Dr. Radhakrishnan Pillai, fondly known as "CHANAKYA Pillai," is a renowned scholar, speaker, and management consultant celebrated for his extensive research on Kautilya’s Arthashastra—the ancient Indian text on statecraft and management. He is dedicated to bridging the wisdom of ancient India with contemporary corporate and leadership practices. He is the Founder Director of Chanakya Aanvikshiki Pvt Ltd, a leadership training institute, and currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Chanakya International Institute of Leadership Studies (CIILS) at the University of Mumbai.
His expertise is grounded in his deep academic research on the Arthashastra from the Chinmaya International Foundation and his pursuit of an M.A. in Sanskrit. This rigorous background is complemented by his practical application as a certified management consultant and a former executive in industries including spiritual tourism and publishing. His first book, The Corporate Chanakya, created a record for the highest number of pre-release sales for any first-time author, underscoring the massive demand for his insights.
With nearly 25 years of combined business experience, Dr. Pillai has worked as a business strategy consultant for over 200 organizations and has trained over 10,000 executives, including leaders from Credit Suisse, Deloitte, and Tata Group of Companies. He is an international speaker who has represented India at major global forums, including the World Philosophy Congress in Athens and the Academy of Management in Texas, and has taught at universities like Oxford and Cambridge.
As a widely sought-after speaker, he shares the essence of Chanakya’s ancient wisdom through contemporary means. He hosts the radio show “Ask Chanakya” and writes a weekly column for The Times of India group, ensuring his principles are accessible to the masses. His presentations, which are highly inspirational and motivational, help leaders and aspirants from the corporate, political, and military sectors achieve a resilient mindset and make a "quantum leap in effectiveness."
