LinkedIn Top Voices 2018: India

Today we’re launching our 3rd annual LinkedIn Top Voices list, a look at the India members whose posts, articles, videos and comments are driving engaging conversations in their industries. These are the professionals who, by sharing their unique insights, spark the kind of conversations that make everyone better informed.

To compile the list, our editors partnered with the LinkedIn Flagship Relevance team to uncover today’s most engaged — and engaging — members around the world in key segments. It’s no mean feat, considering the competition: over 2 million posts, videos and articles a day and tens of thousands of comments every hour — all generating tens of millions more shares and likes.

To find standout voices, we use a combination of data and editorial signals. We screen for engagement among professionals sharing in their area of expertise, looking at what kind of conversations — measured by engagement, including comments and re-shares — their original content is creating. We track relative follower growth, too: Are these professionals attracting dedicated fans in their particular sector? Finally, we emphasise quality and diversity; the list should reflect the world we work in. All activity measured took place over a 12-month period, from mid-September 2017 to mid-September 2018 and, as with all LinkedIn Lists, we excluded LinkedIn and Microsoft employees from consideration.

Every year new voices rise to the top — and there’s nothing stopping you from turning your own ideas into powerful conversations. Use these Top Voices as guides. Ask a question, share a quick thought, post an interesting statistic or show people what’s inspiring you. There’s a community out there ready to give their own perspectives; all you have to do is put yourself out there to connect.

Here are this year’s 25 #LinkedInTopVoices in India.

Swati Agarwal | General Manager, Social Venture Partners

What she talks about: Agarwal has a passion for topics that deal with people’s wellness. She aims to raise awareness about pressing but less-spoken issues such as mental health and workplace relations.

Favourite conversation starter: This well-received piece on gauging a child’s mental health is one of her personal favourites. That’s because mental health is “being neglected, ignored, overlooked, or considered as a topic of shame by most of us.”

Best place to write: Agarwal needs to be by the window with a cup of chai and music in the background to get in the writing zone. Her goal is to travel the world and unearth rare stories from unusual places.

See more by Swati Agarwal.

Tamal Bandyopadhyay | Consulting Editor, Business Standard

What he talks about: Bandyopadhyay is a news junkie who tracks the banking and finance space like a hawk. The veteran journalist-cum-bank advisor steers clear of ‘blue sky thinking’ and, instead, dissects and analyses news and predicts things to watch out for.

Dejargonising finance: Bandyopadhyay likes simplifying complex financial developments and explaining them in lucid terms. “I loved those comments where B-School students tell me they can understand and appreciate complicated financial issues reading my column,” he says. His favourite article: "The anatomy of the PNB fraud."

One thing not on his LinkedIn profile: A flair for creative writing — poems and short stories. In fact, he has published a book of poems in his native language.

See more by Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

Kiran Bedi | Lt Governor, Puducherry

What she talks about: Bedi’s writings give a peek into her day-to-day engagements in the Puducherry government. The former bureaucrat — India’s first female IPS officer — also uses LinkedIn to highlight pressing social issues and garner people’s support for development projects.

Getting ‘em young: To promote leadership goals among children, Bedi posted a video of a young girl who got to occupy the lieutenant governor’s chair on her birthday. The video sparked a lively discussion, and Bedi followed it up with a similar post on Diwali eve.

Most interesting news story of 2018: “We women are always at the receiving end and this whole movement named #MeToo has given women the courage to speak up and voice their views,” she says.

See more by Kiran Bedi.

Sairee Chahal | Founder and CEO, Sheroes

What she talks about: Chahal believes that the Internet can bridge the gender divide. She blogs about professional women, entrepreneurship, community building and technology.

Favourite conversation starter: Her take on how women look at finding solutions to real-world problems was well-received. Now is the best time for female entrepreneurs to rise as there are umpteen opportunities for “all kinds of support – be it funding, mentorship, a peer ground and visibility,” says Chahal, who co-founded her first venture as a college-goer.

Source of ideas:  Chahal’s interactions with women across the country shape her writing. The best place to pen her thoughts? In flights.

See more by Sairee Chahal.

Subhash Chandra | Founder, CrowdWisdom360

What he talks about: Chandra’s sweet spot lies at the intersection of politics and economy. He is a big believer in crowdsourcing insights and has a passion for making predictions about state and national elections.

Favourite conversation starter: In April, he wrote about how the challenges facing the export sector could hurt India in the future. “In six months, oil prices have gone up, the trade deficit is in bad shape and foreign inflows have fallen,” says Chandra.

Why LinkedIn: Chandra says his “entire recent career” is built around LinkedIn. Writing on LinkedIn has opened up “real-life partnerships and the opportunity to write magazine columns and contribute to two books,” he says.

See more by Subhash Chandra.

