The Powerful Women Business Leaders to Watch-2023.pdf

I N D I A
Deepika Gupta,
Assistant Professor, Strategy
www.ciolookindia.com
ISSUE 07 | VOL 02 | 2023
Deepika
Gupta
Leader to Watch
The Powerful
Women
Business
2 0 2 3
An Ever-Glowing Blaze
Enlightening the Wisdom Horizon
Know your Leader
Comprehending the
Leadership
Perspectives in
Digitally Advanced
Industry
Admirable Aspects
Understanding the
Traits that Signify
Impeccable Leadership
Approaches

Powerful
#CIOLOOKINDIA MAGAZINE

Women
“Do what you love and success will follow.
Passion is the fuel behind a successful career.”฀
Meg Whitman

AbhishekJoshi
DeputyEditor
abhishek.joshi@insightssuccess.com
Abhishek Joshi
here are many traits that can make a woman an
Tinspiring leader. Inspiring women leaders are often
able to see the big picture and envision a better
future. They are able to articulate their vision in a way that
inspires others to join them in pursuing it. These charismas
are often willing to take risks and stand up for what they
believe in, even in the face of opposition or criticism.
Leaders are often able to bounce back from setbacks and
failures, learning from their experiences and using them to
grow stronger and more determined. Women leaders often
have a deep understanding of the needs and perspectives of
others and are able to connect with people on a personal
level. They work well with others, building strong teams
and partnerships to achieve their goals.
Inspiring women leaders are often true to themselves and
their values and are able to communicate their message in a
way that is honest and sincere. These leaders are often
creative thinkers who are able to come up with new and
innovative solutions to complex problems.
Women leaders are often able to adapt to changing
circumstances and environments and are able to pivot their
strategies when necessary. Women leaders often have a
strong sense of self-assurance, which allows them to make
diﬃcult decisions and lead with conviction. They often
recognize the contributions of others and are quick to share
credit for successes rather than taking all the glory for
themselves.
Shedding the spotlight on these inspiring leaders who are
driving betterment in the dynamic business arena, CIOLook
India brings its latest edition, The Powerful Women
Business Leaders to Watch-2023. By recognizing the
contributions of women leaders, we can inspire and
encourage others to pursue their dreams and make a
positive impact in their own communities and beyond.
Flip through the pages and have a delightful read!
An Embodiment of
Magniﬁcent Leadership

Description
Sheet
As a responsible and
accountable Founder and
CEO of Ascent
Insights, Deepal has
spearheaded the services in
enhancing
the business potential of
various client organizations.
Deepika likes exploring
and bringing out new
courses to meet the latest
industry requirements.
Deepal Mistry
Founder and CEO,
Ascent Insights
Deepika Gupta
Assistant Professor in Strategy,
Indian Institute of Management
Visakhapatnam
Ankita’s progressive
experience in managing
and leading various
aspects of HR spanning
across high-paced
business domains of ITES
exempliﬁes into functions
such as Administration,
Travel, and Resource
Management.
Parul is very fond of
connecting to people
with diﬀerent domains
and forte.
Saritha is a multi-
faceted entrepreneur
who carries many
responsibilities with
grace.
Dr Ankita Singh
Senior Vice President and
Global Head of HR, IT,
Travel and Admin,
CIGNEX
Parul Chaturvedi
Director
Fixdax Technology Pvt Ltd
Saritha Devpunje
Director and Founder
Magneton Technologies
Pvt Ltd.
Leader to Watch
The Powerful
Women
Business
2 0 2 3

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FEBRUARY
2023

Articles
22 30
Deepika
Gupta An Ever-Glowing
Blaze Enlightening
the Wisdom Horizon
Cover
Story
Know your Leader
Comprehending the
Leadership Perspectives in
Digitally Advanced Industry
Admirable Aspects
Understanding the Traits that
Signify Impeccable Leadership
Approaches

CONTENTPage
Deepal Mistry
Quintessen al Catalyst of Business Growth
Profile
26
Profile
34
Profile
40
18
Profile
Dr Ankita Singh
Absolute Classiﬁca on of Transforma onal
Leadership Intellect
Parul Chaturvedi
Amplifying the Powerful Impact of Fixdax Tech
Transforma on
Saritha Devpunje
The Digital Innovator of the Modern Era

Deepika
Gupta An Ever-Glowing
Blaze Enlightening
the Wisdom Horizon
As the current Vice Chair and
Secretary on the Executive Board of the
Academy of International Business (AIB)
South Asia Chapter, was able to
Deepika
Chair two conferences in the Institute on
International Business theme.

