Mr Mahalingam K
President, MMA, Partner/Director, TSM Group of Companies
With a distinguished educational background, including a Chemical Engineering degree from NIT Trichy and a PGDM from IIM Calcutta, this individual boasts over 35 years of experience as an exceptional leader and transformation specialist. They have been the driving force behind the remarkable evolution of T S Mahalingam & Sons into a highly respected automobile after-market brand in South India, expanding its operations across multiple businesses and locations. As a pioneer, they revolutionized the financial services industry by introducing third-party loan products in collaboration with Citi bank and ventured into real estate, successfully delivering over 100 projects. Notably, they have made a significant impact on various alumni associations, serving as President of REC alumni (RECAL), President of the IIM Calcutta Alumni Chennai, and President of the Madras Management Association (MMA). Additionally, their role on the Chennai Angels’ Executive Committee showcases their dedication to fostering entrepreneurship and supporting budding entrepreneurs through mentorship and investment guidance, solidifying their reputation as a go-to figure in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Mr Lakshminarayanan D
Senior Vice President, MMA & Managing Director, Sundaram Home Finance Ltd
Mr Lakshminarayanan Duraiswamy is currently the Managing Director of Sundaram Home Finance Limited. He has over 30 years of experience in financial services industry, with expertise in risk management, operations and strategy. He was the Chief Operating Officer of Sundaram AMC till 2019. He joined Sundaram Asset Management Company in 2009 and prior that, he worked for GE Capital India and Australia in various risk management and business development roles across commercial finance, consumer finance and healthcare. He started his career with Citibank in retail operations before moving to GE Capital.
Mr Lakshminarayanan is a commerce graduate, qualified Cost Accountant and Master of Business Administration (Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai). He is also the Senior Vice President of Madras Management Association.
Mr Brajendra Navnit, IAS
Principal Secretary to Government of TN
Information Technology & Digital Services Department
Brajendra Navnit is an IAS officer of the 1999 batch Tamil Nadu Cadre. He is currently the Principal Secretary to Commercial Taxes and Registration Department, Government of Tamil Nadu. Earlier he served as the Ambassador & Permanent Representative of India to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.
He also served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Officer prior to his WTO appointment. He has held various positions in the Tamil Nadu government including Director of Tamilnadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd
Mr Vellayan Subbiah
Chairman, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Co. Ltd & Executive Vice Chairman of Tube Investments of India Ltd
Vellayan Subbiah holds a Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering from IIT Madras and a Masters in Business Administration from University of Michigan. He has over 2 decades of experience in varied fields viz., consulting, technology, projects and financial services. He has worked with McKinsey and Company, 24/7 Customer Inc. and Sundram Fasteners Ltd. He is currently the Chairman of Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited and CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited and also on the Board of various companies including SRF Limited, Cholamandalam Financial Holdings Limited.
He is the recipient of the ‘EY Entrepreneur of the YearTM 2023’ and was named as the ‘EY World Entrepreneur of the YearTM 2024’
Earlier he was awarded Extraordinary Entrepreneur of the Year – TiECON 2014 Award.
Mr A R Unnikrishnan
Vice President, MMA & Managing Director, Saint-Gobain India Pvt Ltd – Glass Business
Starting his career with Grindwell Group which later became a Saint-Gobain company, Unnikrishnan worked closely with the Saint-Gobain Group in 1997 to develop strategic blueprint for Saint-Gobain’s investment in India in the Glass business.
He played a pivotal role in Saint-Gobain Glass India’s journey to market leadership in a short period of time, state of the art manufacturing, impeccable quality and trusted brand building.
With rich experience of over 20 years in the Glass Industry, Unnikrishnan now is the Managing Director of Saint-Gobain India Pvt Ltd (Glass Business).
Apart from his professional role at Saint-Gobain, he is a thought leader across various fora in the areas of Sustainability and Regulations drafting key policy structure frameworks for the Indian Construction Industry. He is the Chairman of Glazing Society of India, Chairman CII TN CEO Forum, Chairing CII SR Task Force on Future of Manufacturing.
