https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharmaprasad/

Dr. Dharma Prasad, Mysore (2026)

28/04/2026

Some leaders build products.
Some build companies.
And then there are leaders who build reputations for others.

I recently featured N. Ravi Shankar, CEO & Co-Founder of Aim High Consulting.

What stood out to me was not just his journey, but how he thinks.

From a science background to an MBA, and then choosing communication and public relations, Ravi built a firm that has worked with 18 unicorns, supported 500+ clients, and earned multiple industry recognitions.

But what defines him is this:

He does not measure success by media coverage.
He measures it by the change a business creates.

Even when speaking about Ola, he focuses on how drivers became asset owners, not headlines.

Alongside this, he continues to write in Kannada, with over 1,200 articles and 6 books, quietly contributing back to his roots.

A reminder for young professionals:
Your degree is just a starting point.
What you choose to build is what defines you.

Watch his interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v-TdHlrbVs

21/04/2026

Everyone wants a good career.
Very few take ownership of building one.

Recently, I interacted with students at JSS College of Arts, Commerce and Science (Autonomous) on career readiness and changing industry trends.

I asked them a simple question.

A few years from now, many of you will have similar degrees.
So why will your lives look completely different?

That question changes how you think.

I’ve been there myself.
Confused. Waiting. Looking for clarity.

But one shift made all the difference.

The moment I stopped waiting for direction and started taking responsibility, everything changed.

I observed more.
Learned beyond what was taught.
Acted more.

Confidence didn’t come from thinking.
It came from repeated action.

That’s what Prashanth Rajashekar and I discussed with the students.

Not advice. Not theory.
Just a way to look at careers differently.

Three things that shape careers today:

• Clarity creates direction
• Skills create capability
• Visibility creates opportunity

And all three need consistency.

The world is changing fast.
Roles are evolving. Opportunities are unpredictable.

So the real question is not
“What job will I get?”

It is
“Will I stay relevant?”

That answer is in your daily choices.

Start before you feel ready.

What are you doing today to build your direction?

13/04/2026

The real starting point is not innovation.
It is an observation.

Spent some time at the TiE Mysuru NeXtFounders Q&A session with young entrepreneurs, and what stood out was not just the energy, but also the questions.

Not “how to start fast,”
But “how to choose right.”

There’s a shift happening.
Students today are not chasing shortcuts. They are trying to understand the process, the trade-offs, the reality behind ambition.

We often talk about entrepreneurship as funding, valuation, and scale.
But most journeys begin much earlier.

With discomfort.
With noticing something that doesn’t work well enough.

It was interesting to hear different journeys in the room.
From Mehul Jain’s perspective as a young builder turning everyday problems into opportunities to Bhaskarr Kalale’s experience across roles, companies, and ventures.

One common thread we all agreed on: Revenue is validation.

If someone is willing to pay,
the problem is real.
the solution matters.

There is no fixed path.
No single formula.

Entrepreneurship is not glamorous.
It is judgment, timing, resilience, and continuous learning.

And failure?
Not the biggest risk.

Not trying is.

You don’t need everything figured out.
You just need to begin.

06/04/2026

When the training ends, what actually begins?

I was recently at the passing-out parade of the 46th batch of PSI probationers at Karnataka Police Academy. 327 officers. 90 women. Sharp uniforms. A well-organised ceremony.

But standing there and watching closely, it felt like something far more significant, a shift; from being trained to being answerable.

A few cadets fainted during the parade. Some were helped aside. One was carried away. The formation continued. No drama. No pause. Just the march going on.

That image stayed with me.

It reminded me of my NCC days preparing for the Dasara parade of 1993 in Mysuru. Weeks of repetition, correction, and controlled discomfort. The real test wasn't in practice, it was in that stretch during the actual march where your body was no longer cooperating, but your feet kept moving.

You don't continue because you feel strong. You continue because somewhere along the way, you decided you would not stop.

That's what these 327 officers carry into their careers now.

A degree tells people you completed something.
A uniform tells people you have taken on something.
But it's the character that decides what you do when no one is watching.

Some roles don't end with achievement. They just begin there.

Proud to witness this.
Congratulations to the 46th batch and to the Karnataka Police Academy for the exceptional parade under the leadership of Mr. SL IPS.

Police Service Association Government Of India Chief Minister of Karnataka
But character that decides what you do when no one is watching.ip

30/03/2026

The next big revolution will not be downloaded. It will be built.

Spent time at The National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru for NAVANIETI, a 24-hour hardware hackathon.

