation.

A LIFELONG LEARNER

Sanjib is a lifelong learner. He believes that effective leadership is not about ego, attitude, or making unrealistic commitments. True leadership, according to him, is about inspiring others to join a noble cause they believe in, and providing an opportunity for everyone to succeed. After serving as CIO/CTO for many years, Sanjib’s desire to know more motivated him to get more involved with the business. He decided to return to Harvard for an advanced management degree, which gave him a lot of new insight into many business sectors. In addition to building world-class platforms with his teams in several industries, he wanted to be a business leader with a solid technology background. He believes everyone needs to be a full-stack professional in the competitive IT sector. Every technology leader must strive to become a business leader. The leaders must grasp how the industry operates, how customers interact, and how their firm generates revenue. In addition to having business acumen and technological prowess, leaders must also be emotionally intelligent and culturally adept to become truly value generating CEOs. No matter their position or area of responsibility, if they develop these attributes, they will accomplish outstanding achievements in their career.

A PROACTIVE LEADER

Sanjib believes one must accept responsibility for one’s actions, especially influential executives, who must take immediate action instead of waiting for the outcome. According to him, this is essential to attain success. Leadership, he says, is not about being perfect but about being vulnerable. It involves owning up to your mistakes, seeking assistance, enlisting the support of your colleagues, and working as a team.

A GOOD LISTENER

Sanjib believes in leading through his ears more than through his mouth. He actively listens to his employees, which helps him learn many things. Rather than chasing perfection, he advises budding leaders to be practical and humble. He highlights the necessity of communication in today’s competitive environment and emphasises situational communication since leaders are expected to employ a distinct tone when addressing different gatherings or situations. The leaders must figure out how to communicate in different circumstances. He advises them to focus on the art of storytelling and communicate with compassion. He is also known for his excellent team spirit. “Your team must understand and execute your vision as a leader. Also, a leader and their team must embark on the same success journey to achieve concrete results,” he says.

REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

For his outstanding leadership abilities, Sanjib has received numerous prestigious accolades, including “ET Global Icon for Technology” and “Pride of India 2022”. The well-versed leader has also authored several technological models and white papers on leadership, risk and innovations, leadership training, creative marketing, open-source architecture, and mobile strategy. He owns several patents related to streaming for mobile devices and dynamic communications. He contributes to Wired and the Harvard Business Review, and is a part of the Forbes Technology Council. An excellent orator, Sanjib has spoken at several national conferences organised by Computer World, CIO Magazine, TEDx and others, on a range of topics, including leadership, mobility, innovation, talent, risks, and CIO issues.

Mr. Lal Abdul Salam is a great example of how hard work and patience can take you places. He is an accomplished entrepreneur who has carved a niche for himself and paved the way for others as well.

Hailing from the quaint village of Kannanallur in Kollam, Kerala, Mr. Salam attained a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam. After completing his education, he began his professional journey in Kerala. He started at the bottom-most rung as a Junior Engineer at Kerala State Pollution Board and after gaining four years of work experience, he moved to Abu Dhabi to work as a Sales Engineer at Testron International.

In the UAE, Mr. Salam moved gradually up the ladder and worked at many organisations. One of the longest stints of his career was at the Abu Dhabi Pipe Factory where he spent around 14 years. This experience was vital in shaping the next decade of his career. At present, he is the CEO and Managing Director of Smithline Reinforced Composites in Ras Al Khaimah. Smithline is an industry leader in fiberglass pipes and fittings, and his previous experience have earned him a coveted role in the company. His role has been instrumental in the company’s growth.

Mr. Salam brings a certain uniqueness to the table and that’s what makes him different from other leaders. He believes that a team that works together and is on the same page is better positioned than others to grow. This is the reason he always believes in taking his co-workers into confidence for any field of application that he might be planning. He has successfully developed a new technology of composite pipe manufacturing with topology concepts, which are indeed adding great value in upholding technological changes for the future. Under corporate social responsibility (CSR), he diversified business activities by implementing proper waste management. He also created an innovative new methodology for manufacturing nonmetallic as an alternative to the metallic product, which reduces the carbon footprint to half.