Mr Varun Prakash
Partner, McKinsey & Co
Mr Varun Prakash is currently a Partner of McKinsey & Company. He completed his B.E on Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. Further completed his MBA from University of Michigan – Stephen M.Ross School of Business.
His previous experiences at McKinsey & Company are: –
- Associate Partner from 2018 to 2021 for 3 years
- Engagement Manager from 2015 to 2018 for 3 years
- Associate from 2013 to 2015 for 2 years
His other experiences at various establishments are: –
- Schlumberger for 4 years and 11 months
- Project Manager, Control Systems from Jan 2010 to May 2011
- Product Engineer from Jan 2008 to Dec 2009
- Sustaining Engineer from Jul 2006 to Dec 2007
- Accenture, Intern from Jan 2005 to Jun 2005
Dr E M Sudarsana Natchiappan, MA ML (USA) Ph.D
Sr. Advocate, Supreme Court of India, Former Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry
Dr E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappanis a politician from Indian National Congressparty and a Member of Parliament representing Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha.
He was also elected to the Lok Sabha from Sivaganga constituency as an Indian National Congresscandidate in 1999 election. He is Advocate in Supreme Court of India.
Sudarsana Natchiappan has addressed the United Nations General Assembly on two occasions, both in October 2008. He was part of the Indian delegation, and gave statements on UN peacekeeping operations and globalisation and independence.
Sudarsana Natchiappan is co-founder and President of the Parliamentarian Forum on Human Rights. The forum is a platform for members of parliament (MPs), cutting across party lines, and catering for the need to discuss and act on human rights violations in the world in general and in India specifically. He became the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry from 17 June 2013 till 26 May 2014 in Second Manmohan Singh ministry.
Mr P N Vasudevan
MD & CEO, Equitas Small Finance Bank
Mr Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan is the MD and CEO of Equitas Small Finance Bank. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Science (Physics) from University of Madras. He is a qualified Company Secretary from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He has extensive experience in the financial services sector. He worked for about two decades in Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited, part of the Murugappa Group, where he joined as a Management Trainee and resigned as the Vice President and Head of Vehicle Finance. He has also served as the Executive Vice President and Head of Consumer Banking Group in Development Credit Bank Limited, for more than one and a half years. He was also the Chairman of the Managing Committee of the South India Hire Purchase Association for Fiscal 2006. Prior to joining Equitas Finance Limited, he was the Managing Director of Equitas Holdings Limited.
Dr Rukmini Banerji
CEO, Pratham Education Foundation
Rukmini Banerji was trained as an economist at St. Stephen’s College (Delhi) and the Delhi School of Economics. She was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University (1981-83) and completed her PhD at the University of Chicago in 1991. Rukmini returned to India in 1996 and joined Pratham. Over the years, she has worked extensively in Pratham’s education programs in rural and urban areas. Along with her teams, she has played a major role in designing and supporting large scale partnerships with state governments in India, for improving children’s learning outcomes. Rukmini led Pratham’s research and assessment efforts including the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) exercise from 2005 to 2014. Since 2015, she has been the CEO of Pratham.
In 2008, Rukmini received the Maulana Abul Kalam Shiksha Puraskar by the Government of Bihar, India. She was the first recipient of this award. In 2021, Rukmini was awarded the Yidan Prize for Education Development.
Originally from Bihar, she is now based between New Delhi and Pune. Rukmini writes frequently on education in both Hindi and English dailies in India and enjoys writing books and stories for children.
Former Ambassador / Permanent Representative of India to the UN, New York & Former Secretary, MEA
T. S. Tirumurti is a retired Indian civil servant (Ambassador) of the Indian Foreign Service cadre. His diplomatic career spanned 37 years, during which he served as Secretary to the Government of India and later as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in New York. During his tenure, India became a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 8th time. He also held the position of President of the UN Security Council.
After retiring from the Indian Foreign Service, Tirumurti was appointed as a Distinguished Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai. He is also a member of the Board of Governors at the Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology in Gandhinagar.
