30 Indian Minds Leading the AI Revolution

From Pete Lau's AI-led vision at OnePlus to Kunal Shah's reality check on valuations, our top stories of the week

In this week's newsletter, also read about Ekta Kapoor's fiercely personal journey of creative entrepreneurship; how India's economic resilience stands out globally; ISRO's Shubhanshu Shukla on board the Ax-4 mission, and much more

By Forbes India

Published: Jun 14, 2025 10:00:00 AM IST

Updated: Jun 13, 2025 04:59:51 PM IST

1) About the future of simplicity

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau

For Pete Lau, the next frontier of consumer tech isn’t more specs or flashier designs—it’s making life simpler through smart and seamless AI integration. With the global smartphone market in a flux and customer expectations evolving fast, the founder and CEO of OnePlus believes the brands that survive will be those who offer clarity, not complexity. In an exclusive conversation with Forbes India, Lau lays out the company’s innovation strategy, which includes doubling down on AI features that enhance everyday utility. Lau, who is also OPPO’s chief product officer, highlights OnePlus’s long-term vision for India and how it's leveraging 5G to stay ahead of the curve.

2) Focusing on fundamentals

Kunal Shah, founder, CRED; Image: Madhu Kapparath

At a time when startup valuations are under intense scrutiny, Kunal Shah is choosing to zoom out. In this exclusive chat, the CRED founder cuts through the noise, urging India’s entrepreneurs to refocus on the basics: real revenue, sustainable profits, and long-term customer value. Shah acknowledges the ecosystem’s obsession with unicorn status but warns that valuation highs often ignore the cyclical nature of markets. Shah has one clear message to share: Chase value, not vanity.

3) Committed to creating from the heart

Tsarina of the Indian entertainment industry, Ekta Kapoor, is no stranger to reinvention. Having spent three decades in the sector, Kapoor credits her success to adaptability and trusting her instincts. From her early battles with stereotypes to the balancing act of building content that’s both massy and meaningful, Kapoor speaks candidly about failure, resilience, and inner strength. Best known for delivering magnum opus Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi for cable network, she now emphasises digital platforms' democratising influence. In this exclusive conversation with Forbes India, Ekta Kapoor acknowledges the need to balance creative vision with financial realities, advocates gender-equal representation and reveals her resilience to criticism.

1) India: A rare bright spot

With slowing growth in China, uncertainty in the US, and inflation rattling Europe, India is emerging as a relative outlier, buoyed by strong domestic demand, macroeconomic stability, and a push towards capital expenditure. This exclusive analysis by Sachchidanand Shukla, group chief economist, L&T, outlines why global investors and multinationals are increasingly turning to India as a growth market. While challenges remain—from rural stress to fiscal constraints—the country’s broad-based momentum offers a degree of optimism rarely found elsewhere in today’s global economic narrative.

2) Don’t move your best people

Image: Francis Mascarenhas / Reuters

Landing a large client may feel like a business coup, but new research by Harvard Business School’s Jorge Tamayo reveals it can quietly erode productivity. While studying an Indian garment manufacturer, Tamayo found that managers often reassign top workers to weaker lines to meet big orders. This tactic keeps operations moving but disrupts team synergy. This “negative assortative matching” led to a 1–4 percent dip in output. It is significant in industries where even small productivity gains are hard-won. The assistant professor at HBS has some suggestions for firms to prepare better. Read on.

3) New rules of corporate identity

Image: Shutterstock

As global companies grapple with rising nationalism and regulatory scrutiny, corporate identity is no longer just about where you're headquartered. A new report from ESSEC Business School dives into how businesses are being forced to navigate competing pressures—local accountability vs. global integration, and compliance vs. creativity. With governments asking firms to "pick sides" and customers demanding cultural alignment, the idea of a stateless corporation is fast becoming obsolete. Here are some suggestions for guiding managers on shaping reputation, access, and survival.

4) A moment of lift-off

Shubham Shukla. Image: AFP

Nearly four decades after Rakesh Sharma made history, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is set to become the first Indian in space since 1984. Soon he will lift off as pilot of the Ax-4 mission—Axiom Space’s most research-intensive flight—marking India’s debut aboard the International Space Station (ISS). For Shukla, who had skipped his sister’s wedding to sit for the NDA exam, this isn’t just a personal milestone—it’s a symbolic return for India to the frontier of human spaceflight. With over 2,000 flying hours, deep aerospace training, and a vision to bring the space experience back home through pictures and video, Shukla’s journey is one carried on behalf of 1.4 billion people.