Top 20 HR Influencers Shaping Digital HR Transformation in India
India’s talent or human resources is powering a $5T digital economy. To harness this opportunity, organizations must become AI-ready, and this critical shift is being driven by HR and L&D leaders who are at the forefront of preparing people for an AI-first future.
How HR Influencers Are Accelerating India’s AI-Ready Workforce
These HR and L&D leaders occupy a pivotal role because they influence how organizations reskill employees, cultivate agile mindsets, and embed AI fluency into everyday work. They are shaping new talent strategies, pioneering innovative learning models, and fostering cultures that embrace continuous transformation.
What sets these leaders apart is their commitment to testing emerging approaches, sharing knowledge openly, and leading change with real-world impact. They act as catalysts and role models, driving adoption of AI-powered talent development through bold vision and practical execution.
This curated list highlights 20 influential CHROs, L&D pioneers, and HR tech advocates who are leading India’s workforce transformation in 2026. Following their journeys offers valuable lessons on navigating the complexities of AI readiness while empowering people to thrive.
Below is an overview of who they are, how they are influencing the future of work, and why organizations should look to them as inspiration for their own AI and talent transformation strategies.
India’s Top 20 HR Tech Influencers Shaping the Future of Work
1. Harjeet Khanduja
Reliance Jio | Sr. VP HR
Harjeet Khanduja is an author of seven books on HR and leadership, a TEDx speaker, and holds multiple patents in HR technology. He has been honored with awards such as the Economic Times Top 20 HR Influencers in 2023, named among the Top 200 Global Leadership Voices in 2022, and featured among Thinkers360’s Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on HR.
2. Prabir Jha
Prabir Jha People Advisory | Founder & CEO
Prabir Jha is a seasoned HR influencer on LinkedIn, TEDx speaker, and active commentator with diverse industry experience, having served as CHRO for two New York Stock Exchange-listed companies and two Fortune 500 firms.
3. Shaji Mathew
Infosys | CHRO
As CHRO of Infosys and Group companies, leads global HR strategy, leadership development, and education/training for 250K+ employees while serving as Trustee of Infosys Foundation driving impactful CSR initiatives. Governance Board member at IIIT Bangalore and CII National Committee on Leadership & HR.
4. Thirumala Arohi
Cognizant | Chief Learning Officer
Heads the world’s largest corporate university serving 250K+ employees. Arohi brings over three decades of experience and is known for building scalable learning ecosystems and driving innovation in digital education.
5. Saswati Sinha
Trinity Life Sciences | Head of People (India)
Seasoned HR professional who drives healthcare sector talent excellence strategies. She is recognized consecutively as Top 100/101 HR Minds in India (World HRD Congress 2018-2019) and Asia’s Top 100 Power Leaders (2022), among other prestigious accolades.
6. Rajiv Naithani
Persistent Systems | Chief People Officer
Visionary HR leader driving organizational transformation through “Employee First” strategies. Youngest Country/Region/Global HR Head at GlobalLogic, Dassault Systèmes, and Infogain; recipient of CEO Awards and Asia’s Best Employer Brands “Young HR Professional of the Year.”
7. Vineet Nayar
HearClear India | Founder & MD
Management visionary who transformed HCL from $0.7B to $4.7B global tech services leader. Author of bestselling Harvard Business Press book; Fortune’s first “Executive Dream Team” 2012 and Thinkers 50 list member; Forbes’ 48 Heroes of Philanthropy 2016 for Sampark Foundation’s education innovation impacting millions.
8. Richard Lobo
Tech Mahindra | Chief People Officer
Global HR leader with 25+ years transforming people functions and strategically aligning talent to drive business growth in complex environments. Recognized as Economic Times HR Leader of 2023. Active CII/NASSCOM contributor and mentor nurturing future leaders through teaching at top management institutes.
9. Ankit Jhamb
Grant Thornton Bharat LLP | Chief Learning Officer
Chief Learning with 17 years of experience, delivering business impact. TEDx speaker, certified coach, clinical hypnotherapist, and author of 10 books on personal/professional growth.