Tirumurti was India’s first Representative to the Palestinian National Authority. He also served as Secretary of Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs, handling the Economic Relations portfolio, which included, among other areas, the Gulf and the Arab world, Africa, and India’s Development Partnership.
As an Arabic language speaker, Tirumurti is widely recognized as an expert on the Arab world. He gained this expertise through his service in Egypt and Palestine and his work with the Gulf and Arab nations during his tenure as Secretary in Delhi.
Tirumurti has been a negotiator on climate change for several years, beginning with his stint in Geneva with the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in 1993. Later, as Joint Secretary and Head of the Division on UN Economic and Social Matters at the Ministry’s headquarters, he continued his work on climate-related negotiations.
He also oversaw the International Solar Alliance as Secretary in the Ministry and helped organize its inaugural meeting in New Delhi in 2018. In June 2022, during World Environment Day, Tirumurti collaborated with nine other countries across various regions to draft and deliver a significant statement on “Global Net Zero” at the UN.
Lt Gen S L Narasimhan, PVSM, AVSM*, VSM
Former Member, NSAB & DG, Centre for Contemporary China Studies
Lt. Gen. SL Narasimhan, PVSM, AVSM*, VSM is an Infantry Officer commissioned in 1977. He has done graduation in Mathematics, Post-Graduation in Defence Studies and PhD in India China Relations. He has been awarded four times for his outstanding contribution to the Indian Army by the President of India. He served as the Defence Attaché in the Embassy of India in China for three years. He is qualified in Chinese language and has been a keen observer of China for the past 18 years. His expertise spans international relations and internal issues, economy and defence related subjects of China. He has taken part in many Track 2 dialogues both in India and abroad. Lt. Gen. SL Narasimhan has authored many articles in various journals and magazines. He is, presently, Member of the National Security Advisory Board, India and Director General, Centre for Contemporary China Studies. He is also a Distinguished Fellow with Centre for Air Power Studies, India.
Amb Kanwal Sibal, IFS (Retd)
Former Foreign Secretary of India
Amb. Sibal has been India’s Foreign Secretary from July 2002 to November 2003. He is a post-graduate from St. Stephens College, New Delhi. He has been India’s Ambassador to Turkey, Egypt and France. Amb. Sibal graduated from the World Information Distributed University with the scientific degree of International Doctor of Philosophy and the scientific degree of Grand Doctor of Philosophy, in June 2006. Dr Kanwal Sibal is the First Grand Doctor of Philosophy in India. He received the title of Full Professor from the European Academy of Informatization and the World Information Distributed University-WIDU.
He was a member of India’s National Security Advisory Board from November 2008 to November 2010. Presently he is also the Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Dr Sandhya Shekhar
Advisor, Digital, Business Strategy and innovation
Sandhya Shekhar currently works with the industry, academia as well as the start-up and innovation ecosystem. She is an Advisor and Strategy Consultant to several corporates in the areas of Business Strategy and Digital Transformation. She serves as an independent director on the governing boards of Uno Minda Ltd., MI Torica, Mynda Onkyo and MITIL Polymer Pvt Ltd. She has completed two terms on the boards of Simpson & Co. Ltd., IP Rings Ltd., Amco Batteries and Bimetal Bearings Ltd. She is a member of the Expert Committee and Selection Committees constituted by BIRAC to scale the bio-tech incubators nationally into a robust innovation ecosystem. She is a visiting faculty with leading educational institutions. She has served as an Advisor to State Bank of India as part of the IT Advisory Council for Digital Transformation. She serves on several advisory boards including SOIL Institute of Management and the Sarada Ranganathan Endowment for Library Science. She has served on Government of India policy committees including India’s Science, Technology & Innovation Policy.
She has over three decades of professional experience, occupying various CXO positions. She has worked at the confluence of industry and academic fraternities helping to build and scale a vibrant innovation ecosystem, in her former role as the founding CEO of IIT Madras Research Park, the first university research park in the country. She has extensive industry experience, having worked as Director, Asia Pacific Consulting – Gartner Inc.; CTO, BConnectB.com; Head, Knowledge Management Research – Aptech; and Group Consultant – NIIT). She has worked in multiple industry domains.