Deepika Gupta,
Assistant Professor in Strategy,
IIMV

For an ever-learning mind, even the ocean of
knowledge is limitless. With an inquisitively curious
brain, the mind will go on gaining novel insights
into everything and expanding upon its wisdom.
That is how when Deepika Gupta, after about 12 years
with BSE Ltd., joined IIM Bangalore for the Doctoral
Programme in the Strategy Area, her mind–hungry for
learning –got a chance to relearn and upskill itself, though
she in her gracious attitude really thanks her alma mater for
grooming her. She adds, “Here too, I had the opportunity to
work with really great faculty.”
When Deepika joined the Indian Institute of
Management, Vishakhapatnam (IIMV) as Assistant
Professor in Strategy Area in June 2018, Director, Prof M
Chandrasekhar, showed confidence and trust in her and
made her the Coordinator Administration for the Institute in
August 2018 (within 2 months of joining the Institute). This
role helped to bring out leadership qualities in her and
always supported her in setting up certain rules, regulations,
policies and procedures for the Institute. “It was a team
effort with all the credits going to the Director for his
acumen and foresightedness,” says Deepika.
“The Learning is Ongoing…
In addition to being Coordinator Administration, she
handled various roles during the past four years in the
Institute like Chairing the Students Affairs Council,
Placements, Internal Complaints Committee, and was RTI
First Appellate Authority and had been on various
Committees of the Institute since 2018. Since 2021, she is
the Chair for Career Development Services and Alumni
Relations of the Institute. One of the major objectives of the
Institute is to facilitate employment opportunities to each
and every student in the flagship MBA Programme of the
Institute. The Institute is credited with exemplary
achievement of having 100% placement records each year.
Presently, she teaches courses like Competition and
Strategy, Business Government and Society, Innovation and
New Product Development, Corporate Governance, Legal
Aspects of Business, and Strategic Tax Management for
various programs like PGP, PGPEx, PGPDGM and others
at the Institute. “I also direct, conduct and take sessions in
various MDPs/EEPs organized by the Institute” she says.
She likes exploring and bringing out new courses to meet
the latest industry requirements. She takes this initiative as
a a challenge and opportunity that helps her break her own
barriers of limiting herself to the existing knowledge and
also helps in pushing the learning curve that should be an
inherent part of business management domain.
Experimenting with new subjects provides the required
length and breadth learnings to the students. For example,
courses like Corporate Governance try to inculcate the
essentials of the legal and ethical corporate frameworks in
the students who are going to be the future business
managers or leaders. Through such courses, they should
appreciate that business and facets of management are to be
strategized within the legal boundaries of an ecosystem.
“This helps to broaden not only the students’thoughts and
perspectives but also my learnings and experience. It is a
win-win situation for both stakeholders. I believe that
anyone who imparts more knowledge, the more it grows and
spreads,” she says.
Further, she got nominated as a faculty nominee on the
Board of IIMV and continues to hold the position till date,
“Which is a matter of pride for me,” she says. She is also
nominated by the Institute Board as Chief Audit Executive
of the Institute and continues to do so. The main
responsibility of Chief Audit Executive is to ensure
transparency and accountability of the financials and also
strengthen the internal control systems of the Institute. This
is essential for ensuring sustainability of the Institute way
ahead, especially when he Central Government grants shall
cease to exist and the Institute need to be self-sustaining.
She’s currently Vice Chair and Secretary on the Executive
Board of the Academy of International Business (AIB)
South Asia Chapter. She was Chair of the AIB South Asia
Chapter Conference in January 2022 and was Co-Chair for
AIB India Chapter Conference in December 2020. Each of
these conferences were conducted through electronic mode
in the Institute and had the credit of receiving more than
100 submissions and were conducted with resounding
success.
She’s the Chief Vigilance Officer (part-time) of the Institute
as nominated by Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC),
Government of India. “From Feb 2021, I hold the position
and ensure that the processes and policies of the Institute
are transparent, corruption free and adhere to the laid down
CVC manuals, circulars and guidelines to prevent any type
of malpractices or corruption in recruitment, procurement
and other administrative matters of the Institute.” This
highlights the high level of ethical perceptions by various
stakeholders and adds to build the goodwill and brand
image of the Institute.
The Powerful Women Business Leaders to Watch-2023

I also am of Sec 8
Director Finance
Company of the Institute IIMV
Foundation for Incubation
Entrepreneurial L
earning and
Development (IIMV FIELD).

She informs, “I also am Director Finance of Sec 8
Company of the Institute IIMV Foundation for Incubation
Entrepreneurial Learning and Development (IIMV
FIELD).” IIMV FIELD is the incubation and startup hub of
IIMV and, “We are one of the fastest growing incubators in
the country.” The objectives of IIMV FIELD are
• To promote, develop and nurture the culture of
entrepreneurship and innovation by way of facilitating,
enabling, creating, fostering, supporting,
funding/investing, mentoring, and managing
entrepreneurial efforts, initiatives, endeavours, and
ventures.
• To promote and develop platforms which can provide
networking opportunities for prospective and potential
entrepreneurs, students, teachers/faculty, researchers,
alumni groups, angel investor groups and other like and
to enhance possibilities of mutual learning, sharing of
knowledge and experiences; cross-fertilization of ideas;
exchange of constructive thoughts and dissemination of
best practices among such groups.
• To promote education, research and other programs and
activities in creativity, upskilling, re-skilling, re-
tooling, incubation, acceleration, innovation,
entrepreneurial learning and entrepreneurship
development and allied areas of knowledge as well as
interdisciplinary studies and domains.
She furthers that they also have a Startup Policy that is
inclusive in nature and encourages faculty and students to
be part of entrepreneurial activities. This helps the students
to understand the challenges, problems, and issues for
startups either fundraising, marketing, logistics and others.
“We, therefore, do several Capacity Building Programs to
build the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the Nation and
specifically Visakhapatnam city, Andhra Pradesh and
Telangana Regions.” IIMV FIELD has also received
government funds through various startup programs like
TIDE, DST and others.
Overall, in any role that is exercised, every student should
benefit in the form of learnings, experiences, and
enhancement of knowledge that may or may not be related
to the specific area in management domain alone but in
wholesome. It is about building an ecosystem so that the
benefits reach each and every person.
She expresses, “Overall, since I joined it has been an
enriching and exciting journey till date.”
The Journey Continues…
Deepika is currently the recipient of Visiting Research
Fellowship (2022-23) from the Gordon Institute of Business
Science (GIBS), University of Pretoria, Johannesburg,
South Africa (a triple crown accredited Institute).
In April 2022, she was awarded the C K Prahalad Prashasti
for Corporate and Social Strategy 2022 for research focus
on Cultural Entrepreneurship & Intellectual Property. This
award was conferred by ReTHINK INDIA which honoured
eminent figures in Corporate and Social Strategy to
celebrate their strategic contributions toward Aatmanirbhar
Bharat.
In addition, she is really thrilled and excited to be chosen to
feature as Cover Story for ‘The Powerful Women Business
Leader to Watch 2023’ in this esteemed CIOLOOK INDIA
magazine Special Issue ฀ ฀. “I think this marks the
beginning of the bright journey ahead….”
She graduated in Commerce from Mulund College of
Commerce, Mumbai University and then completed a
Master's in Financial Services and Management from
Alkesh Dinesh Mody Institute of Management Studies,
Mumbai University with First Rank.
She cleared the Chartered Accountancy exams on the first
attempt in May 1997 and secured All India 9th Rank in
Chartered Secretary December 1998 exams. She received
Saraswati Dhanuka Memorial Award for 1st rank amongst
female candidates and Ghanshyam Das Saraf Memorial
Gold Medal for the highest marks in the ‘Corporate Tax
Management – Indirect Tax’ paper in Chartered Secretary
Finals.
Later, she completed Post Graduate Diploma in Banking
and Securities Law with an overall 2nd Rank from Indian
Law Institute (now deemed University), Delhi. She had
been a regular recipient of various prizes, awards, and
certificates for debates, elocution competitions and others
during my school and college days.
She recalls, “I feel blessed to have strict, focused and
disciplined learning with great teachers at my school, Sau
Laxmibai English Medium School in Mulund East,
Mumbai. My father was a Mechanical Engineer from
Banaras Hindu University (now IIT-BHU) and my mother
with MA and MEd degrees served as high school-teacher.