Annesha Dutta | Consultant & Corporate Trainer - Communications & Branding

What she talks about: This self-proclaimed ‘queen of nerds’, who’s also the brain behind Youtube channel AskAnnie, is a public speaking expert. She blogs about professional development and loves creating student-centric content.

Idea factory: Her Ask Me Anything session on LinkedIn for students got a vibrant audience. The biggest high: direct messages from people who credit her videos for improving their real-life conversation skills. Most of her video ideas are crystallised on the go — during long commutes and flights.

One thing not on her LinkedIn profile: She hopes to represent India in the finals of the Toastmasters’ International Contest, which is seen as the world championship of public speaking.

See more by Annesha Dutta.

Debjani Ghosh | President, NASSCOM

What she talks about: NASSCOM’s first female chief writes about India’s technology sector, conversations with industry leaders and what she perceives as the IT lobby’s role in skilling (and re-skilling) people.

A big conversation starter: “That 75 million jobs will be displaced by disruptive technology and 133 million new ones will emerge concurrently means that huge opportunities are up for grabs, but only for those prepared,” Ghosh said in a post that triggered a lively discussion on AI and jobs of the future.

What’s not on her LinkedIn profile: The former Intel South Asia chief is "an avid, avid, avid reader” who’s read classics such as ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ hundreds of times.

See more by Debjani Ghosh.

Raja Jamalamadaka | Leadership coach, Advisor to startups

What he talks about: This TEDx speaker brings leadership case studies to life with his lucid storytelling. He also analyses the latest brain research to suggest what managers should do differently.

Article he’s proudest of: A topical post on ex-ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar’s leadership skills led to a sparkling discussion with more than 210 comments. “What was heartening for me was receiving messages from several readers who personally knew Kochhar well enough to tell me that I was spot-on in my analysis,” Raja says.

Favourite book of 2018: Behave, in which Stanford researcher Robert Sapolsky explains how nature (genetics) blends with nurture (upbringing) to shape our behaviour. People must understand the root cause of their actions to become ethical and authentic leaders, says Jamalamadaka.

See more by Raja Jamalamadaka.

Pooja Kapur | Ambassador of India to Bulgaria and Macedonia

What she talks about: The only diplomat on this list, Kapur says her job is a constant source of inspiration. She offers glimpses into the life of an ambassador and shares an Indian perspective on EU developments. Writing on LinkedIn has helped her ideate with people across the globe on furthering India’s foreign relations with Bulgaria and Macedonia, she says.

Favorite conversation starter: Kapur’s post on presenting her diplomatic credentials to the President of Macedonia triggered robust engagement: more than 100,000 views and 146 comments.

Most interesting news story of 2018: “The new course of U.S. diplomacy has been interesting to watch, from the Iran nuclear deal pullout to rapprochement in the Korean peninsula to trade nationalism,” she says.

See more by Pooja Kapur.

Vartika Kashyap | Marketing Manager, ProofHub

What she talks about: Kashyap has penned more than 300 articles with the aim of making “the workplace a better place.” She usually dedicates an hour every morning to write on employee-centric topics such as leadership, productivity and team building.

Favourite conversation starter: Kashyap’s article on four morning habits that up her productivity sparked a lively discussion and one member called it the “best Sunday morning read.”

What news story inspired her the most in 2018? Hima Das’ meteoric rise to win India’s first international gold in track events was an “emotional moment for the country.” The 18-year-old’s success tells us the importance of constantly improving ourselves, says Kashyap.

See more by Vartika Kashyap.

Ester Martinez | CEO & Editor-in-Chief at People Matters

What she talks about: Martinez is a Spanish HR manager-turned media entrepreneur who has made New Delhi her home. Her writings focus on workplace environment, gender parity and the changing role of HR.

Top conversation starter: Her March article on why women need to appreciate and recognise the work done by other women sparked a lively discussion. People tagged women who inspired them in the comments section.

Humanising HR: “Quitting” may have a negative connotation for many but not for Martinez. That’s because the road to success “starts by making the right choices” and exiting those paths that take you away from your goals, she said at the TedxMica conference.

See more by Ester Martinez.

Hansi Mehrotra | Founder, The Money Hans

What she talks about: A financial services veteran of two decades, Mehrotra creates articles and videos that simplify financial concepts “in an authentic and fun way.”

Favourite conversation starter: Hansi is proudest of her “investing is simple” video from the #BeMoneyConfident series that was aimed at promoting financial literacy among women. The video uses a cooking analogy and ends with a clear call to action: “Next time someone makes investing (or anything else) complicated, just ask them — what’s the simple version for this recipe?”

One thing not on her LinkedIn profile: She studied in a Hindi-medium school and got her degree by correspondence. “I started speaking English fluently (only) after I migrated to Australia,” says Mehrotra.