She is an alumna of IIM Bangalore and IIT Madras and is a University Rank holder in her under-graduation. She earned her PhD from IIT Madras, with her dissertation winning the global award for outstanding doctoral research from the European Foundation for Management Development and Emerald. She is a recipient of several awards like the Excellence Award at Gartner, outstanding achievement awards at NIIT and Aptech and personal commendation letters from global leaders (including Prof. Charles Vest, Prof Emeritus MIT and President of the US Academy of Engineering, Rt. Hon. David Willet, House of Commons, UK and Dr. V.K. Saraswat, former Chairman DRDO & Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister). She was felicitated as an Outstanding Woman Achiever during the 100th International Women’s Day. She is an author of several books, papers and articles. Her book on Knowledge management was the first book in India on the subject and her latest book titled ‘Managing the reality of virtual organizations’ published by Springer has received worldwide acclaim. She is a frequently invited speaker to international and national conferences and forums.
Mr Mahesh Balasubramanian
Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company Ltd
Mahesh Balasubramanian is the Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company (Kotak Life) since May 2021. Prior to this, Mahesh was leading Kotak’s General Insurance business as MD &CEO. With over 25 years of experience in financial services industry having managed business across Retail assets, Retail liabilities and Insurance.
Mahesh is a quintessential serial professional entrepreneur with nearly three decades of experience in financial services. He joined Kotak Mahindra Bank in 2005 as part of the core team of its retail liabilities and branch banking business. After successfully setting up and building significant scale across verticals, he went on to become the founding CEO of Kotak General Insurance Co. Ltd (KGI) in 2014. Mahesh was instrumental in setting up the company, building a strong leadership team and a robust risk management culture with focus on digital process and customer service, making KGI one of the most sought after companies to work for.
A Mechanical Engineer from Madurai Kamaraj University, Mahesh holds a Masters’ degree in Management Studies from the University of Mumbai.
An avid reader, a sports enthusiast and a half marathoner, Mahesh likes to challenge the status quo and is ever willing to experiment with creative and innovative solutions to manage scale with productivity and profitability.
Mr A Balasubramanian
Managing Director & CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd
Mr. A. Balasubramanian is the Managing Director & CEO of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited. A stalwart of the mutual fund industry, he brings with him over three decades of rich experience.
He has been associated with the organisation since 1994. Prior to assuming the role of CEO in 2009, Mr. Balasubramanian served as the Chief Investment Officer from 2006 to 2009. As Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Balasubramanian oversees over Rs. 3.60 lakh crore in Assets Under Management at Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC. Before joining ABSLAMC in the year 1994, he worked with GIC Mutual Fund, Can Bank Financial Services and Pandit & Co. between 1989 and 1994.
Mr. Balasubramanian was awarded CEO of the Year title by Asia Asset Management in 2018 and 2020. He has been awarded the Chairman’s Individual Award by the Aditya Birla Group for being an Outstanding Leader in 2015 and for being a Leader of Leaders in 2018.
Mr. Balasubramanian is closely associated with key industry bodies. He has been on the board of AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India) since 2009 and was the Vice Chairman of AMFI in 2015-2016. He has served as the Chairman of AMFI for two terms, from 2016-2018, and was reappointed for the period of 2021 – 2023. Mr. Balasubramanian is the Chairman of the AMFI Equity CIOs’ Committee. He is also an esteemed member of the Fund Management Advisory Committee of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). He has been the Governor on Board of Governors at the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), an institute affiliated with SEBI, from 2018 to 2024. He was also a member of the Advisory Committee of the SEBI Investor Protection and Education Fund (IPEF) for a period of five years 2019 – 2024. He has been appointed on 14th October 2024, as an Additional Director on the Board of Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry for the year 2024-25.
He has completed advanced management programs from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and Harvard Business School. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in science (mathematics) and a master’s degree in business administration from the GlobalNxt University.