I credit my parents for inculcating in each of the five
daughters high levels of discipline, courage, ethics, integrity
and deeply rooted beliefs along with full freedom, agility,
resilience and flexibility in what we do while growing up.
One of my sisters is Doctorate in Pharmacy and other works
in Child Education and are settled in USA. The other sisters
are Chartered Accountants and one of them works as Chief
Manager in esteemed nationalized bank in India.”
She began her professional career with M/s Shah and
Dhokia, a Chartered Accountant firm in Mumbai and
worked for about three years before joining The Bombay
Stock Exchange (now BSE Ltd.) as Management Trainee.
All the organizations where she worked provided equal
opportunity and enough space for growth and learning. She
says, “I was designated as Regional Head – North for BSE
(when the family shifted to Delhi).”
According to Deepika, IIMV is one of the new generation
IIMs, set up by the Government of India in September 2015
in line with the Andhra Pradesh Re-Organization Act, 2014.
Under the IIM Act 2017, effective from 31/01/2018, the
Institute has become a body corporate and declared as an…
Institution of National Importance
The Institute has started its academic operations in the
ongoing construction of its world-class campus of approx.
241 acres of land about 25 kilometres from the present
(temporary) state-of-the-art campus in the salubrious
Andhra University campus in the ‘City of Destiny’,
Visakhapatnam. Even though a new entrant in the Indian
Education Sector, set up through statute, IIMV has marked
its significance in a span of just seven years. The Board of
the Institute has also been instrumental in being supportive
and cooperative in timely decision making on various fronts
like academics, finances, infrastructure and other support
mechanisms.
Continuing its journey towards steady progress and growth
since its inception just seven years ago, IIMV has already
carved out for itself a niche place in the comity of IIMs,
crossing several milestones and maintaining a distinct lead
in:
• Ongoing construction of its world-class infrastructure
of IIMV Permanent Campus at Gambheeram,
Anandpuram Mandal.
https://iimv.ac.in/permanent_campus
• Having rich knowledge resources; and modern
infrastructure, even in its temporary campus, conducive
to learning outcomes of high impact;
• Having a vibrant student cohort with national character
- representing most of the states in India - they excel in
academics, co- and extra-curricular activities and
regularly win competitions pan-India.
rd
• Ranked 33 in NIRF Rankings 2022 (highest among
new generation IIMs)
• Recording top placements among ten IIMs.
• Enjoying excellent linkage with apex industry bodies
like CII;
• Having all faculty with PhDs from top-notch
institutions of India and abroad such as IIMs, IITs and
reputed foreign universities.

• Hosting the largest cohort of women entrepreneurs,
after IIM Bangalore, under a special initiative called
the Women Start-up Program;
• Launching the PhD program from the Academic Year
2019-20;
• Conducting a customized MBA Program on weekends
for experienced professionals;
• Offering (first-ever in the country) a specialized MBA
Program in Digital Governance & Management in
blended learning mode, under the aegis of and
sponsored by the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY),
Govt. of India;
• Starting a TIDE (Technology Incubation and
Development of Entrepreneurship) Center under the
aegis of and supported by MeitY, GOI (only the fifth
IIM to enjoy this recognition and privilege);
• Building the capacities of teaching staff from the
engineering colleges across the country, under the
Technical Education Quality Improvement Program,
sponsored by the National Project Implementation
Unit, Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India;
• Conducting Management Development Programs for
top-notch Central Public Sector Enterprises and
corporates.
• Designing, developing and delivering the first-ever
Certificate Program in R&D Management for the
scientists of Naval Science & Technological Lab;
DRDO, GOI;
• Receiving, on the strength of our credibility
assiduously built on strong credentials, an endowment
of ₹22.0 Million from an eminent scientist and
philanthropist (Dr B R L Row), towards the
construction of an Incubation Facility as well as the
institution of a Gold Medal to be awarded, year after
year, to the best-performing girl student in the MBA
program;
• Reaching the threshold of constructing an iconic
permanent campus with the largest area and the highest
capital allocation among the new IIMs.
Deepika states, “As our Director says, IIMV is…
A Trend-Setter and Path-Breaker”
Sharing her initial challenges after venturing into the
education industry viz-a-viz present challenges, Deepika
says that getting an admission as a student or getting
selected for teaching or otherwise with an IIM has always
been a dream for many. “I am not sure if I faced challenges
entering IIM but surely there have been initial challenges
after venturing into the education industry.” The education
industry is like any other industry. Merit and performances
are definitely recognized and awarded. There is tough
competition to outperform each other at every level.
“Initially when I took over as Coordinator Administration,
there were certain non-supportive moments that I
experienced within the Institute. ” However, one cannot
please everyone.
The efforts and actions speak and performance bars should
be set so high that it should become difficult for the others
to reach it, cross it or break it. Positive feedback received
from various stakeholders highlight the quality of work
accomplished. It is a self-satisficing feeling to be a part of
the founding family member of the Institute.

