Viraj G Kalyani is probably the youngest in this list but very well deserves his place not just for driving his organisation's growth but also for bringing out a cultural change from within. And his education certainly did prepare him for this endeavour.

"I think my biggest strength is connecting and synthesising disparate ideas. It's a strength I consciously cultivate by keeping my eyes and ears open to find patterns. I learned this a great deal from my alma mater, University of Pennsylvania, where we were encouraged to think in multidisciplinary ways," he says.

Viraj is inspired by work! He believes that work can be quite engaging if you approach it with the right perspective and develop a passion for it. "Interacting with a variety of people from colleagues, clients, friends and family and surrounding oneself with visionary people can be quite inspiring. There can be rough days at work, but the best days are when you learn something new at work. That excites me and opens up a world of new possibilities. Additionally I've been a firm believer in the tremendous potential of our country and making a difference here is a thrilling idea."

Viraj's biggest challenge has been change management. Of course, it takes a lot of perseverance to challenge and change the fundamentals of a business in order to transform for the future. "There have been times when I lost my patience with people. There were times where I'd hit the wall but I've never lost hope."

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