Mr. Balasubramanian is involved with philanthropic work through various charitable organisations. He is one of the active members at the Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart Care. He is also associated with the Sathya Sai University, Gulbarga that imparts knowledge on Human Excellence to students during their higher education. He also promotes Indian arts and village traditional culture.
Mr Anurag Sharma
Associate Partner, McKinsey & Co
Mr. Anurag Sharma is currently serving as the Associate Partner and Leader of the People Supply Chain Practice at McKinsey & Company, a position he has held since April 2022. With a career spanning 7 years and 5 months at McKinsey, Mr. Sharma has demonstrated unwavering dedication and leadership within the renowned consulting firm.
Before assuming his current role, Mr. Sharma served as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey from April 2020 to April 2022, where he showcased his managerial prowess and strategic acumen. Prior to that, he held the position of Associate from July 2018 to April 2020, establishing a strong foundation in his consulting career.
Mr. Sharma’s professional journey commenced at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, where he contributed for 3 years and 8 months. Starting as an Associate in January 2012, he progressively advanced to roles such as Senior Associate and Manager. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in developing software to support the Wealth Management business, showcasing his technical expertise and business acumen.
His early professional experiences include internships at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, where he worked on a research project related to leveraging social networks and smart devices for supporting micro entrepreneurs. Additionally, he completed an internship at Reliance, focusing on a project related to an employee detail entry system.
Prof Pankaj Setia
Founding Chairperson, Center for Digital Transformation, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA)
Pankaj Setia (Ph.D. Michigan State University, 2008) is the IIMA Chair Professor, Professor of Information Systems, and Founding Chair of the Center for Digital Transformation at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, India. He studies how organizations leverage IT applications and digital capabilities for superior organizational performance. Open source development and diffusion is another area of interest. He is also studying neuroscientific basis for how technology influences human choices. He teaches graduate-level courses on organizing in the digital age.
His research has been published in leading academic journals such as Information Systems Research (ISR), MIS Quarterly (MISQ), Journal of Operations Management (JOM), Decision Sciences Journal, and Journal of the Association for Information Systems (JAIS). He has featured among the top 100 researchers in the field of Information Systems, based on his publications in the top business journals (e.g., the Financial Times top 50 Journals). Also, he has been invited to give research talks or keynote speeches by universities from different countries, such as India, Chile, United States, and Singapore.
Mr Somnath Chatterjee
Founder & CEO, Prismforce
Somnath Chatterjee is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Prismforce. He was a Partner at Mckinsey, spent 14 years there, co-leading McKinsey Digital in India in his last role and was part of Mckinsey’s global leadership tribe serving IT services companies, leading its delivery modernisation practice.
He led consulting engagements for 30+ IT services & software companies in US, Continental and Eastern Europe, Japan & India across strategy, organisation agility, growth and delivery modernization areas. He has served majority of the top 10 global tech services providers, achieving significant topline and bottom line impact.
He also worked extensively with 20+ PE players and strategic investors and led diligence, integration efforts for some of the largest deals in this space over the past decade.
He is a B.Tech (Hons) from IIT Kharagpur and he completed PGDM (MBA) from IIM Calcutta where he won the Dr BC Roy Memorial Prize. Prior to McKinsey, he had stints at TCS India and Merrill Lynch London.
Mr Manikandan Thangarathnam
Senior Director, Mobility and Platforms, Uber
Manikandan has more than 25 years of experience in the tech industry. He did his Under Graduation from College of Engineering Guindy (B.E Computer Science). He started his Software career at Microsoft (7 yrs), spent the last 14 years at Amazon and last 4 yrs at Uber. At Microsoft, he worked on Outlook, Windows Server, and SQL Server. At Amazon, he worked on a diverse set of projects like Kindle, Fire OS, and Alexa, Fire Tv.
At Uber, he heads the Bangalore Development Center (with 1500+ engineers) and is responsible for driving initiatives on Mobility and Platforms.
