Sometimes, stepping outside your area of expertise offers the most interesting learning experiences.

I recently had the opportunity to join Monopoly: Joint Strategic Ventures, a flagship business simulation and strategy competition at Shatranj 3.0, Ashoka University’s Entrepreneurship Weekender, held on Oct 31 - Nov 1, 2026, at its Sonepat campus.

I joined the competition as a judge, bringing my technology and engineering leadership experience to a competition centred on business strategy, partnerships, and joint ventures.

A different kind of judging experience

I have had opportunities to judge technology hackathons, where listening to fresh ideas and seeing young minds challenge conventional thinking is always energising.

This experience was different. I joined a multidisciplinary jury alongside Mr. Pushpak Chamariya, a corporate lawyer; Radhika Jain, an entrepreneur; and Mr. Akash Tandon, a marketing expert.

Initially, I wondered how I would contribute to a business-focused competition as a technology professional, and the student pitches quickly answered that question!

Beyond the business deal: Technology integration matters

The participants presented thoughtful solutions to business challenges involving strategic partnerships and joint ventures. Their approaches reflected an understanding of market opportunities, financial considerations, commercial synergies, and execution.

Each jury member brought a different perspective, making the discussions and feedback particularly valuable.

One observation stood out to me: technology integration did not always receive the attention it deserved in some of the proposed joint ventures.

In today’s AI-driven world, technology cannot be treated as a secondary consideration in a business partnership. Imagine two organisations coming together with ambitious revenue and return-on-investment targets. If their technology platforms, data, processes, and operating models cannot integrate effectively, the anticipated synergies may never materialise.

Technology integration is not simply an IT activity after the deal is signed. It needs to be part of the strategic thinking from the beginning.

A successful joint venture must integrate business ambitions, people, processes, data, and technology — not just capital and capabilities.

That was one of the key perspectives I enjoyed bringing to the judging discussions.

A connection to my engineering leadership journey

This experience also resonated with my current role as Head of Engineering at Bupa Capability Centre, India.

One of our ambitions is to bring engineering capabilities together as one connected organisation — taking ownership of the customer experience, connecting the healthcare ecosystem, and building for scale.

Whether integrating two businesses or connecting engineering teams across an organisation, the underlying challenge is remarkably similar. Technology, people, and processes must work together towards a shared purpose.

As shared in my earlier writing on engineering leadership and governance. It is a reminder that technology leadership is as much about business alignment and organisational integration as it is about engineering excellence.

Conversations beyond the competition

The experience was equally rewarding beyond the judging sessions.

I enjoyed conversations with fellow judge Mr. Amay Ganguly on the way to the university. We discussed ethical AI adoption, hype versus reality, emerging technology, and my books.

It was refreshing to exchange perspectives with people from different professional backgrounds. The university campus tour and the opportunity to interact with students added to the experience.

Learning from the next generation

I left Shatranj 3.0 with renewed energy and a few reminders:

• Business strategy must account for technology integration from the outset.
• AI adoption needs to be grounded in real value, responsible use, and practical outcomes.
• Multidisciplinary perspectives lead to better decisions.
• Young minds bring fresh thinking that challenges established assumptions.

My thanks to all the participants, fellow jury members, mentors, organisers, and sponsors for making this such a rewarding experience.

Keep questioning. Keep experimenting. Keep building.

And most importantly, keep learning!

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