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 book, ‘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.
“Arthashastra begins with samajshastra. Who don't understand society can't understand arthshastra. Every country looks for a good king. Chanakya seems first-person talk about Prajatantra. Why does Indian love to pay taxes? How we discuss saving taxes. The leaders need to be strong. Kautilya Arthshastra has 6000 sutras. It is big because it's made for kings. Chanakya Niti has 563 sutras because it is for normal human beings. It talks about normal rules regulations required to enhance the quality of life. The common person doesn't need too much. We are happy in small things, and that's what Chanakya has explained in Chanakya Niti. After necessities, it starts with moral principles, which is the main content in Chanakyaniti. You have to be a winner, and you have to exit the world anyways. Indian education has a very systematic procedure. We have different customs, and we need to be proud. I talk about parenting, married life, and life in society. One point I very much like in Chanakya Niti talks about how we should raise our children, when we should love, when we should scold, etc.”