As part of this growth journey, he enjoyed interviewing and did more than 2000+ interviews in his career. He is very passionate about driving innovation and secured more than 12 patents.
Dorte Landwehr
Director of Operations, South India, McKinsey & Company
Dorte is the director of operations and a board member of McKinsey’s Global Capabilities and Services Centers in India. She partners with function leaders and site operations to ensure our centers deliver distinctive impact for internal and external clients, build a diverse and inclusive talent environment, and give back to local communities.
Dorte has worked in McKinsey’s offices in Germany and the US. She has been based in Chennai, India, since 2002, where she was instrumental in establishing and growing one of McKinsey’s first shared services centers in the country. She co-led the transition of services from onshore to offshore, transforming services into global delivery models as well as building support teams and office infrastructure in our South India centers, which house over 2,000 colleagues.
Education:
Saarland University, Germany
MA, translation sciences and economics
Dr Amit Bhattacharjee
Mentor (Olympic Gold Medalist), Sports Psychologist, PGIMER, Chandigarh
Dr. Amit Bhattacharjee: A Visionary Mentor Behind India’s Sporting Triumphs
Dr. Amit Bhattacharjee, the distinguished mentor of India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist, Padma Bhushan Shri Abhinav Bindra, is a towering figure in the realm of sports training and mental conditioning. His association with Bindra dates back to 1997, virtually the inception of Bindra’s sporting career, and his contribution has been instrumental in shaping the athlete’s journey to global acclaim.
As a renowned mental trainer and scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research, stationed at the prestigious Human Research Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Dr. Bhattacharjee has dedicated 27 years to the field of sports and research. His unparalleled expertise combines cutting-edge scientific methods with a deep understanding of mental and emotional resilience.
Dr. Bhattacharjee’s illustrious career spans some of the most prestigious sporting events globally. He has been an integral part of six Olympic Games, including Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, and the upcoming Paris 2024. His presence has also been felt at the World Shooting Championship in Zagreb and numerous ISSF World Cups alongside Bindra. The recent achievement of two of his students earning quota positions for the Paris Olympics further underscores the efficacy of his innovative coaching methodologies.
While shooting remains his forte, Dr. Bhattacharjee’s expertise extends beyond this discipline to sports like cricket, golf, and archery. His holistic approach transcends technical mastery, emphasizing the mental and psychological aspects of performance to help athletes unlock their full potential.
Dr. Bhattacharjee’s accolades are as impressive as his contributions. A prestigious Ericsson Certified Coach and a Neuro-Feedback Expert, he has received the Chandigarh Commendation Award twice and has been honored as a State Awardee and Rank and Bolt Awardee. These distinctions reflect his unwavering commitment to nurturing talent and raising the bar for Indian sports on the global stage.
His remarkable journey is marked by his humility, relentless dedication, and a profound desire to make India proud. Dr. Bhattacharjee’s impact extends beyond his students’ success, inspiring countless others to dream big and achieve excellence.
We are privileged to witness the legacy of Dr. Amit Bhattacharjee, a true visionary and pioneer in mental training, whose contributions have redefined the standards of sportsmanship and performance in India.
Commando Praveen Kumar Teotia, Shaurya Chakra
Ex-Marine Commando (MARCOS)
Commando Praveen Kumar Teotia is a decorated MARCOS (Marine Commando) and a Shaurya Chakra recipient, recognized for his extraordinary valour during the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks. He saved 185+ lives, including prominent figures such as Gautam Adani and four Members of Parliament, during Operation Black Tornado at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Despite sustaining severe injuries in the line of duty, he exemplifies resilience as India’s first differently abled IRONMAN and the only battle-wounded IRONMAN to complete the gruelling triathlon multiple times.
Accomplishments & Contributions:
Author: 26/11 Braveheart: My Encounter with Terrorists That Night – a gripping account of his heroic role in the 26/11 attacks.
Fitness Milestones:
Ultra Marathoner (2x), Marathon Finisher (33x), Half Marathoner (50+), and completed 50 consecutive Sunday half-marathons.