Honestly, what stayed with me wasn’t the event. It was the room.

A room full of students not just “learning engineering”… but already trying to build things that interact with the real world.

We’ve all been talking about AI.
But here’s what’s becoming obvious:
AI alone doesn’t do much unless something connects it to reality.
Sensors. Electronics. Systems.

That’s where the real shift is happening.

From software → systems
From screens → physical outcomes

I saw students working on embedded builds, sensing devices, real-time response systems. Not slides. Not concepts. Actual working prototypes.

And this is not limited to one field.
Same thinking is now entering:
Biotech
Agriculture
Healthcare
Disaster response

Different domains. Same core.
Engineering that interacts with life.

And seeing all this in India matters.
India is not a simulation environment.
It’s a stress-test lab.
If something works here, it can work anywhere.

That’s why hackathons like this matter.

Not for the competition.
But for what can begin here.

A 24-hour build can become something serious.
A team can stay and keep building.
Only if there is intent.

One thing I keep telling students:
Don’t build to impress. Build to solve.

And don’t stay invisible.

Share what you are building.
Talk about what failed.
Show how you improved.

That’s where real opportunities come from.

Came back with one clear thought:
The future will not just be coded. It will be built.

23/03/2026

Selfie with a Leader | Sudhanva Dhananjaya

Some leaders build companies.
Some create jobs.
A rare few build people.

And then there are leaders who build systems that shape generations.

Sudhanva Dhananjaya is one of them.

What stayed with me after meeting him was not scale.
It was clarity.

👉 Education is not about content.
👉 It is about capability.

At a time when startups were not even a trend, he built Excelsoft Technologies with a long-term view of transforming how learning works.

Today, Excelsoft impacts millions of learners globally.
A team of ~1,000 people building platforms used by universities, publishers, and institutions worldwide.

But what stands out more?

He didn’t stop with technology.
He built a school.

At Excel Public School, the focus is simple:
Thinking > Memorizing
Curiosity > Compliance

“The goal of education is not marks. It is a mindset.”

That line stayed.

Because most of us were trained to score.
Very few were trained to think.

He builds at three levels:
• Companies
• Institutions
• People

And continues to support founders and ecosystems through CII, TiE Mysuru, and beyond.

This is leadership that doesn’t just scale businesses.
It scales human capability.

🎥 Interview: https://youtu.be/D4rZ4ZyHRbA?si=HYTIDKKNdCZpXzHp

If this resonated, share it forward. Some stories deserve to be reached.

19/03/2026

Every Ugadi, before anything begins, there is one quiet ritual at our doorstep.

I still remember my father sitting there, patiently selecting mango leaves.
Folding each one with care.
Not randomly. With intent.

Leaf facing outward.
Stalk bent gently.
Thread binding many into one THORANA.

As a child, I thought it was decoration.
Now I know—it was philosophy.

Because a doorway is never just an entrance.
It is a boundary.
Between outside and inside.
Between chaos and order.
Between the world… and your space.

And what we place there is never random.

A thorana is a filter. A welcome. A message.

Before you enter, it quietly tells you:
Leave your ego outside. Enter with humility.

The bent leaf bows.
The many leaves come together as one—like a family.

Mango leaves bring life, freshness, continuity.
Neem above it brings truth—bitter, protective, real.

And that is how we begin Ugadi:
Bevu-Bella. Bitter and sweet. Together.

Because life is not meant to be only sweet.
It is meant to be complete.

Today, as I stand at the same doorway, tying those same leaves for my children, I realize—

This is not tradition.
This is transmission.

Values… passed without words.

And somewhere along the way, I understood something simple:

The real sweetness in life is not jaggery.
It is the people who stand by you.

Without them, life is neem.
With them, it becomes jaggery.

Grateful for that sweetness.

Ugadi Subhashayagalu 🙏

16/03/2026

A room full of students reminded me of something important.

Some talks stay in the auditorium.
Some stay with you.

My session at Ahmedabad University felt like the second kind.
When I walked into the room, I noticed two kinds of students.

Some excited about the future.
Others quietly negotiating with it.

And honestly… I have been both.
So I did not begin the session with success stories.

I began with honesty.

I told them something most students rarely hear:
Not knowing your life plan is not a failure.
It is the starting line.

At one point I asked them two simple questions.

“Five years ago, who was hiring AI prompt engineers?”
“Ten years ago, who imagined YouTuber as a career?”

The room went silent.

Not awkward.
Just real.

Because that silence meant one thing —
the world is changing faster than any syllabus.

