Operation Sindoor has opened the gates for Indian companies in the world of indigenous defence drone technology.
Tapping into that opportunity, Rithika Mohan, Co-Founder and Chief Administration Officer of Garuda Aerospace—a homegrown drone manufacturer—says her ambition is to build a globally respected technology company from India, one that designs, manufactures and deploys world-class drone and autonomous technologies.
“I want Garuda Aerospace to become an organisation that outlives its founders. Growth and profitability are important, but so are creating intellectual property, building leaders and creating meaningful employment,” says 33-year-old Mohan, who completed her executive education from Harvard Business School.
Growing up in Chennai, Mohan did not study aerospace but completed her graduation in business administration. She has been associated with Garuda Aerospace since January 2022. Her role covers strategic and administrative leadership, business and operational oversight, and board and corporate governance, according to the company.
Mohan says digital transformation and AI are changing the way companies operate, and getting an entire organisation to adapt at the same pace is not easy.
“For me, transformation cannot simply mean introducing new software or AI tools. It requires changing mindsets, reskilling people and helping teams understand that technology is there to make them better, not make them irrelevant.”
She has stopped believing in the idea of perfect work-life balance.
“I think life is a constant juggle between priorities. I am a founder, a leader, a wife, a daughter, a sister and a mother to a three-year-old, and each of those roles can demand 100% of me at different moments,” smiles Mohan.
@richajourno