Another important trait that has taken Mr. Salam places is his honesty and uprightness. He has worked as an employee for over two decades and learned a lot of lessons along the way. The most important lesson has been gaining the trust and confidence of clients and co-workers. He has held these virtues in the highest place and it has helped him carve a name for himself in the industry.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Mr. Salam and his efforts as a virtuous entrepreneur have been recognised in the industry many times. Under his vision, Smithline has been honoured by the Abu Dhabi Municipality and chosen to be a part of the team of the 2030 vision of Abu Dhabi. They are also a part of the Green Energy Team of Sharjah Electricity and Water. The manufacturing methodology that Mr. Salam has pioneered at Smithline has won many accolades, including a mention in the JEC Composite Magazine – a world renowned composite industry publication. He was named the ‘Best Businessman 2022’ at the World Wide Achievers Forum conducted by the Global Media Hub in the UAE. In 2022, he won the Master Vision International Excellence Award, and the prestigious Golden Achievement Award held in Dubai in association with the Kerala Chamber of Commerce & Industry, presenting a strong testimony of his leadership skills and vision for the industry.

A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE LEADER

The underlying idea behind all of Mr. Salam’s endeavours has been to create an ecosystem that is sustainable and does not compromise on the needs of the current or future generations. “To meet the needs of the present generations without compromising the needs of the future generations,” has been the motto and vision that leads all his initiatives. He has always tried to follow the principle of ‘Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle’ while creating new technologies and solutions for manufacturing.

Some other ways in which Mr. Salam has made a social impact is by playing an active role in building an inclusive society. He ensures diversity in the workforce, works with local communities as much as possible, and takes appropriate measures to reduce the environmental impact of the industry. He has worked diligently to implement a sustainability practice at Smithline Composites in a way that it has managed to significantly reduce its carbon emissions.

“To improve the quality of life of the community we serve has been our motto,” he shares. During the COVID-19 outbreak, he and his team optimised the use of resources, lowered the cost of operations, and increased employee productivity. The strategy not only created an increased investor interest and a subsequent rise in the output, but also led to the kind of corporate governance Mr. Salam had tried to introduce.

The sustainability practice involved reducing emissions and creating value from waste, which proved to help the business overall and not only the environment. His multi-pronged approach has always been appreciated by the business community. Today, Mr. Salam is known for his far sightedness and vision for overall growth and prosperity for everyone.

ON THE PATH FOR FUTURE GROWTH

Mr. Salam is passionate about what he does and he wants to take it forward with a certain zeal. He envisions an even stronger business that faces the competition head on and gets the better of them. He wants to build a resilient business that achieves superior returns without compromising on quality or client satisfaction.

In terms of business, Mr. Salam is looking to build a sustainable future. He wants to achieve this by gradually transitioning from metallic to non-metallic composites all to be in line with international standards. This approach will help him build the sustainability that he wants. The non metallic composites offer more durability than the metallic composites, and are better for the environment, as they reduce the company’s carbon footprint, all at lower operational cost.

The attention to detail in Mr. Salam’s business plans is a clear demonstration of his passion as an entrepreneur and substantiates the fact that he has a very lucid vision not only for his business, but also for the community. His futuristic bent of mind is laudable and so is his commitment to the business.

AN ARDENT BELIEVER OF WORK-LIFE INTEGRATION

As the Sun sets, Mr. Salam is just another homebody who likes to spend time with his wife and two children. Leaders like him who are grounded in their roots are inspirational for all budding entrepreneurs. He proves that patience, determination, and an eye-on-the-goal attitude are all non-negotiable for eventual success in any field.

Mr. Salam’s new-age initiatives are also a testament to the fact that every entrepreneur has to move with the times. Embracing technology and building something beneficial for the whole community is not only a goal, but at times a responsibility for large business owners. His efforts to build a sustainable future are truly commendable.

TCI Express Limited has been on a steady growth path since 2013, after Mr. Chander Agarwal took charge of the company. He remained deeply involved in all the strategic and financial decisions of the company and was instrumental in establishing its business in overseas economies such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Africa. Mr. Chander Agarwal knows how to turn hard work into success and has highly profitable plans for his firm. With his diligence, he aims to increase the company’s branches to more than 1,000 in the upcoming year. In addition, he plans to expand the delivery and pick-up locations from 50,000 to 60,000.

A REMARKABLE LEADER

A leader should always have integrity and a clear vision. He should be a strategic planner to guide his teammates in the right direction.

Qualities like these make Mr. Chander Agarwal a true leader who believes in achieving big things using the most innovative ways for his company. Since the logistics industry needs creative strategies and specific leadership skills, he has significantly contributed to the company’s success and growth with his in-depth knowledge and skills. He believes that to attain the best results, a company needs to provide a healthy working environment to its employees. Therefore, he focuses on the training and development of the entire workforce to make them aware of the ever-changing policies and procedures required for a successful business. He prioritises clients’ needs and provides them with round-the-clock pick-up and delivery services throughout the country.

A STOREHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE

Mr. Chander Agarwal has completed various executive management and finance programs at prestigious institutions around the globe. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bryant College, Rhode Island, USA. He graduated from Harvard Business School’s OPM program in 2018. He even completed the Advance Management Program certification from the National University of Singapore. In addition, he obtained a Finance Management certificate from INSEAD, Singapore.

It was his experience of working with Transfreight, USA, a 3PL specialisation in lean logistics primarily for Toyota Motor Vehicles USA, in 2001-2002 that enabled him to have an unmatched knowledge of the logistics business. With his foresighted vision and strategic approach, he played a crucial role in bringing relevant changes in the logistics sector in India. Today, his firm is publicly listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange and is considered the best in the logistics industry in India. He has given the company a new avatar and made it Number 1 and the fastest-growing express delivery company.

AN ARRAY OF AWARDS

Mr. Chander Agarwal’s dedication and experience have won him many awards and recognitions. Economic Times recognised him as the Most Promising Business Leader for 2016-17 and 2018-19. In 2019, he was felicitated with the India’s Inspirational Business Leaders Award by WCRC Insights and received India’s Inspirational Leader of the Year from Daily Media India 2019.

Under his skillful leadership and guidance, TCI Express Limited was certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ and recognised by Hurun as one of the 500 most valuable non-state-controlled companies.

ALL ABOUT DEDICATION

An engineer by education, Nitin knows one thing for sure – it takes dedication and the right vision to achieve goals. He always intended to put sufficient time and energy into each of his projects. Whether as a design engineer or a Chief Executive Officer, he never stopped learning.

Nitin is now one of the top leaders in the industry because he is curious to discover and gain new knowledge for actionable solutions. His company, Blueberry Semiconductors, is serving customers across the globe and has delivered hundreds of successful projects, and the credit for this level of expansion rightfully goes to the leader.

He leveraged his network to learn deeply about the semiconductors industry. Now, Blueberry Semiconductors offers services in niche areas such as ASIC/SoC, embedded product engineering supported by machine learning, industrial IoT, and artificial intelligence.

CAREER GRAPH

Entrepreneurship was not his first choice. He was just passionate about engineering. So, after schooling, he received a diploma in electronics and telecommunication engineering and enrolled in Nagpur University for a Bachelor’s in Electronics Engineering.

Right after college, Nitin started his career with Electronica Mechatronic Systems as a Design Engineer. Later, he did various stints in companies like AdorPowertron, Saint-Gobain India, Spike Technologies, KPIT Cummins Infosystems and E-Infochips.

These years in the corporate world revealed the ins and outs of the tech industry to him. Some of his positions were directly associated with project management, where he played an instrumental role in business development and customer relationships across the globe. Little did he know that these skills would be a game changer for his career.

In 2013, Nitin established Orange Semiconductors, which grew to over 50 employees in just three years. Due to the venture’s extraordinary success, Moschip Semiconductors Limited acquired it. But Orange Semiconductors wasn’t the only start-up founded by Nitin.

Later, the entrepreneur teamed up with other experienced professionals and established Blueberry Semiconductors. The organisation is headquartered in Bengaluru and exclusively focuses on the Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) Design and Verification domain.

Due to its excellent success record, it was recently listed among India’s Most Promising Semiconductor Companies to Watch in 2022 by the Inner Review.

MOVING AHEAD

Backed by his 25 years of experience, Nitin is now ensuring that his organisation sets a new benchmark in the tech world with its futuristic and innovative products. He realises that over the past few years, the semiconductor industry has evolved a lot in terms of scientific innovation, the complexity of design and business models.

Therefore, he has made Blueberry Semiconductors a one stop destination for semiconductor services and niche software (artificial intelligence-machine learning) solutions. He also provides that every new engineer hired by the organisation gets expert mentorship to align with its values and goals.

Under his leadership, the organisation has started its global journey. The clientele includes names such as SanDisk, Intel, Mahindra, EnSilica, Raymond, Microsemi and Infineon, to name a few.

Nitin now aims to make Blueberry Semiconductors a 100-million-dollar Indian tech company. If he keeps adding more international clients and successful case studies to the portfolio, this dream will get materialised soon.