Holder of Limca Book of Records and World Book of Records for running from India Gate to Gateway of India in just 15 days.
Adventurer: Accomplished mountaineer, deep-sea diver, and wellness enthusiast.
Trainer & Counselor: Commands expertise as a tactical trainer for commandos and a wellness counselor.
Inspirational Speaker: TEDx and Josh Talks speaker, delivering motivational sessions on courage, resilience, and leadership.
Health Warrior: The only known lungs-damage survivor to achieve remarkable athletic milestones.
Legacy:
Commando Praveen Kumar Teotia embodies determination, turning adversity into strength. His story is a testament to grit and perseverance, inspiring countless individuals worldwide. Beyond his heroic acts, he continues to serve as a life coach and motivational speaker, guiding others toward mental toughness, wellness, and excellence.
Ms Gautami Tadimalla
Indian Actress and Social Worker
Gautami. A name to reckon with. And a life that has Karuna at its core.
Gautami is a name that is inseparable from the Indian entertainment industry’s growth. An acclaimed actress and an erudite person, her work has breathed life into more than 130 films in 5 Indian languages. Her presence and grace carried many a regional television programme for the global Indian audience. Her journey in entertainment industry took a poignant turn when she was diagnosed with cancer. While her resolve and personality played a defining role in her reclaiming her health, the journey, in one subtle and elevating moment, transformed her outlook on life to become inclusive and expansive. And that moment marked the birth of Life Again Foundation. Today, Life Again responds to every call for help with Karuna at its core.
Mr S Seetharaman
Hon. Secretary, MMA & Chairman
Super Auto Forge Pvt Ltd
Mr S Seetharaman, Chairman of Super Auto Forge Private Limited (SAF), Chennai, is a Mechanical engineering graduate. He established SAF in 1974. He is the first Entrepreneur in India to establish the Cold Forging Technology for manufacturing of components for Automobile Industries and other industries in India.
Today Super Auto Forge is the largest exporter of Cold/Warm forged Steel & Aluminium parts in India with the annual sales exceeding Rs.1400 crores, employing over 2000 persons. About 80% of SAF Production is exported to Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers in USA & Europe.
Mr Seetharaman, Spear headed development of various Calibre of cartridge case and shell body for the ordinance Factories (now MIL) in India.
Gp Capt R Vijayakumar (Retd), VSM
Gp Capt R Vijayakumar (Retd), VSM, is a highly accomplished individual with a distinguished career in the Indian Air Force and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Madras Management Association (MMA) since April 2007. Throughout his tenure, he has significantly contributed to the growth and reputation of MMA.
During his three-decade-long service in the Indian Air Force, Gp Capt Vijayakumar held various pivotal positions, including Director of Financial Planning and Financial Advisor to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air Command. His exceptional service and dedication were recognized through several prestigious awards. He was honored with the Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India for his outstanding and meritorious service. Additionally, he received the Commendation Medallion on four occasions from the Chief of Air Staff and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief for his commendable contributions.
Gp Capt Vijayakumar is an alumnus of Loyola, Chennai, and holds a diverse range of educational qualifications. He has obtained an LLB degree and pursued his studies further to earn a Master’s degree in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management from Nagpur University. He has also earned a Master’s degree in Management Studies from Osmania University.
Under Gp Capt Vijayakumar’s dynamic leadership, MMA has become a prominent and highly respected management association in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu. The organization consistently attracts top industry leaders and policy makers, solidifying its status as the recognized face of Indian industry in the state. Thanks to his exceptional leadership skills, MMA has been honored with the Best Management Association in India award by AIMA for fourteen consecutive years, including the year 2022-23.
Apart from his professional pursuits, Gp Capt Vijayakumar is an avid golfer and has represented the Indian golf team in various international tournaments. He is actively involved in various philanthropic endeavors as well. Currently, he serves as a member of the Executive Committee of St. John Ambulance Association and P S Educational Society. Additionally, he holds the position of President at P S Matriculation School, North (SRKM, Mylapore).
