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‘Reaching the unicorn position is not the destination, how you enjoy the journey makes it an infinite game path,” says Mr. Phanindra Sama, Founder – redBus
“Non-hierarchical systems make teams exceptional,” says Mr. Jayesh Ranjan
Mr. Jayesh Ranjan; Ms. Vani Kola; Mr. Phanindra Sama and other stellar speakers were part of the power-packed panel discussions
Hyderabad, 28 February 2025: Today Heartfulness hosted a one-of-a-kind “Heartfulness Startup Forum” themed ‘In Pursuit of Purpose’ at the largest meditation centre in the world at Kanha Shanti Vanam – the headquarters of Heartfulness in the outskirts of Hyderabad. As India ascends as a global economic powerhouse, its startup ecosystem plays an important role in driving sustained growth. Research indicates that the most successful entrepreneurs are characterised by strong emotional resilience to navigate the crests and troughs of a fast-paced, uncertain environment. The Heartfulness Startup Forum brought together a couple of hundred founders to develop clarity, composure and well-being to thrive as leaders.
The forum hosted successful founders, industry stalwarts who shared how they overcame challenges in their entrepreneurial journey through strong practices like meditation, activities that lead to personal fulfilment that help them tackle stress, burnout and other routine mental challenges. The full-day conference was free of charge exploring the themes of emotional resilience, personal holistic well-being through unique practical sessions, panels and several peer, mentor connects.
One of the esteemed speakers, Mr. Jayesh Ranjan – Special Chief Secretary of the Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT) Departments of the Telangana government said in a fireside chat with Ms. Pragya Misra – Public Policy and Partnerships Lead, OpenAI, “As a leader, non-hierarchical support and recognition of your team are essential to make it exceptional. You have to respect and recognise your team’s worth. Cracking civil services in the first attempt reinforced in me the belief that you should count your blessings. You should help and facilitate the journey of others as well.” He also spoke on dealing with burnout, “I balance between work and life. I support charity, art, culture, sports and I am on boards of a lot of think-tanks. I attend social events, plays, art events etc. towards the end of the day that keep me charged up.”
“Reaching the unicorn position is not the only destination. It is how you enjoy the journey that makes it an infinite game path. Not being able to raise money is not a deterrent. What is really stopping an entrepreneur is the threshold of the stress that he can manage. We need meditation for emotional resilience and build our ability to perceive the reality as it is. Meditation is the path to remove our sanskaras. That is the way for us to increase our capacity and arrive where we want to arrive,” said Mr. Phanindra Sama – Founder, Red Bus.
Ms. Aarti Gupta – Partner, Anikarth Ventures said, “Being impactful and bringing meaningful change while making money is my measure of success. Digest and reflect on how small problems in a company can have exponential and compounding effect in the future. Don’t tie yourself to the valuation of your startup. Women have a twisted relationship with money. Women must understand their money and know how to grow it.”
Ms. Mallika Reddy – Founder, Cancelled Plans; Srikanth Iyer – Founder, Homelane; Mr. Om Dhumatkar – Life Coach & Speaker; Mr. Shivakumar Ganesan – Founder, Exotel; and Mr. Sateesh Andra – MD, Endiya Partners also shed light on their inspiring journey for every entrepreneur to draw lessons from.
Ms. Vani Kola – MD, Kalaari Capital said, “This is one of the most looked up to start up forums because in present times we need the endurance to withstand the impediments life can throw at us, the resilience to wade through it and lead a successful startup. The forum can help us understand how to integrate meditation into our lives for better decision-making, clarity in thought and equanimity.”
Rev. Daaji – Guide of Heartfulness & President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission said, “We need to raise a generation of entrepreneurs who not only make successful businesses but also inspire as resilient and balanced individuals. The rate at which India is producing startup entrepreneurs also means there needs to be heightened awareness and consciousness to apply in leadership, decision making and risk management. This forum is about empowerment on these terms.”
The forum as part of the “Heartfulness: Advancing in Entrepreneurship” is an initiative to address these unique challenges by integrating heart-based meditation & relaxation practices. Heartfulness has a transformative impact that will alter the trajectory of entrepreneurs, enhancing their self-awareness, leadership style, and the application of inner wisdom in daily business activities.
The forum also hosted a scintillating performance by Madras Mehfil Collective adding more flavour to the startup forum.
