When Inclusion becomes the cultural bedrock, employees can bring their most authentic selves to work and productivity surges. They feel heard and respected.
Dr. Saundarya Rajesh
Founder & President, Avtar Group
A highly regarded thought leader in India, and a well-acclaimed social entrepreneur and author
Dr. Saundarya has been a strong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, she is renowned for her pioneering work in promoting second career opportunities for women in corporate India spanning over two decades.
Her journey in empowering women in the workforce stands as a beacon of inspiration for many.
Dr. Saundarya Rajesh is an award-winning social entrepreneur, acclaimed workplace culture strategist, and globally recognized expert in inclusive workplace design, workforce transition and ESG transformation. With over 25 years of experience, she has reimagined the world of work through the lens of ethics, empathy, and enterprise. As the Founder-President of Avtar Group, Managing Trustee of Avtar Human Capital Trust and Managing Director of Avtar ESG Services Pvt Ltd, she has led more than 1000 organizations to shape workplaces that are as human as they are high-performing.
Following her journey at Citibank responsible for setting up the Merchant Services division for the Credit Card business during its launch, Dr. Rajesh launched her entrepreneurial journey with Avtar Career Creators, followed by ventures like Flexi Careers India, Avtar Human Capital Trust, and myAvtar.com—India’s first career portal for underrepresented groups. Her landmark initiatives include Avtar I-WIN, a workforce transition project for people who have taken career breaks, Project Puthri (career pathing for adolescent girls), Project Nipuni (career empowerment for first-generation graduates), and Project MITR (male allyship through adolescent sensitization). Together, these projects have transformed the lives of over 200,000 individuals.
Dr. Rajesh is the architect of intentional career pathing—a game-changing concept that has led to measurable impact in women’s career participation. Her frameworks such as the 4A ESG Model and the Avtar Certified Diversity Audit (ACDA) have helped companies navigate ESG metrics, drive sustainable impact, and comply with India’s BRSR norms.
A trainer par excellence, she designs and delivers deep-dive, actionable learning programs on DEI metrics, ESG adoption, ethical leadership, and inclusive culture-building. Her sessions are lauded for blending strategy, sensitivity, and structure—making them effective with senior executives and operational teams alike.
Dr. Rajesh is also a powerful voice on global platforms, having spoken at TEDx, UN Women, World AI Conference, and TOP Women South Africa, where she highlights how workplace culture can become a key lever for ESG success. Her bestselling books—The 99 Day Diversity Challenge and Conversations with the Career Doctor—are practical playbooks for organizations and professionals aiming for sustainable, inclusive growth.
Among her numerous accolades are the NiTi Aayog’s Women Transforming India Award 2016, Chevening Global Changemaker 2018, MWCD’s #100Women Achiever 2015, Twitter Web Wonder Women 2017, and The Hindu’s Contribution to Society Award 2024. But beyond the awards, it’s her on-ground impact and authenticity that sets her apart.
As Avtar enters its 25th year, Dr. Rajesh envisions a world where businesses are not just profit-making but people-positive, planet-aligned, and purpose-fueled. Her mission: to ensure that workplace culture becomes the heartbeat of every successful ESG agenda.
A letter from our founder
At the heart of our work is a passion for shaping thriving workplace cultures—ones where people feel connected, engaged, and empowered to drive innovation and success.
A strong, people-centric culture is the foundation of a high-performing organization. When individuals feel valued and heard, they bring their authentic selves to work, fueling motivation, collaboration, and productivity. Inclusion isn’t just an initiative—it’s the driving force behind a committed, purpose-driven workforce.
Across India, companies are at different stages of what we call the ‘DEI Maturity Curve.’ A select 10% have set the gold standard—embedding inclusive practices, fostering trust, and building work environments that enable people to do their best work. These role-model organizations prove that investing in people fuels long-term business success.
Our vision is to help more companies rise to this level—creating workplaces where people thrive, and businesses prosper. Come, be a part of this journey to build workplaces that truly work for everyone.
Recognitions and Awards
Introducing The 99 Day Diversity Challenge: Creating an Inclusive Workplace
By Dr. Saundarya Rajesh
Introducing The 99 Day Diversity Challenge: Creating an Inclusive Workplace
By Dr. Saundarya Rajesh
There is empirical evidence indicating that diversity and inclusion are crucial components of organisational success, yet managing a diverse workforce presents its own set of challenges. Leaders today are seeking tools to enable inter-cultural components and create a sustainable DEI model to not only foster an inclusive workplace, but to also gain a competitive edge.
While many organisations are finding more meaningful ways to create an impact, Dr. Saundarya shares a strong belief that you can transform your organization’s approach to DEI in just 99 days.
In her book, through engaging stories, anecdotes and thought-leadership blogs, Dr. Saundarya demystifies the subject of DEI, and describes how it can be absorbed by just about everyone. Since its launch in 2018, the book has received several accolades, including the first prize for the Book of the Year Award 2021 from the Indian Society for Training and Development.
What is The 99
Day Diversity Challenge?
- A never-before account of the nascent experiences of implementing the culture of D&I at the Indian workplace
- A precise explanation on the different strands of diversity, how to leverage each strand and the future of the D&I thoughts
- A customisable framework to set organizational inclusion goals, design a methodology to accomplish them and track your progress
- Ready-to-use tools put in the most interesting and gripping way, this book will unlock the diverse human potential at your workplace
- With a lexicon, word puzzles, crosswords, engaging D&I games, this book is all set to enrich the reader with an all new experience for those set to begin their own D&I journey