“It is worth mentioning here that mentoring, trust and
guidance of Prof M Chandrasekhar eased out some of the
challenges for me.”
The challenges are the same even now. “Now, that I handle
other portfolios, I still experience the same challenges that I
faced earlier. Sometimes, this is irritating and disgusting but
as a leader, we need to adapt forget and forgive strategies. I
too had my own lows where certain colleagues behaved
differently and suddenly their personality traits changed .
Sometimes, it gives a feeling that I am in ‘Big Boss’
House!!” Yeah, true I am an ardent Salman Khan fan!!
Being an experienced leader, Deepika opines that
‘Technology’ has always been a major force that is
transforming any sector. “However, as an Institute, I
believe, we understood its maximum potential only during
the COVID-19 pandemic.” Though they already had state-
of-the-art facilities on their temporary campus, they never
thought that they need to transform some of their learning
techniques online for the benefit of various stakeholders,
students in particular. They spent almost about ‘Rupees One
Crore’ to bring the best of the available online technological
resources so that they continue to impart quality education
seamlessly and without any friction. They also got robust
and foolproof examination platforms on board and trained
all the stakeholders about how to use them. “We thereby
managed all our programmes for almost more than two
years without any reported glitch,” she informs.
Though COVID-19 is a story of the past now, they continue
to use some of these advancements even today. Some of
their certificate programmes and executive education short-
term programmes continue on online mode. The Institute is
also planning to start the EMBA programme through hybrid
mode and, “I think many management schools have
realized the potential of technology.”
Various problems faced during the pandemic have helped
them gain experiences and these have been really useful as
inputs to get the world-class infrastructure set up in their
permanent campus. “Technology is the key instrument of
imparting education and this is to stay for the future as
well,” she feels.
In her advice, Deepika claims that Teaching is a noble
profession. “Therefore, I think, that as an academician it is
time to give back to society. My advice to the aspirants who
are looking to venture into the Management sector as an
academician is that…

Be True to Yourself and Listen to your Inner Self
…and the rest follows. Be honest, ethical and transparent.
Accept mistakes if committed and do not try to ﬁnd an
escape route to avoid accountability and responsibility.”
The tree that is fully laden with fruits always is rooted to the
ground. Be rooted to the ground, be empathetic and
sympathetic, and respect your parents and colleagues and
success will surely follow. Philosophically, be God-fearing.
Have the courage to speak the truth and follow what the
heart says. Do not be part of the herd mentality for the sake
of it. “As the former President of India Shri APJ Abdul
Kalam had said ‘Love your job to be happy’I think we
should do that.”
As a leader, one should accept risks, do accept them and be
courageous to face failures as well. There is no reward
without risks.
“My future goals are to continue working in the education
sector wherein there are no closures and every day is a new
learning.” There is no end to the limits of knowledge and
the Institute provides exactly new avenues to continue these
steps forward. “I look forward to being more active in
research and aim for some top-class publications. With the
research fellowship from GIBS, I aim to look into more
such opportunities.”
For the Institute, they continue to explore further with their
new permanent campus to be operative fully in a few
months they aim to look for more programmes, industry
connects and other activities to increase their revenues and
bottom lines to become self-sustainable.
For enhancing the teaching methods of the Institute, all the
faculty are encouraged to participate in various programmes
of reputed management schools in India or abroad to
enhance their skills so that there is innovation in teaching
methods. The course curriculum is revised at regular
intervals to maintain quality and rigour for all the
programmes. “The students are our brand ambassadors
when they graduate. These are the alumni that provide us
feedback about what the industry is looking for and how the
dynamic environment requires the Institute to revamp our
oﬀerings in terms of courses, electives, structures, outlines
and delivery. The students should be able to appreciate the
learnings and imbibe in themselves these facets that shall
help them in their professional careers,” she concludes.
My are to
future goals
continue in the
working
education sector wherein there
are no closures and every day is
a continuous new learning.

