Practical frameworks on executive presence, leadership storytelling, and strategic communication — drawn from two decades of military command and 13 years at ISB.
I commanded an Air Defence Regiment for two years, and served nearly two decades in uniform before that. Command teaches you about weapons and drills — but its deepest lessons are about people: fear and courage, mistakes and forgiveness, grief and resilience. Two incidents, a JCO glancing at his watch and a grieving father standing before his regiment, taught me everything I now carry into the boardroom.
I want to tell you about a moment I witnessed in a boardroom in Gurugram, about three years ago. A senior manager walked in to present his division's quarterly numbers. Smart man. Prepared. He had spent two weekends on those slides. But the moment he entered the room, something went wrong. He hadn't said a word yet. But the room had already decided.
After commanding a battalion of a thousand men, I walked into ISB at 45, certain I knew how to lead. Four MBAs in their twenties showed me otherwise. That moment cracked something open — and started the most important journey of my leadership life.
A few months ago, I asked a hall of bright management students how many had used an AI tool to prepare for class. Nearly every hand went up. Then I asked who could defend their answer if I pushed back hard. The room went quiet. That silence is the real challenge facing Indian higher education — and it has very little to do with technology.
Data Does Not Persuade. Stories Do.
Data Storytelling