Dr. Radhakrishnan Pillai is a Ph.D. from the University of Mumbai, and has done extensive research on "Kautilya's Arthashastra" from Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF), Kerala under the guidance of Dr Gangadharan Nair (Dean of Adi Shankara Sanskrit University). He is also an MA in Sanskrit. On the popular side, Dr.Pillai is known for his internationally best-selling book Corporate Chanakya and other books in the Chanakya series.
With nearly 25 years of experience, Dr Pillai is a leadership speaker, trainer, and personal mentor, who trains leaders and aspirants from various fields including corporates, politics, academics and public services. He is a certified management consultant from the International Institute of Management Consultants. Dr Pillai is the Director at SPM Foundation and Founder Director of Atma Darshan Pvt Ltd (a Spiritual Tourism Company) & Chanakya Aanvikshiki Pvt Ltd (a Leadership Training & Mentoring Institute). He has been recently appointed as the Deputy Director of Chanakya International Institute of Leadership Studies (CIILS), as autonomous Institute based in the University of Mumbai, Kalina Campus.
He has written nearly 200 articles and papers for various magazines, newspapers and journals. He has given a Tedx talk on How to Become Richie Rich. He has also hosted a radio show "Ask Chanakya" on Moksha Channel of Worldspace satellite radio.
He is a visiting faculty in prestigious institutes in India and abroad including the IIT, IIM, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) among others. He has been a trainer and strategy consultant to over 500 organisations like Indian Army, Navy, Air force, Indian police, various NGOs, private, public sector and government organisations.
He has been awarded the prestigious Sardar Patel International award 2009 and Aavishkar Chanakya Innovation Research Award 2013 for his research and contribution in field of management & Industrial development. Recently, he was honoured with the LOKMAT National Education Leadership Award as the Best Professor in Philosophy. He is rated among the top 30 Indian management Thinkers globally by Thinkers50.com.
Dr Pillai is the best-selling author of 10 books. His first book 'Corporate Chanakya' has been on the "best-seller" list since its launch in 2010 and used as a text book in various Business schools in India and abroad. The book has the unique distinction of being made into an audio book, world's first management film on Chanakya's teachings - 'Chanakya speaks' and translated into 10 regional languages. His second book 'Chanakya's 7 Secrets of Leadership' along with Mr. D. Sivanandhan (ex-DGPMaharashtra Police) has created waves in corporate world since its release. His third best seller book 'Chanakya in You' got him various awards, including the India's most popular "Crossword Raymond book of the year award", 2016. His fourth book 'Katha Chanakya' was the first book to be launched internationally in New York, USA in November 2016. The fifth and sixth books 'Chanakya in Daily Life' & 'Aanvikshiki - Inside Chanakya's Mind' has been appreciated all around in media and has been on the focus list of almost all the publishing retailers. His seventh book Chatur Chanakya is his first children's book and is making waves across India already. His eighth book Thus Spoke Chanakya is freshly out on the market but has made its way on the bestseller list already. His ninth ook, ‘Chanakya and the Art of getting Rich’ has gained popularity amongst the business community. His tenth book, ‘How to Write a Book and Make it a Bestseller’ is his only non-Chanakya book and talks about how he consistently made all his books bestsellers.
Chanakya also known as Kautilya is considered to be a great thinker, a king maker and foremost as an excellent teacher. If you consider the important things in life then education comes first according to Chanakya. In fact according to the author even Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam had the same opinion because he once said that he wanted to be known as a teacher. Dr. Pillai points out the significance of education by saying that if you don’t have good education you will not be respected. You may have money power etc. but only education can get you respect. The other thing that Chanakya Neeti propounds is to be a good listener. Dr. Radhakrishnan says that listening is very important and people love listeners. Good leaders are always good listeners as they understand what is happening to the last man. The third lesson of Chanakya Neeti is to understand your own super power.