10. Prasanna Shivakamat
Atos | Group Head L&D
Prasanna transforms global tech services learning ecosystems. He is also a “Future Learning Leader” 2024 awardee pioneering digital reskilling.
11. Dr. Ankita Singh
CIGNEX | Chief People Officer
Ankita Singh leads CIGNEX Datamatics’ HR, Administration, Travel, and Resource Management teams, driving a performance-driven culture that earned multiple “Great Place to Work” certifications. She is recognized with Forbes India’s Top 100 Great People Managers and numerous accolades including CHRO of the Year (2017-2020) and Femina’s Women Personality of the Year (2018-2019).
12. Salil Chinchore
ElasticRun | CHRO
Featured in “HR 100: People Leaders Shaping the Future of Startups,” Salil brings 28 years of HR and general management experience across organization strategy, talent/leadership development, employee engagement, global HR, labor relations, and M&A. Consistently high performer leading diverse HR functions in fast-paced unicorn environments, creating thriving workplaces that drive growth and culture.
13. Dr. Amit Das, Ph.D.
Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. (Times Group) | Director HR & CHRO
Strategic HR leader with 35+ years across MNCs like Tata Motors, Vodafone, Britannia, Taj Hotels, and Reliance Group, spanning diverse sectors and global geographies. Board/Governing Council member for corporate and educational entities; key Think Tank advisor to Central/State Government ministries driving transformational growth.
14. Dipti Madan
Newage Software & Solutions | HR Director
An HR Director who oversees Quality and HR functions, with Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, focused on process excellence and automation. Exemplifies the “never-give-up” mindset and recognized with The Global Excellence Awards – Edition 09.
15. Achal Khanna
SHRM India, APAC & MENA | CEO
Dynamic leader with 30+ years across diverse industries, serving as CEO of SHRM for India, APAC, and MENA region, driving global HR transformation and inclusive workplaces. Recipient of prestigious “Best Women Executive in India” award. She is a board member at Ascentios Advisors and MPS Limited, championing women’s empowerment, company culture, and leadership development.
16. Arun Kakatkar
Microsoft | Human Resources Leader
Seasoned HR leader driving business strategy, culture, and organization capability at Microsoft India. Expert in leadership development, high-performing teams, and strategic change management across global tech and manufacturing sectors.
17. Lakshmi Chandrasekharan
Accenture India | CHRO
With 20+ years in HR leadership roles at Accenture and prior experience at iGate and Nestle, Lakshmi champions equal, empowering cultures and mentors diverse young talent, especially women. Lakshmi co-chairs FICCI’s HR & Skills Committee and serves on XLRI’s advisory board for Gender Equality & Inclusive Leadership.
18. Thirukumaran R
Nokia | Talent Attraction Leader
Influential HR leader at Nokia with expertise in workforce trends, policy, and business alignment, fostering integrity-based employee-organization relationships. Recognized as Economic Times Top 20 HR Influencers 2020, official SHRM Influencer, People Matters Authors Squad, rise.global Top 100 Global HR Influencer, and Glassdoor Top Contributor at Employer Branding Summit 2015.
19. Saurabh Govil
Wipro | President & CHRO
Saurabh Govil leads Wipro’s entire HR function, including talent acquisition, engagement, and learning & development programs. With over two decades in HR, he has driven key people, processes, and structural initiatives fueling Wipro’s growth. He serves on SHRM India’s advisory board, speaks regularly at NASSCOM HR summits, and contributes to NHRDN’s journal.
20. Piyush Mehta
Genpact | CHRO & Country Manager India
Piyush Mehta leads global HR for Genpact, driving talent strategy, employer branding, and Data-Tech-AI transformation while representing the company with key India stakeholders. Key leadership council member with 20+ years of experience. NASSCOM Executive Council member and SHRM global certification commissioner.
Why These HR Influencers Matter for India’s Future
These 20 popular HR voices represent the future of India’s talent transformation landscape. Their pioneering work across technology, pharma, manufacturing, and services is driving scalable, AI-powered workforce strategies crucial for succeeding in today’s digital economy.
Explore more insights from India’s HR leaders in our in-depth analysis. Check out this blog.
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