In the last eight years, Aditya Kejriwal has been instrumental in making customer experience strategies that have worked wonders. Moreover, he has added new milestones to expand the company’s focus on building a customer-centric culture. As a result, Cardinal Health has become a top choice in the healthcare space. It is no doubt that Aditya’s strategies have turned fruitful.

He plans to improve the home-based patient experience by building a new program. He is leveraging technology to execute the transformational changes that would significantly impact their direct-to-customer business. In simple terms, he understands his customers’ dynamic needs and is ready to launch solutions that address the challenges.

A TRAIL OF SUCCESS

What Aditya has done for Cardinal Health is more of a recent milestone. However, his trail of success is far longer.

Before entering the business world, he made sure he gained all the knowledge and credibility by studying in some of the finest colleges in India. He earned his degree in Electrical Engineering from the prestigious National Institute of Technology, Rourkela in 2000. He later shifted to the US to start his career with Cognizant.

However, he returned to India after five years to study again. This time, Aditya was surer of his career, which is why he pursued an MBA from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. The course gave him an insight into strategic marketing, and he then began the journey of a bright future.

Aditya experimented a lot with his career for the next few years. From IT space and consulting to banking and healthcare, he worked in several industries to gain expertise in strategic management. He worked with and led several significant transformations in companies such as Credit Suisse, JP Morgan, Citibank, SwissRe, Morgan Stanley, Merryl Lynch, and many others. During these jobs, he also travelled extensively, which helped him get a global perspective of the field.

Finally, Aditya joined Cardinal Health in 2014. Since then, he has taken many transformational roles ranging from program managing transformation of customer support services to the position of subject matter expert in cost optimization initiatives. Now, he is using all his expertise and experience to push the growth graph of Cardinal Health.

ESTABLISHING A NAME

Aditya Kejriwal’s leadership is known all over the industry. This is the reason he is often invited as a speaker at various events in the health space. In 2022, he was invited to the International Customer Experience Awards 2022.

He has also been invited as a key speaker at the Process Excellence Network World Summit 2023 to address business leaders across the industry. He is a judge at the International Business Transformation Awards 2023 and Stevie Awards 2023.

In addition to being an industry expert, Aditya is also a member of Mensa International (High IQ Society), American Mensa, and is a Certified Project Management Professional.

Like every remarkable leader, he does not shy away from sharing his industry insights on Customer Experience and Transformation. Thus, he often writes and publishes several blogs and articles on digital platforms such as the Asian Journal of Advanced Research and Reports.

SUPERLATIVE CREDENTIALS

Mr. Harish Poojari holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Mumbai University. Before commencing his entrepreneurial journey, he began his career in human resources. He focused his attention on bridging the gap between employees and the organisation, which grew his interest in operations.

Today, Mr. Poojari, the Founder and CEO of Innovinc Aspire Infratech Solutions Private Limited, is known as an expert in developing the latest innovations in the industry. As a result of his vision, the company saw significant financial and business growth. The entrepreneur has set a precedent in infrastructure development by delivering exceptionally for the turnkey tolls and road construction projects allocated by the state governments.

A FUTURISTIC APPROACH

Due to his strategic abilities, solid competence, and great business sense, he stands tall in the infrastructure sector. His organisational and leadership abilities set him apart from the competition. Owing to his dedicated and unwavering efforts, the business quickly expanded to four states.

Currently, the firm is operating in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, with ongoing and upcoming projects. Possessing true entrepreneurial skills, Mr. Poojari introduced technologies to the firm for building smooth roadways connectivity that are safe and reliable.

The visionary leader was able to achieve significant milestones by constructing high-quality roads and a toll collection system throughout India’s western and southern regions.

BUILDING SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr. Poojari is committed to sustainable construction and adapting to future changes by placing it at the centre of his business’s expansion plan. Under his direction, the firm aims to be a turnkey provider of renewable energy resources and end-to-end infrastructure deployment by 2025.

The firm recently launched Innovinc Aspire Renewable Energy Solutions Private Limited under his leadership. Assemblers, fabricators, and dealers will be based with this subsidiary company specializing in lithium batteries, lithium ion batteries, and other renewable energy systems based on solar energy.

A relentless pursuer of perfection, Mr. Poojari did not leave any stone unturned in making his companies succeed. As a result, both companies have received ISO certifications for implementing top-notch standards in their operations.

MOVING WITH THE TIMES

According to Mr. Poojari, it is teamwork and superior processes that make an organisation successful in the fast-paced and ever-changing environment. He also dedicates time to create an organic work environment in his company.

