The Teched Digimentor Leaders Forum (ETL), a Section 8 organization focused on nurturing the next generation of technology leaders, has announced the formation of its Pune and Chennai Chapters, along with the appointment of their respective Managing Committees.
This development follows the successful official launch of the ETL Mumbai Chapter on March 7, 2026, at The Westin, Goregaon, which witnessed strong participation from CIOs, digital leaders, and emerging technology professionals.
Successful Mumbai Launch Sets the Momentum
The Mumbai launch event was well received by the industry and featured insightful sessions that blended leadership, wellness, and technology:
- A Metabolic Leadership session by Dr. Ami Sanghvi, highlighting the importance of health and energy in leadership effectiveness
- A keynote by best-selling author Manish Panchal, encouraging leaders to “define their own orbit” and build purpose-driven careers
- An engaging session on Artificial Intelligence by Raul John Aju, emphasizing the importance of prompt engineering and continuous learning
The event reinforced ETL’s differentiated approach of integrating technology leadership with personal well-being and lifelong learning.
Pune Chapter – Managing Committee
The Pune Chapter will be led by a distinguished group of technology leaders:
- Parag Deshmane – President (Global Operations and Core IT Infra, Alfa Laval)
- Tejas Kotak – Secretary (VP Information Technology, XBP Global)
- Prashant Deshmukh – Treasurer (Corporate IT Manager, Venkys India)
- Karishma Kumar – Executive Committee Member (Deputy CIO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India)
- Suhas Deshmukh – Executive Committee Member (Head Infrastructure & Networks, Trumpf India Pvt. Ltd.)
Chennai Chapter – Managing Committee
The Chennai Chapter will be guided by an accomplished leadership team:
- Gokulavan Jayaraman – President (Infosec Leader, Mahindra & Mahindra)
- Ajith Joel Peter – Secretary (AGM IT, The Ramco Cement Ltd.)
- Satheesh Babu K – Treasurer (Dy GM Infrastructure & Cloud, Challani Jewellery Pvt. Ltd.)
- Santhosh Kumar – Executive Committee Member (AGM IT, Koito Manufacturing Ltd.)
- Bharathidasan GD – Executive Committee Member (GM IT, Lifecell International Pvt. Ltd.)
- Satish Palani – Executive Committee Member (Head – Enterprise IT Services, Panasonic Appliances India Pvt. Ltd.)
Leadership Commentary
Commenting on the expansion, Radhakrishna Pillai, Managing Director, ETL, said:
“The response to our Mumbai launch has been extremely encouraging. With Pune and Chennai chapters, we are strengthening our commitment to build a vibrant ecosystem for emerging CIOs, CDOs, and CISOs. Our focus is not just on professional growth, but also on holistic leadership development.”
A Governing Board spokesperson added:
“The official launch of Pune and Chennai Chapters is planned for May 2026 in their respective cities. We are confident these chapters will play a pivotal role in expanding ETL’s reach and impact.”
Focus on Holistic Leadership Development
ETL aims to redefine leadership platforms by focusing on:
- Knowledge-sharing sessions led by industry experts
- Structured networking programs across chapters
- Wellness and health-focused leadership sessions
- Curated physical activities and family engagements to promote work-life balance
Expansion Roadmap
As part of its national expansion strategy:
- Tejas Shah and Dharmesh Anjaria, Governing Board Members, have been assigned to drive expansion initiatives
- New chapters are being planned in Gujarat, Bengaluru, and Delhi NCR