We at Ascent
Insights help
Businesses Grow
Faster through
robust science,
sound analy cs
and deep-rooted
strategy.
Deepal Mistry,
Founder and CEO
Ascent Insights
February 2023
18

Deepal
Mistry Quintessen al Catalyst of
Business Growth
Deepal recollects, “So I approached her and explained my
plans. She was so elated that she opened her inventory
room for me and said, ‘Beta take whatever you wish to and
can return whatever is not sold. Only ensure to pack it
differently since the presentation is very important.”
Discovering the Hidden Entrepreneur Within
Deepal’s first learning was about presentability, the vital
factor that wins hearts. She firmly believes that ‘Presenta-
tion is Important.’ Hence, with this idea, she put little
Handwritten Grandma stories as a card on top of each
toddler item and gave it an interestingly different look.
Even the handicraft items had their engaging genesis
displayed on the label. Deepal reveals, “This was my
learning into creativity and packaging innovation. It taught
me to see beyond the price tag. One of the most important
factors in the buying decision- The buyer’s emotion.”
This precious lesson learned at the age of 16 came in handy
when Deepal was into the B-school and fully realized its
power when she got into the corporate world, building
brands from scratch to 500 Crores. (You can download the
journey of the brand Telma: Building and Defending the
Market Leader on the Harvard Business Review site:
https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/IMB521-PDF-ENG)
Throughout her over two decades of experience that
involved several levels of hierarchy, including a Strategic
Business Unit Head in Pan India, Deepal always pondered
on one aspect, “Are we done yet with the customer journey?
Today’s Gen Z are already thinking very differently;
tomorrow’s Gen T – Deepal’s acronym for Generation
Technology – would be way ahead, so how can the brands
and businesses remain relevant? What is ‘that Unique
Strategy’which would align with their needs and create
value for a brand.”
Entrepreneurial enterprises sustaining and succeed-
ing in the changing economy have grasped the
market's pulse. The key differentiators have been to
understand the client's requirements, ascertain their needs,
and offer customized solutions that suit their needs.
Building the foundations of growth through frequent
communication and brand promotion strategies, Deepal
Mistry has emerged as a master entrepreneur, propelling
the progress of several business organizations. As a
responsible and accountable Founder and CEO of Ascent
Insights, Deepal has spearheaded the services in enhancing
the business potential of various client organizations.
Deepal hailed from a business family. Thus, she inherited
the entrepreneurial legacy right from an early age. Having
witnessed the highs and lows of a business, she did her first
stint of doing business independently in 12th Grade.
An Early Bird Spreading Her Wings
Along with her two other friends, Deepal began a small
business from scratch. She reminisces about her experience,
“To top it all, we (my two friends and me) even made a
profit of 3200/- rupees each.” A good start in 2005 for a 16-
year-old. “But more than the profit, it was the process that
gave me many insights,” says Deepal.
The trio had put up a sale of handicraft items, sarees, and
toddler accessories. Each of them had to arrange for one of
the segments. From these, Deepal took up the responsibility
for the toddler accessories and handicraft items. She
approached an aunt living in her area who made these items
at home. The aunt (who is no more) had a lovely hand at it,
and the finishing could give today’s branded items a run for
their money.
February 2023 19

Deepal shares, “Pondering upon this, sitting in the corner
cabin of one of India’s top 15 Pharmaceutical companies, I
was thinking of a way where Technology, Human Intelli-
gence and Artificial Intelligence can work alongside each
other rather than replacing the other to ensure a brand’s
success.” How can Human intelligence and Artificial
Intelligence play together? This idea led to the birth of
‘Ascent Insights.’
Polishing the Gems of Personality
Ascent Insights offers the best advertising communication,
brand promotions, business management, organization,
administration, and office functions. Deepal coins it, “We
Help Businesses Grow Faster.”
Deepal Mistry has illustrious titles wrapped around her
name, including the winner of the Nationwide Women
Excellence Award Strategic Industry Leader 2022,
Global 50 Glory Award 2021 and Under 50 Business
Leader Award. She is a member of Leaders Excellence
and a certified leader at Harvard Her Square.
She has also published her case studies in her review of her
business at Harvard, and is studied by marketing students in
various management curriculums including IIMs across the
country. She has expanded her career from Field Sales
Representative to Head of Sales and Marketing at a Pan
India level as Head of Strategic Business Unit in one of the
top 15 Indian pharmaceutical companies. She has built
mega brands of 50 billion upwards from scratch which
enjoy top positions in their respective segments today.
With 23 years of strong marketing, sales and P&L experi-
ence in companies like Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, she
founded Ascent Insights in 2019 to help companies find
strategic and competitive ways for their brands. The
mission of Ascent Insights is to deliver bulls eye strategies
with actionable insights that help achieve competitive
advantage and sustainable growth. Deepal and the team at
Ascent Insights enables strategic development and growth
for some of the top Indian and MNC brands in the
healthcare sector.
Steering through the Stormy Waters
Rightly reflecting on the quote, ‘A smooth sea never makes
a good sailor,’ every growing business must venture into
new markets and take calculated risks. There are probably
150 million startups worldwide today, with 50 million new
startups launched yearly. Deepal says, “So yes, there is a
myriad of challenges that I faced when I started.”
Tackling Unrealistic Expectations
"My crazy expectations were mostly from myself. I
expected to be Super Mom, wife of the year, and build a
successful business all in the same year. Even though I was
(and am) doing great in all the key areas of life, I often felt
inadequate, which was exhausting. That is when I realized I
needed to translate the real expectations. Whether from self
or in business. Sustainability is the name of the game. And
sustainability requires consistent efforts.”
High yet logical expectations with tracking available
resources, the extent of growth potential, scalability and
other market factors are essential to succeed in this highly
competitive world.
Comprehending the Basics of Financial Management
Money begets money. When income increases, expendi-
tures also increase. Balancing income and expenditure
carefully without affecting the growth momentum is the key
secret of a successful business. Another biggest challenge
was financial management which I could navigate with the
proper resource management, thanks to my learnings at
Glenmark of P&L management.
Winning the Trust of Customers
The customer is the king. Winning a customer’s trust is one
of the most important challenges. Deepal expresses, “We at
Ascent Insights work aggressively to implement a customer-
centric working philosophy. It enables their brands to attain
the sustainable growth and progress they desire to achieve
in this tech-savvy, challenging and competitive business
world with speed led by strategic insights.” Customer
satisfaction encourages the internal teams and fuels our
growth with happy customers referring services to other
business organizations.
Building a passionate team
Deepal quotes Michael Jordan, formal American basketball
player and businessman, “Talent wins games, but teamwork
and intelligence win championships.” Creating a team that
can own and translate your passion as theirs is the biggest
asset one can have. She is fortunate to have a team like that,
thinks Deepal. Grounded in attitude but reaching the
universe with their ideas, her team is a group of passionate
individuals.
Last but not least challenge was Achieving a work-life
balance. “As a mom of two and owner of two businesses,
my greatest challenge as a female entrepreneur was finding
balance. It can feel like your heart and time are being
tugged in a million different directions simultaneously.”
February 2023
20

