John Hoffmire: When you were a fellow of the Chevening Research Science and Innovation Leadership Programme (CRISP) at Oxford a few years ago, we spent a lot of time talking about entrepreneurship. You’ve taken those concepts in an important direction as an intrapreneur – behaving like an entrepreneur while working within a large organization. Please
John Hoffmire: I understand that you have been a strong advocate and promoter of the field of quantum computing in India, that you have a new position as Chair at Quantum Ecosystems Technology Council of India, and that you founded a startup focused on innovation management and future tech consulting, called Benzaiten Advisors. I’d love
John Hoffmire: I met you when you were a scholar in the Chevening Research Science and Innovation Leadership Programme (CRISP) at Oxford in 2016. If I remember right, you were creating a plan for a more effective cruise industry in India at the time. I believe that was the assignment you had taken on for
John Hoffmire: Big congratulations, Siddharth, on your recent appointment as the Managing Director for Pearson-India & Asia. It has been a few years since you were a CRISP (Chevening Research Science and Innovation Leadership Programme) Fellow at Oxford in 2013. Tell us what you have been up to over the years.
Siddharth: Thank you, John. When
John Hoffmire: I first met you in Oxford in 2018 when you were a Chevening CRISP Scholar. You were working for the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and I thought that was a UK-based organization. You taught me otherwise.
Rajesh: It certainly had its beginnings in England. We were founded as The Chemical Society of London in 1841,
John Hoffmire: Like so many CRISP scholars, you’ve had an interesting journey including everything from being a research engineer to managing two successful venture capital funds you co-founded. Tell me how your career has taken shape.
Shyam: For me personally, it began back in 2001 when I got an opportunity to be part of a nanomaterials
John Hoffmire: I always like to start an interview by asking for a broad brushstroke picture of a career. Will you tell me about yours?
Shailesh: A British friend described my career as poacher-turned-gamekeeper-turned-poacher. After my MBA in 1986 I worked in project finance and investment banking with ICICI for four years in Bombay, as it
John Hoffmire: You are the founder of Sanshodhan An E-Waste Exchange, an emerging company working for e-waste management and the development of zero waste businesses and organizations. You also founded Global Institute for Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals (ICE&SDGs), the NGO. Tell me how this came about?
Shalini: It goes back to January 2017,
John Hoffmire: You are a principal scientist at the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, which is known for its excellence in scientific research in chemistry and chemical engineering. Tell me about the work you do there, if you will.
Nitin: The saying, “Do what you’ll love, and you’ll never work another day in your life” definitely
John Hoffmire: In the three years since I met you as a fellow of the Chevening Research Science and Innovation Leadership Programme (CRISP) at Oxford University, you created and have steered SR Innovation Exchange (SRiX) to a level where you are receiving international recognition. Please tell me more about that.
Sreedevi: I explain it this way:
In its 72 years of independence, India has shown its unprecedented prowess in building a modern, democratic nation. It has lifted millions out of poverty, is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and has increased its global influence by becoming a member of the G20
John Hoffmire: I’ve been on trains in India but I still can’t fathom the scale of what you must manage as the Group General Manager at the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL). Tell me more about what you do.
Sachin: The Government of India has entrusted DFCCIL with construction, maintenance and operation of
John Hoffmire: One of the things that always impresses me when I sit down with a CRISP scholar is the interdisciplinary learning that each of you have engaged in. You are no exception. You’ve gone from a Bachelor of Engineering, to printing technology and graphic communication, technology management, Indology and Buddhist studies. Then on to consulting
John Hoffmire: Kamesh, you are a man who wears lots of hats. Tell me about your many responsibilities at Tata.
Kamesh: As a Senior Vice President, Strategic Collaborations and Programs in the Group Technology and Innovation Office of Tata Sons, my job is to create and deliver strategic collaborations and new technology programs for global impact.
John Hoffmire: I hope you don’t mind my starting out on a somewhat personal note by saying I remember you as one of the nicest people I have ever met. I’ve often wondered how you balance your kindness and positive attitude against the sometimes hard edge that is expected in the business management world.
Mohita: In
John Hoffmire: When I met you in Oxford two years ago, if I remember right, you were working on providing safer drinking water throughout India. Is that still one of your priorities?
Suphiya: You remember right. In India, as in many other parts of the world, water scarcity is considered a major crisis in the 21st
More youth from the Northern Province are turning to innovative startups under the initiative of Yarl IT Hub (YIT), originally set up in 2013.
They are made competitive via the Yarl Geek Challenge Accelerator which runs for six months for a selected cohort of early-stage startups twice a year.
During these six months, the startups will be
John Hoffmire: I just finished watching the documentary ‘Our Planet’ with David Attenborough. It has deepened my respect for anyone who has devoted their work to preserving our planet’s natural resources and making this world more equitable. That certainly includes you. Please tell me how you became a sustainability science expert and a trans-disciplinary research
John Hoffmire: You’ve had an interesting journey from electrical engineer to being the energy sector lead for Villgro Innovations Foundation, India’s oldest and one of the world’s largest social enterprise incubators. Please tell me about that journey?
Ananth: I started out as an electronics engineer by training. I spent 14 years in the IT/Tech sector at
John Hoffmire: I love your Twitter tag: “A scientist who makes serious research fun.” Tell me about your recent research and what is fun about it?
Beena: First, to me what makes research fun is that one gets to follow one’s curiosity. As a scientist, I’ll take on a challenge and then use my curiosity and