We spoke about something I strongly believe:

Marks open doors.
Skills help you walk through them.
Visibility creates doors you never even knocked on.

But what stayed with me most was watching the shift in the room.

Students moving from
“What job will I get?”

to

“How do I stay relevant?”

And that shift… is where careers truly begin.

If even a few students walked out believing they are allowed to explore, adapt, and build their own path, the session achieved its purpose.

Thank you Balaji Prakash for the warm invitation.

Because sometimes, one conversation is enough to start a journey.

I’m curious…

When you were a student, what is one piece of advice you wish someone had told you earlier?

13/03/2026

Ambition is good, but resilience is what truly defines success.

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet Dharma Prasad, Chief Scientist and CEO at Prosetta Bioconformatics Pvt Ltd, and Founder of WOW Presence.

We spent some time discussing the changing landscape of careers and the opportunities available for young people today. The conversation stayed with me.
India is perhaps one of the few countries where thousands of talented young people dedicate many of their prime years preparing for civil services and other government examinations. This reflects the respect and aspiration associated with public service.

At the same time, it also raises an important question.
Are we helping our youth explore diverse career paths that align with their strengths and interests?
Behind every competitive examination is a long journey, years of preparation, discipline and sacrifice. For some, the result brings celebration, for many others, it can bring disappointment after years of effort.

This is not a criticism of the system. Civil services remain a noble path of serving the nation, and the country needs committed individuals who are willing to take that responsibility.
But to every young aspirant preparing for these examinations, I would humbly offer one thought.
Give it your best, prepare with discipline and determination.

At the same time, also build skills, stay curious, and explore the many opportunities the changing world is creating.
Never allow your self-worth to depend on the result of a single examination.
Life is much larger than any one test.
Sometimes what feels like a setback may simply be the beginning of a new path of growth and discovery.

In the end, what truly defines us is hard work, resilience, character, and the ability to keep learning.

To all young professionals and aspirants reading this, What is one skill you are building beyond exams?

12/03/2026

Strong institutions are built when leaders step forward to serve a larger purpose.

A sincere note of appreciation to Mr Rabindra Srikantan, outgoing Chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry Karnataka State, for a year of thoughtful and grounded leadership.

His tenure brought together industry voices across sectors, from manufacturing and engineering to technology and MSMEs strengthening dialogue, collaboration, and collective action across Karnataka’s industrial ecosystem. His clarity, humility, and consistent support to members made the past year meaningful for many in the industry community.

Delighted to see the announcement of the new leadership team for CII Karnataka State for 2026–27.

Congratulations to Mr Guruprasad Mudlapur, President, Bosch India & Managing Director, Bosch Ltd, on taking over as Chairman. With Karnataka playing a pivotal role in India’s technology, manufacturing, and mobility landscape, his leadership comes at an important time for industry collaboration and growth.

Warm congratulations to Mr Sam Cherian, Managing Director of Schevaran, on assuming office as Vice Chairman. His entrepreneurial journey and experience in building a globally respected sustainable cleaning and hygiene solutions company bring valuable industry insight to the Council.

Wishing the new leadership team a productive and impactful year ahead for Karnataka’s industry and manufacturing growth.

12/03/2026

Leadership transitions define the direction of institutions.

A special appreciation to Mr. Nagaraja Gargeshwari, President and Director, Automotive Axles Limited, outgoing Chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry Mysuru zone.
His tenure reflected steady, understated leadership, focused on collaboration, industry connections, and strengthening CII’s regional impact. The past year saw meaningful engagement across sectors, policy conversations, and member alignment. The foundation laid under his stewardship will certainly accelerate future initiatives.

Delighted to see the announcement of the new leadership team for CII Mysuru Zone for 2026–27.

Congratulations to Mr. Utsav Agarwal, Director of Bhoruka Fabcons Pvt Ltd, on taking over as Chairman. Mysuru’s industrial ecosystem stands at an inflection point, with manufacturing depth, MSME growth, skilling, and “Beyond Bengaluru” momentum. Your leadership comes at the right time.

Warm congratulations to Ms. Savitha Mallappa, CEO of rProcess, as Vice Chairperson. Her experience in scaling rProcess and building globally aligned delivery systems brings a strong operational and strategic perspective to the Council.

Wishing the new team clarity of vision, collective ex*****on, and measurable impact for Mysuru’s industrial growth.

CII Southern Region | hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

Dr. Dharma Prasad

28/04/2026

21/04/2026

13/04/2026

06/04/2026

30/03/2026

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19/03/2026

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