The solution: "However, one thing that has helped me
achieve that balance is creating schedules and systems."
Brand Building USPs
Deepal’s professional values and qualities valued most in
her and Ascent Insights by clients are Insights, Innovation,
Consistency and Commitment. Regarding Ascent Insights’
uniqueness, Deepal thinks that behind every growth success
story is a thoughtful strategy. She adds, “We firmly believe
that true differentiation takes courage, especially in an
industry bound by many promotional restrictions. That is
why we use fact-based reasoning to overcome objections,
build buy-in and establish critical brand momentum.”
Inspiring Words
Replying as advice to the budding professionals willing to
enter the business world, Deepal says that one must stop
listening to all of these generalized "experts". Know your
strengths and weaknesses – not what everyone says they
should be as a woman. Use your strengths, address your
weaknesses and pursue your goals.
A man, tough in business dealings, is respected for being
savvy and getting things done. A woman is dismissed as
being shrewd and bossy. Taking a woman boss or entrepre-
neur is not every man’s cup of tea.
Pro tip: ‘Know your stuff, real deep.’ Cliched, but you
should know your product or business like a mother knows
her child. Nobody better than her can know. And on a
lighter note, to top it, if you can discuss cricket, you are
definitely into the playing 11 (read team).
Never get scared to ask what you want to learn—and never
get stopped by emotional or surrounding forces to stop you
from learning.
Envisaging a Dynamic Future
Regarding her envisioning Ascent Insights’ operations with
the emerging technologies and automated tools that are
revolutionizing the business world by enabling innovations,
Deepal says that in the past ten years, we have seen
technology moving at supersonic speed, probably touching
human lives in a fashion that has practically modified the
laws of Maslow’s theory. Involvement and implementation
of technology have made themselves an integral part of the
grid.
“We at Ascent Insights are working towards this vision
where Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence work
together, thereby helping Brands grow,” Deepal concludes.
February 2023 21

Comprehending the
Leadership Perspectives in
Digitally Advanced
Industry
In the modern digitally advanced industry, leadership perspectives have undergone a
significant shift. With the rapid pace of technological change, leaders need to be
more adaptable, innovative, and forward-thinking than ever before. Here are some of
the key leadership perspectives that are essential for success in the digitally advanced
industry:
Visionary Leadership: In the digitally advanced industry, leaders need to have a clear
vision of where their organization is headed. This requires a deep understanding of
emerging technologies, market trends, and customer needs. Visionary leaders are able to
identify new opportunities and create a roadmap for success.
They can give their organization a competitive advantage. By providing a clear direction
and inspiring innovation, they can help the organization stay ahead of the curve and
differentiate itself from competitors.
Visionary leadership is a style of leadership that involves setting a clear vision for an
organization and inspiring others to work towards that vision. Visionary leaders can give
their organization a competitive advantage. By providing a clear direction and inspiring
innovation, they can help the organization stay ahead of the curve and differentiate itself
from competitors.
Visionary leadership offers many benefits to organizations. By providing a clear vision,
inspiring and motivating employees, encouraging innovation, improving decision-
making, fostering adaptability, building a strong culture, and creating a competitive
advantage, visionary leaders can help organizations achieve success in today's dynamic
and competitive business environment.
February 2023
22

February 2023 23
Know
your
Leader

February 2023
24
Collaborative Leadership: Collaboration is essential in the
digitally advanced industry. With so many stakeholders
involved in the development and implementation of new
technologies, leaders need to be skilled at building strong
relationships and working eﬀectively with others.
Collaborative leaders are able to build high-performing
teams and create a positive work culture.
Agile Leadership: The digitally advanced industry is
characterized by rapid change and uncertainty. Leaders
need to be agile and adaptable, able to pivot quickly in
response to new information or market conditions. Agile
leaders are able to make quick decisions, take calculated
risks, and learn from failure.
Data-Driven Leadership: In the digitally advanced
industry, data is king. Leaders need to be able to analyze
and interpret large amounts of data in order to make
informed decisions. Data-driven leaders are able to identify
trends, track performance, and make data-backed decisions
that drive growth.
Ethical Leadership: As technology continues to transform
the industry, leaders need to be aware of the ethical
implications of their decisions. Ethical leaders are able to
balance the needs of their organization with the needs of
their customers, employees, and society as a whole.
Ethical leadership is a style of leadership that emphasizes
moral values and principles. It involves making decisions
and taking actions that are based on ethical principles, and
that prioritize the well-being of others.
Increased Trust: Ethical leaders are more likely to be
trusted by their employees, customers, and stakeholders. By
demonstrating a commitment to ethical principles, leaders
can build trust and establish strong relationships with those
around them.
Improved Reputation: Ethical leadership can enhance an
organization's reputation. When leaders prioritize ethical
behavior, they are more likely to be seen as trustworthy,
credible, and reliable. This can help to attract customers and
investors and can also help to retain employees.
Inclusive Leadership: Inclusion is becoming increasingly
important in the digitally advanced industry. Leaders need
to be able to create a diverse and inclusive workplace that
fosters innovation and creativity. Inclusive leaders are able
to attract and retain top talent from a wide range of
backgrounds and perspectives.
Ethical leadership can help to build stronger relationships
with stakeholders. By prioritizing the needs of others and
demonstrating a commitment to ethical principles, leaders
can establish trust and build strong relationships with
employees, customers, investors, and other stakeholders.
Customer-Centric Leadership: In the digitally advanced
industry, customer needs are constantly changing. Leaders
need to be able to anticipate these changes and adapt their
strategies accordingly. Customer-centric leaders are able to
create products and services that meet the evolving needs of
their customers, building loyalty and driving growth.
In conclusion, the digitally advanced industry requires a
new kind of leadership. Leaders need to be visionary,
collaborative, agile, data-driven, ethical, inclusive, and
customer-centric. By embracing these leadership
perspectives, organizations can stay ahead of the curve,
drive innovation, and succeed in the rapidly evolving digital
landscape.
-Kedar Borgaonkar

