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B Swaminathan
Emerging Tech Leaders (ETL), a collaborative platform created to connect and nurture the next generation of technology leaders, officially launched its India chapter with the inaugural “Lead Beyond Technology” Summit held at The Westin Garden City, Mumbai.
The launch event brought together over 120 senior technology executives, including Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), Chief Digital Officers (CDOs), infrastructure leaders, and cybersecurity professionals from leading enterprises across industries.
Promoted by a group of experienced and retired CIOs, CISOs, CDOs, and technology ecosystem leaders, ETL aims to create a vibrant community for mentorship, leadership development, and knowledge exchange, while enabling emerging professionals to evolve into strategic technology leaders. The platform is guided by core principles including ethical leadership, industry collaboration, diversity, inclusion, talent development, and mental wellness.
Building a Living Ecosystem of Mentorship
Opening the summit, Raghunatha Reddy, founding member of ETL, emphasized the importance of mentorship in shaping leadership journeys.
“If we look back at our careers, most of us can identify at least one mentor who believed in us, guided us, and helped shape us into the leaders we are today. ETL is built on that same spirit. We are not here just for another networking event — we are here to build a living ecosystem of mentorship and collective growth.”
The ETL initiative aims to establish a national network of technology leadership communities, with chapters planned across Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi NCR , Pune having launched Mumbai.
Key founding members Radhakrishna Pillai, Dharmesh Anjaria, Rajesh Panchal, Teja Shah, and Kishore Daryanani shared insights from their leadership journeys and highlighted the need for a structured platform that bridges experienced technology leaders with emerging professionals.
AI and the Art of Prompt Engineering
One of the most engaging sessions of the summit was led by Rahul John Aju, a 16-year-old AI entrepreneur from Kerala, who demonstrated the growing impact of artificial intelligence on business productivity.
Aju introduced the audience to the discipline of prompt engineering, explaining that the effectiveness of AI systems depends heavily on the clarity and precision of instructions provided to them.
Through an interactive demonstration, he showed how structured prompts can significantly improve AI outputs, sparking lively discussions among the audience on how AI tools are reshaping workflows, decision-making, and innovation across industries.
Metabolic Leadership: Managing Health in High-Pressure Roles
Addressing the often-overlooked aspect of executive health, Dr. Ami Sanghvi spoke about the concept of “Metabolic Leadership.” She highlighted that metabolic syndrome — characterized by abdominal obesity, hypertension, and elevated triglycerides — is emerging as a serious risk among corporate leaders, potentially impacting both cognitive performance and decision-making.
Citing global projections indicating that obesity cases could reach 1.95 billion worldwide, Dr. Singhvi stressed the importance of preventive healthcare, regular diagnostics, and lifestyle discipline.
She recommended:
• 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly
• A balanced, high-protein diet
• Avoiding restrictive fad diets
• Incorporating stress-management practices such as yoga and mindfulness
She concluded by emphasizing that sustained leadership performance requires equal focus on physical health and mental resilience.
Defining Personal Purpose in Leadership
Manish Panchal, strategic advisor and author of “Define Your Orbit,” explored the idea of purpose-driven leadership.
He introduced the concept of a “Hierarchy of Aspiration,” noting that while many individuals pursue success, only a small percentage clearly articulate their personal purpose.
Panchal highlighted that self-awareness, discipline, and confidence are essential to achieving meaningful goals and encouraged leaders to create a “personal operating manual” that guides both professional and personal decisions.
He also shared that proceeds from his book contribute toward girl child education initiatives, reflecting the broader societal impact of leadership.
The Evolving Role of the CIO
In another thought-provoking session, Dr. Pradeep Pendse discussed the transformation of the CIO role in the digital era.
He highlighted that modern technology organizations are evolving from traditional IT departments into digital value creation engines. Key themes included:
• The importance of digital-first thinking
• The growing influence of AI on business models
• The need for architectural and platform thinking
• The role of product management and automation in enterprise transformation
Dr. Pendse emphasized that future CIOs must think exponentially, combining technology vision with business strategy to drive innovation.
Mr. Vikas Gadre, Advisor to the ETL , spoke on Governance, Risk and Compliance.
Strong Industry Support The ETL launch event received strong support from the technology industry.
Title Sponsors Dynacons & HPE , IT Security Sponsor Sophos,Leadership Talk Sponsor SHI, Gold Sponsors Nutanix, Cisco, Citius Cloud, Smart Infocomm ,Silver Sponsors Dixit Infotech, Asus, OPSWAT Stall Partners Questa Software and Inniti Network Solutions
Sponsors showcased their latest technology solutions, platforms, and innovations through presentations and engagement sessions with the attending technology leaders.
ETL Mumbai Chapter Leadership
The ETL Mumbai Chapter Management Committee was formally introduced to the audience during the event:
• Dipesh Narendra Shah – Digital Chief Technology Officer, Thermax Ltd – President
• Shaju Nair – Head of IT, UTI Asset Management Co. Ltd – Secretary
• Anup Kumar Nair – Head IT Infrastructure, Cloud, Cyber Security & GRC, Agilus Diagnostics – Treasurer
• Prajwal Suresh Kumar – Global IT Head, ACG – Executive Committee Member
• Tarang Parikh – Corporate Vice President, WNS Global – Executive Committee Member
A Growing National Movement
With over 150 members joining within just two months, ETL is rapidly gaining momentum. Following the successful Mumbai launch, the next chapters are scheduled for Pune, Bengaluru, Coimbatore,Chennai, and Delhi NCR, further expanding the platform’s reach across India’s technology leadership ecosystem. For CIOs, CISOs, digital leaders, and aspiring technology executives, ETL aims to provide a unique environment where peer learning, mentorship, leadership development, and collaborative innovation converge. As India accelerates its digital transformation journey, initiatives like ETL are poised to play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of technology leadership.
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