See more by Hansi Mehrotra.

Purnima Menon | CMO, Microland

What she talks about: A trained Kathakali dancer, Menon tries to find themes that weave fitness with leadership. Her pieces are peppered with self-deprecating humour as she takes inspiration from everyday workplace conversations.

The writer’s dilemma: Each blog is her “momentary best” and hence Menon doesn’t name a favourite. But her article titled “Can women really have it all” takes the prize for stoking thoughtful conversations. “It’s amazing to note that what I may feel is my best writing is sometimes not accepted whereas something I may have written on the spur of the moment may connect a lot more with people,” she says.

The Endorphin factor: Menon takes to writing after her morning workout, “buzzing with the endorphin rush”.

See more by Purnima Menon.

Procyon Mukherjee | Chief Procurement Officer, LafargeHolcim

What he talks about: Mukherjee picks subjects relevant to businesses: trade, finance, macroeconomics and behavioral economics, to name a few. “I challenge myself to write on difficult topics,” he says.

Article he is proudest of: He speaks fondly of his article about looming shocks to global trade as it “brought in new insights on the impact of tariffs, interest rates and dollar movement on global trade.”

The leader’s a reader: A voracious reader, Mukherjee regularly pores over publications such as The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Washington Post and China Daily. The supply-chain expert can put together 1,000 word articles in 15-20 minutes and writes while commuting in the car, he says.

See more by Procyon Mukherjee.

Siddharth Pai | Founder and General Partner, Siana Capital

What he talks about: Pai writes about the intersection of emerging technologies with economics and draws parallels to people’s lives, jobs and children. The technology consultant also weighs in on news developments around IT outsourcing, deep tech and the startup ecosystem.

AI and the human brain: His September article on the readiness of AI programmes to think like a limbic brain stirred up a healthy debate. “I enjoy it when readers don't necessarily agree with my opinions and conclusions since it stimulates more thought for my future writings,” says Pai.

One thing not on his LinkedIn profile: Pai holds a fourth-degree black belt in Shorin-Ryu karate. “I’ve learnt very much about life and the human condition from the philosophy and practice of Japanese/Okinawan martial arts,” he adds.

See more by Siddharth (Sid) Pai.

Jayashree Patnaik | Chief Strategy Officer, CFA Technologies

What she talks about: Patnaik's an entrepreneur and that reflects in her choice of topics. She evaluates business models, growth strategies and funding-related ideas. Her ultimate goal: improve the success rate of Indian startups.

Favourite conversation starter: Every article “is a work of creativity derived from thoughts and data” and hence she doesn’t pick one. But her post on how boards can script startup success sparked a lively discussion.

What she's following in 2019: She expects desi entrepreneurs to make bold choices in their internationalisation strategy. “I am looking forward to many interesting mergers where Indian startups can turn the table and actually acquire to get global rather than be acquired,” Patnaik adds.

See more by Jayashree Patnaik.

Ravi Shankar Prasad | Minister for Law & Justice & Electronics & IT of India

What he talks about: The minister highlights the government’s undertakings in the IT sector, shares updates on the progress of the Digital India mission and offers a peek into his daily engagements.

Biggest conversation starter: Prasad’s update on his meeting with women employees of back office companies (set up under the government’s BPO promotion scheme) generated 150 comments. “When central ministers are directly involved in such implementations, it will be fruitful,” a member commented.

What’s not on his LinkedIn profile: He’s been a carrom enthusiast since childhood. “Played a lot of carrom in jail during [the] Emergency,” Prasad says in a video post of him playing the game.

See more by Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Pooja Sareen | Editor in Chief & Co-founder at Inc 42

What she talks about: Sareen’s a media entrepreneur who’s marinated in the startup ecosystem. Through funding round-ups and articles, she decodes major news developments and showcase ventures that are solving India-specific problems.

Rapid ideation: Her post on the rise of freelancing and associated challenges got professionals talking and generated more than 130 comments. “We went on to use the pointers from this discussion to host webinars to help freelancers overcome some of these problems,” she says.

Most interesting news story of 2018: Walmart’s acquisition of Flipkart was a “landmark” for the Indian startup ecosystem, Sareen believes. The deal “boosted the morale of entrepreneurs and investors alike and raised hopes for Indian startups” with it’s far-reaching consequences.

See more by Pooja Sareen.

Lima Sehgal | Senior HR Advisor & job market specialist

What she talks about: Sehgal prides herself in guiding professionals through the complex world of job hunting. From the nitty-gritties of structuring a CV to insights on what recruiters look for, Sehgal’s articles cover everything a job seeker ought to know.

Favorite conversation starter: She once started a conversation on unprofessional-sounding email ids and shared a few examples to elucidate her point. "The comment section blew up…and needless to say my readers gave me a good laugh,” said Sehgal.