February 2023
26

February 2023 27

February 2023
28

Understanding the Traits that
Approaches
February 2023
30

uccessful business organizations have been led by
Sprominent influential leaders who have inspired and
guided the teams towards focused working and
delivering the best services. Researchers have identified the
crucial change of the mindset towards broader and holistic
thinking, to have accelerated the productivity of the
organization powered by stoic leadership.
There are several organizations that have been steered by
influential leaders on the path of gradual progress, coming
out to be effective, prominent, and significant in the aspects
of innovation, product development, services, and client
satisfaction. The list goes long with new names getting
added in the business era heralded by a series of dynamic
leaders like Gautam Adani from Adani Group, Roshni
Nadar of HCL Infosystems, Mukesh Ambani of Reliance
Group, Falguni Nayar of Naykaa, Ratan Tata, Chairman
Tata Group, Anand Mahindra MD Mahindra Group, Kiran
Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon Ltd and more. It is interesting
to understand the various traits of successful
businesswomen that have been noticed in their unique
leadership approaches.
Strong Self Belief
Successful leaders are practical thinkers having a strong
self-belief in making things happen. Knowing the various
aspects of the organization from the depth of operations, the
leaders are very focused and specific about executing the
plans. Track and monitor the systems to prepare the
required strategies. Leaders reflect amazing confidence in
their communication and behaviour. Their preparedness in
every meeting and the day-to-day business functions
reflects their finesse and control over the discussion. This
belief portrays their ability to maneuver various challenges
and succeed in the business.
Presentable Professionals
Business leaders are always nicely groomed and well-
presented saying a lot about themselves. It shows that they
have got everything in control and take pride in their
appearance. Good dressing reflects their self-respect.
February 2023 31

February 2023
32
Business leaders are never short of anything but pristine
and stylish – in fact, everyone is likely to catch these
leaders on the ‘best dressed’ celebrities of some great event.
The dressing, shoes, accessories, methods of using the
gadgets, posture, and movements all reflect a class of their
level. The complete personality portrays an inspiring aura
that motivates and impresses the people around.
Business today is about a lot more than being good at the
job; it’s about building a personal own brand as well as that
of the organization as well.
Welcome Challenges Openly
Business leaders are fierce performers themselves in
finishing the tasks from their ‘To-Do’ list. This quality
makes them unmatched professionals who remain far ahead
in their deliveries and execution. They are very adept and
agile in handling several types of challenges. It so happens
that as they complete one from the list, another three appear
at the bottom with their own timelines. They don’t see any
problem with this either, but rather enjoy re-prioritizing the
task list thereby pushing themselves to see what they can
achieve.
Understanding that not everything on the to-do list will be
accomplished but will be completed sooner is also a sign of
their strength.
Healthy Work-Life Balance
Progressive business leaders with successful careers have a
healthy work-life balance. They are not the first ones to
wind off the day early and head for some enjoyment, but
they are the experts in maintaining a healthy balance in
their work and personal lives. Keeping both things separate
and clearly defined, they lead lives with proper planning
and distribution of priorities. They are also flexible in
juggling between priorities when they team up for the late-
night presentation of the board meeting or work hard to
meet the commitments of the employees, vendors, clients,
and even investors. This comes down to the fact that they
prioritize what’s important and make time for a life out of
work. That time out allows for perspective and gives
women with high-powered, stressful careers the opportunity
to unwind and refocus when necessary.
Support Others
Successful leaders promptly support their team members;
they encourage other people to learn and take up higher
responsibilities in business and more often in helping others
climb the corporate ladder. Modern leaders who have
achieved success recognize and appreciate the hurdles their
peers will have to overcome and guide them accordingly.
Business leaders allow the employees to identify the work
from a different perspective and apply creative thoughts
from their active involvement in the work.
Passionate Managers
Looking at the business from a commercial enterprise to a
solution powerhouse, today’s business leaders have
displayed amazing talent in their high degree of
involvement in organizational operations. Developing a
clear understanding, they identify an outcome that would
offer the best possible solution to the intended purpose to
the clients, and everyone involved in the chain. Openly
brainstorm with the teams, and help in generating new
possibilities of better and more efficient working, the
leaders ensure cracking the best possible ‘improved’
solution adding substance to the working objectives.
-Kedar Borgaonkar

