Yesterday, I had the privilege of interacting with M.Text. and Research Scholars at IIT Delhi, and delivering a lecture on:
“From Technology to Thought Leadership: How Textile Innovation Becomes a Brand”
The session drew upon my 35-year journey in the textile industry — from technology and operations to turnarounds, business building, marketing and brand creation.
What made the interaction particularly rewarding was the quality of the questions and the discussions that followed. We explored a question that I believe is increasingly important for technology and research institutions:
What happens when technology leaves the laboratory and enters the real world?
Technical excellence is only the beginning. For an innovation to create lasting impact, it has to move through a much longer journey:
Technology → Innovation → Value → Commercialisation → Adoption → Brand → Thought Leadership
We discussed why technically superior ideas do not always become successful businesses; why understanding the customer and the economics is as important as developing the technology; and how sustained delivery of value can eventually create trust, differentiation and a brand.
My own industry journey has taught me that some of the most valuable lessons are learnt not in success alone, but in navigating turnarounds, execution challenges, customer expectations, scaling and the realities of the marketplace.
And perhaps the most important lesson of all:
The journey does not end when you invent something.
It begins when the world starts using it.
I am grateful to the faculty and students of IIT Delhi for such an engaging interaction and for the opportunity to share some of my experiences.
I am equally grateful to the Academic Leadership and Management of PIET for giving me the opportunity to represent PIET on this platform.
A memorable and deeply fulfilling experience. 🙏