Beyond the earth: The discovery of two planets that are very likely habitable was 2018’s biggest news for Sehgal. “Imagine the wonderful and exciting new job opportunities that will be created once we colonise them,” she says.

See more by Lima Sehgal.

Kunal Shah | Advisor to the Board, Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd.

What he talks about: This entrepreneur-turned-investor is donning the founder’s hat again and he’s announced several details on LinkedIn. Shah typically posts on work culture, productivity and gender parity, besides doling out business advice to startup founders.

Biggest conversation starter: The former FreeCharge CEO spoke about a Chinese intern who wondered why people talk more and work less in Indian workplaces. The post brought forth interesting observations on work culture differences between countries through more than 200 comments.

The philosopher: Shah’s philosophy degree helps him question existing notions of building a product or company. But philosophy also taught him to not have any favourites — books, movies or even philosophers — as it creates “a rigid mental model” for you to like something all the time.

See more by Kunal Shah.

Ritesh Kumar Singh | Founder and Chief Economist, Indonomics Consulting

What he talks about: For Singh, it’s a great marriage of his avocation and vocation. He usually writes on “India's macroeconomic environment, its linkage with regional and global economies and how [India’s] regulatory regime affects domestic and foreign investors and consumers.”

Favourite conversation starter: Singh is most proud of his article, "Why Trump's trade prescriptions will not work for India". “It highlights how the rent-seeking crony capitalists, supposedly inspired by Trump's protectionism, are using the idea of nationalism and self reliance to prevent competition and limit consumer choices... and why that may backfire on India,” he says.

Most interesting news story of 2018: “How populism is increasingly taking over sensible policy making in most parts of the world as liberal order has failed to deliver,” Singh says.

See more by Ritesh Kumar Singh.

Tapan Singhel | Managing Director and CEO, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd

What he talks about: A scientist by education, Singhel is a big proponent of “Street MBA” — management lessons from street vendors. Singhel draws from his professional experiences and provides actionable insights on topics ranging from emotional well-being to productivity hacks.

Standout conversation starter: Singhel’s article on dealing with stress is right up there among his best pieces. That’s because he wants to make a difference in people’s lives “in whatever little way possible” and help them discover fulfillment in simple things.

Most interesting news story of 2018: The launch of the National Health Insurance Scheme was a game changer in Singhel’s view. The reason? Countries with good healthcare infrastructure raise the life expectancy of its citizens, he says.

See more by Tapan Singhel.

Amit Somani | Managing Partner, Prime Venture Partners

What he talks about: This product leader-turned-venture capitalist often writes about personal and professional growth, entrepreneurship and startup funding. “Writing helps me get clarity in my own thoughts and learnings,” says Somani.

A memorable conversation starter: Somani’s September article on the challenges and opportunities for Silicon Valley was one of his most prized pieces, generating about 100 comments.

Preferred writing method: The ex-MakeMyTrip executive credits an unidentified journalist for introducing him to Free Writing, a technique that’s done him a world of good. A “high energy cycle” is important for good writing and that’s generally possible “in the early hours of the morning, or after some intense exercise when the mind is clear,” he adds.

See more by Amit Somani.

Hari T.N. | Head HR, BigBasket

What he talks about: Ask Hari what inspires him to write and pat comes the reply: “daily experiences.” The BigBasket executive has held upper management roles in engineering, project management and HR over a 27-year-period. Hence, he’s at ease with diverse topics ranging from the future of jobs and workplace romance to data privacy and social impact.

An interview to remember: Hari is especially proud of an article based on his conversation with India’s metro man E Sreedharan where “the traits of individuals who changed the face of the nation” were summarised.

The biggest news break of 2018: The Supreme Court’s verdict on Aadhaar “cleared a lot of cobwebs and ensured that the baby wasn't thrown out with the bathwater,” Hari says.

See more by Hari T.N.

Ankur Warikoo | Cofounder & CEO, nearbuy.com

What he talks about: Warikoo has a LinkedIn follower base of nearly 500,000 and that’s because of his consistency in posting actionable insights. His posts, articles and videos cover everything from life lessons to productivity hacks to people management tips.

Favourite conversation starter: His #WarikooWednesday video series is a major crowd-puller and lends itself to lively discussions. “This series has been a humbling experience — the appreciation, feedback and love that it's brought has encouraged me to share more,” he says.

How to ideate: Pay attention to the world around you and ideas will spring up every hour, says Warikoo. The serial entrepreneur is an early-riser who documents his thoughts “first thing every morning.”

See more by Ankur Warikoo.

You’ve caught up on the top Indian member voices of 2018. Now check out who made this year’s #LinkedInTopVoices in Australia, China and beyond.

Reported by: Dipti Jain and Nirajita Banerjee