That's the philosophy that's carried Dr. Jamuna Ravi through 35+ years in IT, and now into a second career built entirely around purpose.
Outside of work, she's always found joy in reading, travel, music, board games, crosswords and she's also a trained Hindustani Classical vocalist, having completed a 7th year professional certificate from Bangiya Sangeet Parishad.
Her career spanned Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Shell, and HSBC’s Global Capability Centres, with a brief entrepreneurial stint. She held senior leadership roles, including Geo-Head of Banking and Capital Markets for UK and Europe at Infosys. A defining phase came in 2009–2011, when she moved from Delivery to Business Development, mastering new skills and thriving under pressure.
Her career brought challenges, from frequent overseas travel and managing large teams to balancing senior client relationships with aging parents and growing children. Through it all, she drew strength from her mother, whose calm and confidence in difficult moments remain Jamuna’s greatest influence.
When she retired from IT in 2022, she expected a quieter chapter of consulting and advisory roles. Instead, she was offered the role of CEO at Vayah Vikas, a social impact organisation founded by Kris Gopalakrishnan, focused on helping older people in India age with health and purpose.
She's led it for over three years now. In December 2024, she also took on a role as Independent Director on the board of Bank of India, a public sector bank, adding another meaningful chapter to her post-retirement journey.
She is also part of this year’s select cohort of 21 Global Catalysts of Longevity, chosen by the Stanford Center on Longevity to share best practices in longevity across their countries and champion the New Map of Life—a vision for a world where people are increasingly living beyond 100 years.”
Her biggest lesson: don't overthink new challenges, take them.
Jamuna has also spent around 25 years with Soroptimist International, working to empower women and girls, alongside raising two children who are now a biotechnologist and a lawyer, settled and thriving in their own lives.
Her hope going forward is simple but ambitious: to scale Vayah Vikas across Karnataka and the rest of India, built on strong grassroots volunteers, while continuing to bring her decades of governance and leadership experience to the boardroom.
Her message to the next generation: don't hesitate to take up new challenges professionally. Confidence often catches up after you've already taken the leap, not before.
Her career spanned Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Shell, and HSBC’s Global Capability Centres, with a brief entrepreneurial stint. She held senior leadership roles, including Geo-Head of Banking and Capital Markets for UK and Europe at Infosys. A defining phase came in 2009–2011, when she moved from Delivery to Business Development, mastering new skills and thriving under pressure.
Her career brought challenges, from frequent overseas travel and managing large teams to balancing senior client relationships with aging parents and growing children. Through it all, she drew strength from her mother, whose calm and confidence in difficult moments remain Jamuna’s greatest influence.
When she retired from IT in 2022, she expected a quieter chapter of consulting and advisory roles. Instead, she was offered the role of CEO at Vayah Vikas, a social impact organisation founded by Kris Gopalakrishnan, focused on helping older people in India age with health and purpose.
She's led it for over three years now. In December 2024, she also took on a role as Independent Director on the board of Bank of India, a public sector bank, adding another meaningful chapter to her post-retirement journey.
She is also part of this year’s select cohort of 21 Global Catalysts of Longevity, chosen by the Stanford Center on Longevity to share best practices in longevity across their countries and champion the New Map of Life—a vision for a world where people are increasingly living beyond 100 years.”
Her biggest lesson: don't overthink new challenges, take them.
Jamuna has also spent around 25 years with Soroptimist International, working to empower women and girls, alongside raising two children who are now a biotechnologist and a lawyer, settled and thriving in their own lives.
Her hope going forward is simple but ambitious: to scale Vayah Vikas across Karnataka and the rest of India, built on strong grassroots volunteers, while continuing to bring her decades of governance and leadership experience to the boardroom.
Her message to the next generation: don't hesitate to take up new challenges professionally. Confidence often catches up after you've already taken the leap, not before.
This story was told by Dr. Jamuna Ravi and published with their permission by the What's Your Story editorial team.
