The Best of the Best Conference and Awards 2025 commenced its first day with a keynote address by Subhathra Srinivasaraghavan, Vice President, India Systems Development Lab, IBM Infrastructure.
She began her speech by sharing a personal story from her childhood. She recalled that every holiday season, her grandfather would take her and her siblings to Chennai from their hometown, about 120 km away, continuing their ritual of visiting Marina Beach and staying there after dark, enjoying the ocean breeze. During these visits, her grandfather was often bombarded with questions: Where does the light come from? Does it ever sleep? Who is the light for? She said that his response, after patiently answering all the questions, stayed with her for a very long time—a lighthouse shines whether people see it or not.
She shared that this simple line carries a powerful message for leaders today. Leadership, she explained, is not about power or command, but about vision, presence, and compassionate visibility. “Leadership is being someone who helps others find their way by shining steadily,” she said. This belief, she noted, also stems from her own journey. The daughter of state government employees, she completed her engineering in an environment where women were many, but entered IBM as the only woman in several rooms. Coming from a small town and still building confidence in communicative English, she often found herself feeling intimidated.
She went on to share that while she was pregnant with her first child, IBM underwent a major restructuring, and a 120-member team was reduced to just six. She recalled how her manager reassured her, telling her not to worry and that she was part of the six—emphasising that her maternity leave did not change that decision. This, she said, showed her what IBM truly valued: who a person is and the skills they bring, not their personal circumstances. That moment shaped her long career, and as she grew as a leader, she aspired to create the same sense of safety and respect for others.
She also highlighted the importance of leaders being aware of their blind spots. After meetings, she often checks in with her team, asking, Did every voice get heard? Did we acknowledge all perspectives? Leadership, she added, is equally about self-awareness. She spoke about how IBM’s partnerships with Avtar and Seramount, and the benchmarking studies conducted, help organisations like hers understand where they stand and identify areas for improvement. As AI becomes increasingly central to work, she stressed the importance of ensuring that technology does not absorb or amplify human bias.
She concluded with a powerful reminder: leadership is about standing steady, shining brightly, and helping others find their way—no matter how rough the seas may be.