He believes in fostering a culture of social responsibility and creating a business that will shape our future. With a rich experience in HR and operations, he possesses excellent leadership skills, and strives to enhance employee performance and foster higher growth rates.

The entrepreneur prioritises the fulfilment and well-being of employees at Innovinc, while maintaining his position as the company’s public face with a great deal of responsibility towards clients.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Mr. Poojari has received recognitions from the ET Inspiring Indian and Darwin Group of Companies. The company felicitated him in August 2022 for his notable contribution to the infratech industry.

A CHANGEMAKER

A social entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and a committed philanthropist, Mr. Malay dons many hats and each with equal determination. His leadership persona and vision is such that he envisions equality and growth for all. Rural economic development and quality education have been his biggest missions all through the years.

AN ACCLAIMED EDUPRENEUR

Amongst his various initiatives, his most notable one is the Swadhin Charitable Trust, which he started in the year 2009. Swadhin refers to Society for Welfare & Development of Human Initiatives, and has been Mr. Malay’s painstaking initiative to drive his mission of offering education to the youth. The objective of this trust is to develop medical colleges, organise training and development programmes, and drive social development through education.

Since 2009, Mr. Malay has been involved in the development of rural areas of West Bengal through the Swadhin Charitable Trust. The prime objective of his social activities has been to protect the minority people and tribal communities of West Bengal. He has partnered with more than 67 institutes to impart various interpersonal skills, technical skills, education and more to rural children, right from primary education to higher studies. The government and private ITI institutes that are involved in this partnership belong to the first 20 ITI institutes pan India. Polytechnics, skill development centres, B.Ed colleges, and other institutes are a part of these social development initiatives by Mr. Malay.

SERVICE WITH SINCERITY AND PASSION

Another feather in Mr. Malay’s cap is the Santiniketan Medical College (SMC). Established in 2020, the SMC is India’s first medical college built through a public-private partnership under the National Medical Commission Act. It was started by Mr. Malay to offer transformative learning experiences. The college is the first one to come up after the Centre’s decision to open a path for private players to partner with government hospitals and build medical colleges. Set up under the supervision of NITI Aayog, the teaching hospital is affiliated to Bolpur Sub-divisional Hospital.

Under Mr. Malay’s guidance, the medical hospital-cum-institute has been a frontrunner in providing world-class medical services with compassionate care and at affordable cost. It is also dedicated to producing globally competent medical professionals with a strong urge to serve humanity with the core values of sincerity and passion towards quality patient care guided by ethics.

Mr. Malay has made sure that the medical college has an array of modern laboratories, state-of-the-art equipment, and highly trained staff. To make medical education an enriching experience, he has introduced a few museums at the college. These museums have on display over 300 dissected specimens, 500 models, and other items from the world of surgery. His idea is to present to people key, lesser known medical facts about human bodies.

MANY INITIATIVES, ONE MISSION

A not-for-profit organisation started by Mr. Malay is Gobindapur Sephali Samaj Seba Samity. Through this institute, he offers efficient technical and non-technical training to people, which enables them to run educational institutions successfully. This institute also conducts training programmes under various livelihood sectors to help in socio-economic uplift of many people in need.

SWATIRTHA CHARITABLE TRUST

Mr. Malay also started Swatirtha Charitable Trust during the pandemic to offer services to rural people. The unprecedented pandemic and its aftermath were particularly harsh on the rural people whose livelihoods got affected. Under his guidance, Swatirtha Trust engaged in expanding plantation and agricultural activities to sustain the livelihood of rural people. The trust increased its services to feed rural people inside the campus during the pandemic. It also provides classes of physical activity and motivational lectures so that people from the rural community get interested in engaging with their jobs. This trust also provides e-learning study materials for students from different resources.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

By participating in many skill development projects, Mr. Malay has managed to improve the lives of over 3,500 people. His vision and determination to see a visible change in society has often been recognised.

In 2020, Mr. Malay was recognised at the Leadership Innovation Excellence awards held by the Institute of Economic Studies (IES). He was also conferred the ‘Innovative and Excellence Award’ by the National Economic Summit in the same year.

Driven by benevolence for society and strong social conscience, Mr. Malay is an insightful and inspirational personality who has devoted his life to the uplift and sustainable development of the rural society of West Bengal. His philanthropic work for the marginalised communities of the state has led to an improved life and livelihoods for thousands of people. It is this kind of selfless work that makes a leader transform into a visionary.