Prof Mrs Rajita Kulkarni — CEO
3 decades. 3 sectors. 50 countries. 1 conviction — That the most enduring institutions are built at the intersection of strategy, governance, and human values. My leadership journey spans global banking, higher education, and institutional governance - each sharpening the other. At Citibank, I was part of one of Asia-Pacific’s most complex retail operations: 750 branches, 16,000 people, 12 countries, and a USD 850 million balance sheet. That experience didn’t just build financial acumen — it forged a leadership philosophy rooted in scale, accountability, and the ability to hold together vastly different cultures under a single, coherent vision. Today, as President of Sri Sri University, I lead an institution of genuine scale and ambition — 11 faculties, 100 UG/PG programmes, 305 PhD scholars, 34 Centres of Excellence, 245 MOUs and global partnerships, 5 distance learning programmes, 25+ skill-building initiatives, a 100-bed Ayurveda hospital, over 10,000 students, and 3 million sq ft of built infrastructure. This is transformation with intention — positioning a university to be globally competitive, financially resilient, and values-driven. I currently serve on 5 international boards, 7 national boards, and 17 councils, task forces, and advisory bodies — bringing independent judgment and strategic clarity to my roles. My affiliations include the Indian Institute of Science, FICCI, and ASSOCHAM. As President of the World Forum for Ethics in Business for 14 years, I led a global board and built institutional partnerships with the European Parliament, United Nations, World Bank, FIFA, Norwegian Olympic Association, WADA, and the Max Planck Institute — among others. What sets me apart is the ability to move fluidly between a boardroom and a policy table, between a P&L conversation and a culture transformation, between a global strategy and its last-mile execution. I am recognised among India’s Top 100 Inspirational Women, a Fortune India Top 50 Future Leader, and a global award-winning leader in education. I am a bestselling author, a TEDx speaker, and have addressed over 5,000 forums worldwide — from boardrooms to gatherings of millions. As a global board member of TLEX Institute, I have trained leaders from over 50 countries. Together with my team, we have delivered over 1 million hours of training to more than 100,000 people. A particular passion is women’s leadership — my programme “Breakthrough Leadership for Women” has brought together women leaders from 47 countries. If you are building something needs both scale & soul, would love to talk
Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in Education and Governance with a focus on strategic transformation.
Location: South Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Experience: 22 yrs 3 mos
Skills
- Leadership
- Strategic Planning
- Governance
- Project Management
- Policy
- Training
- Coaching
- Management
Career Highlights
- Led transformation at Sri Sri University with global partnerships.
- Trained leaders from over 50 countries through TLEX Institute.
- Recognized among India's Top 100 Inspirational Women.
Work Experience
Confederation of Indian Private Universities (CIPU)
Convener - Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committe (1 yr 5 mos)
Member National Council (1 yr 5 mos)
Kent RO Systems Ltd.
Independent Director (1 yr 7 mos)
AICRA - All India Council for Robotics & Automation
Chairperson- Education Steering Committee (2 yrs 5 mos)
SSU Innovation Foundation
Chairperson (2 yrs 8 mos)
ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India)
Member National Council (2 yrs 11 mos)
Co-Chairperson Nationa Education Council (2 yrs 11 mos)
Regional Vice Chair, National Education Council (5 yrs 3 mos)
Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)
Advisory Council Member (3 yrs 1 mo)
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Member of the Board of Advisors (3 yrs 2 mos)
Renu - The Foundation of Arts
Board Member (4 yrs 3 mos)
Board Member (4 yrs 3 mos)
Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
Member of the Court (4 yrs 7 mos)
Association of Indian Principals
Advisory Council Member (4 yrs 8 mos)
John Von Neumann University
Honorary Professor (4 yrs 10 mos)
Centre for Education Growth and Research
National Council Member (5 yrs 7 mos)
Art of Living Government Executive Programs
National Advisory Council (5 yrs 10 mos)
Atal Innovation Mission
Mentor of Change (6 yrs)
Confederation of Indian Industry
Co Convenor Eastern Region Education Council (6 yrs 8 mos)
FICCI
National Higher Education Council Member (7 yrs 3 mos)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir Trust
Trustee (9 yrs)
Sri Sri University
President (9 yrs 1 mo)
Member Board of Governors (17 yrs 3 mos)
Barrett Values Centre
Culture Transformation Tools Certified Trainer (9 yrs 1 mo)
Art of Living Health & Education Trust
Board Member (9 yrs 3 mos)
Integral Coaching Canada
Integral Associate Coach (11 yrs)
World Bank Group
Leadership Consultant (12 yrs 10 mos)
World Forum for Ethics in Business
President (13 yrs 8 mos)
Member of the Management Board (15 yrs 6 mos)
TLEX Institute
Global Board Member TLEX INSTITUTE (16 yrs 3 mos)
Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth
Governor - Finance and Administration (20 yrs 3 mos)
Citibank
Asia Pacific Training and Customer Advocay Head - Retail Assets (6 yrs)
Education
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) at University of Mumbai
High School Graduation at I E S English Medium School