February 2023
34

February 2023 35

February 2023
36

February 2023 37

I always wanted
to be an
employment
generator, which
is the only
reason I started
the business.
Saritha Devpunje,
Director and Founder
Magneton Technologies Pvt Ltd.
February 2023
40

Sha
Devpunje
The Digital Innovator of the Modern Era
In today’s world, there are numerous courageous tales
of passionate fights, and facing devastating obstacles,
yet getting up after each fall, stepping further out of
one's comfort zone and contributing to social well-being,
despite one's own tragedies. These stories inspire us to
dream and pursue our dream in whatever circumstances
may come and challenge us.
In honour of International Women's Day, on the eve of 8th
May 2022, Saritha Devpunje was honoured with the
Women of the Substance Award-2022 in the Entrepreneurs
Category by SheInspire Magazine. Several accomplish-
ments have led to her receiving this recognition.
Saritha is a multi-faceted entrepreneur who carries many
responsibilities with grace. She works as the Director of
Magneton Technologies Pvt Ltd, as well as the CTO of
AIontheFly Technologies Pvt Ltd and Dr Alka Skincare and
Healthcare.
Saritha is a free spirit at heart as well. She worked at
CISCO for a while but was never satisfied with being a
company employee. Her goal was always to create job
opportunities for others. So, in 2014, she quit her job and
founded a small training agency with the help of her
mother's investment. This was followed by the establish-
ment of a web design firm in collaboration with her brother
Shiv Sagar Devpunje, sister Sarika Devpunje, and her
husband, Mukesh.
The Stream of Powerful Currents
Mukesh, Saritha’s husband, died in a tragic accident in
2018, leaving her with a baby girl to raise on her own.
While the incident devastated her, it also strengthened her.
She now runs Magneton Tech, which has over 60 employ-
ees and many satisfied clients. IT Training (for colleges and
corporations), interview as a service, recruitment, web
development, mobile app development, digital marketing,
cyber security, hosting, branding, digital business transfor-
mation, AI and ML VR, and MatterPort Photography are
among Magneton's services.
Magneton Tech has completed over 750 projects and has
over 150 regular customers in its ten-year history.
Magneton Tech brings together a group of passionate minds
to make clients' visions a reality, providing an amazing
digital experience for clients' users. From website design
and development to scalable mobile apps and SaaS
platforms, the solutions it engineers help clients increase
efficiency and growth.
"We are committed to achieving and pushing the level of
performance at all times," Saritha says. “We deliver end-to-
end solutions for multi-million dollar funded start-ups to
small and medium enterprises by leveraging the power of
technology. Art and culture inspire us as well, and our
presence in Bangalore, Kolhapur, and Pune reflects this.”
Saritha’s Dream Magneton
Magneton technologies started in 2014 as a training
institute and have spread its stream of services into,
• web design and development: Magneton offers
professional web design services at affordable rates to
help your business attract more visitors and keep them
on your site. It builds digital shopping experiences to
meet ambitious sales goals for your e-commerce.
February 2023 41

• Mobile app development: Magneton’s professional
app developers build custom mobile apps to assist in
the growth of your business.
• 360 Degree photography: Unique corporate style that
fits your customer's needs and vision. Contextual
advertising on Google and Facebook can lead to
instant customers.
• Training in IT space in both colleges and corporates
• Interview as a service
• AI and ML consultancy
• Building franchise for UK-based dermatology brand:
Dr Alka Skincare and Healthcare: Recently, Saritha
has also branched out into the wellness space with a
start-up - SreeAvnee, distributing skincare products
for a premium dermatologically-approved brand
across South India - again to generate employment
opportunities to some, and bring affordable skincare
solutions to others.
According to her, Magneton Tech's professional values and
qualities that clients admire the most are customer satisfac-
tion, customer-first approach, 24/7 availability, honesty, and
promising less and delivering more.
"Our reviews are on Google, and I would say they truly
reflect our accomplishments more than anything else,"
Saritha says.
Similarly, Magneton Tech's USPs that highlight its unique-
ness, according to Saritha, are that it is a growing company
with a focus on customer satisfaction and needs. "We
always understand customers' needs and suggest solutions
based on that," Saritha adds.
An Ever-Flowing River of Inspirations
Saritha enjoys hand embroidery and has created many saris.
"I always wanted to be an employment generator, and that
is why I started the business," she says.
She believes that it is possible to pursue both scientific and
artistic interests and that they are not mutually exclusive.
Another interest is travelling. "Over time, the milestones
changed, and now I would say that I love business, and the
desire to grow drives me to hustle," says Saritha.
Her professional advice to women and everyone is to get
out of their comfort zone. Only then can one attain success.
Her philosophy is that everyone faces obstacles in life and
that no one is fortunate enough to have a clear path ahead of
them. The initial challenges she had to surmount to ensure
Magneton’s success were many: talent, attrition, capital,
operating expenses, and Societal pressure. She decided to
cross those hurdles instead of giving up, which has kept her
going.
On the Future Shores
As an experienced professional, Saritha advises budding
aspirants willing to enter the business world to gauge the
strengths in their bones under the raging storms. She says
do not procrastinate; if you have an idea, start working on
it. It is never too late to start a business.
It is of utmost importance to get out of your comfort zone
and start working.
There will be a lot of challenges and occasions that break
you. It is important to understand that only when we break
do we understand what we are made up of! Gather those
pieces and start again.
When asked how she envisions Magneton Tech’s operations
with the emerging technologies and automated tools that are
revolutionising the business world by enabling innovations,
Saritha says that the automation and application of emerg-
ing technologies are a must to sustain. “It not only saves a
lot of costs but brings in much discipline in the processes
we follow in the company,” concludes Saritha.
February 2023
42

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