Anupam Pattanayak (AP) is a seasoned business leader, entrepreneur, and consultant with nearly three decades of global experience. Renowned for guiding organizations through innovation and transformation, he combines strategic foresight with a deep passion for Indian philosophy. His expertise bridges ancient wisdom with modern leadership, redefining corporate governance with purpose.
The Literature Times: What inspired you to connect the Mahabharata with modern boardroom dilemmas?
Anupam Pattanayak: During pivotal moments in my leadership journey, I drew inspiration from the Bhagavad Gita’s teaching on duty and detachment. Like Arjuna on the battlefield, I faced a tough decision laden with uncertainty and pressure. The Gita’s wisdom—to perform one’s duty with dedication, without attachment to the results—helped me focus on making the best choice for my team and organization, rather than being overwhelmed by fear of outcomes. Similarly, the Mahabharata’s emphasis on dharma reminded me to anchor decisions in ethical principles, even when expediency tempted shortcuts. These ancient teachings grounded my leadership approach in courage, clarity, and integrity, guiding me through complex challenges with calm and conviction.
The Literature Times: How do you personally define “Dharma” in a corporate context?
Anupam Pattanayak: Dharma means Purpose-Driven Leadership (It equally fits in your corporate as well as personal being space).
In the Bhagavat Gita, it’s called Dharma.
In Bible & Qur’an: It’s called (Calling/Mission).
Core Meaning: Align decisions with values beyond profit.
Always Ask Yourself: “Is this action aligned with our core purpose?” (From a company’s perspective, the Core values are set by the company, which are the foundation pillars of the company.)
To me, dharma in business is about doing the right thing, even when it’s not the easiest path and even when no one is watching you. It’s about staying true to your values and responsibilities—not just to shareholders, but to your employees, customers, and the wider community. Sometimes that means making tough decisions that might slow short-term gains but build long-term trust and sustainability. Dharma is what keeps a company grounded and respected. It’s the balance between pursuing growth and staying ethical, making sure we don’t lose sight of the bigger picture while chasing success. At the end of the day, that’s what leadership is really about.
The Literature Times: Can you share an instance where ancient wisdom guided your own leadership decisions?
Anupam Pattanayak: There are many, In fact one such was during a period of major organizational change. Faced with tough choices that could impact many lives, I recalled the Bhagavad Gita’s teaching about performing one’s duty with dedication but without attachment to outcomes. This guided me to focus on making thoughtful, ethical decisions aligned with our core values, rather than being paralyzed by fear of uncertain results.
This perspective helped me lead with calm determination, communicate transparently with my team, and stay resilient amid challenges. It reminded me that leadership is not about control but about serving with integrity and courage—a timeless lesson that remains highly relevant in today’s fast-paced corporate world.
Inspired by King Harishchandra’s unwavering commitment to truth, even when it meant personal sacrifice, I chose transparency during a financial setback rather than hiding information. This built trust with stakeholders and strengthened the company’s reputation.
Drawing from the Mahabharata’s lesson of timing, where careful waiting was key to victory, I practiced restraint during negotiations, allowing for more favorable terms and lasting partnerships instead of rushing to close deals.
Like Krishna’s role as mentor to Arjuna, I prioritized coaching emerging leaders in my team, helping them build confidence and make better decisions, which strengthened the organization’s leadership pipeline.
The Literature Times: What challenges do leaders face when balancing company’s profit with ethics today?
Anupam Pattanayak: Leaders today face significant challenges when trying to balance company profits with ethical considerations. One major tension is the pressure for short-term financial results from shareholders and markets, which can tempt leaders to prioritize immediate gains over long-term, responsible business practices. Ethical dilemmas often arise around issues like fair labor practices, environmental sustainability, data privacy, and transparent governance—areas where cutting corners might boost profits but damage reputation and trust.
Additionally, leaders must navigate complex stakeholder expectations, balancing the needs of investors, employees, customers, and communities, sometimes with conflicting interests. Making decisions in such “grey areas” requires courage, clear values, and a strong commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. Ultimately, the challenge lies in fostering a culture where doing the right thing aligns with long-term business success, ensuring that profitability and ethics are not mutually exclusive but complementary goals.
Leaders can navigate the challenges of balancing profit and ethics by grounding their decisions in clear values and a structured approach that considers the broader impact of their actions. The “Dharma Compass” serves as a valuable tool in this regard.
By using the Dharma Compass, leaders begin by clarifying their core responsibilities to all stakeholders—employees, customers, shareholders, and the community. It encourages them to evaluate decisions through the lens of ethical principles such as honesty, fairness, and respect. Leaders then assess the long-term consequences of their choices, prioritizing sustainability and trust over short-term gains.
This framework helps leaders weigh competing interests with empathy and objectivity, guiding them toward decisions that uphold integrity while supporting business goals. By acting courageously and being accountable for their choices, leaders maintain the sanctity of their role, ensuring their organization’s legacy is built on both profitability and purpose.
In essence, the Dharma Compass helps transform complex dilemmas into actionable insights, ultimately fostering responsible leadership in today’s dynamic business environment.
By shifting the mindset from a “check box” mentality to one that embraces ethics as a key driver of success, leaders can navigate the complex balance between profit and ethics with greater ease. It’s about integrating these values into the company’s DNA and making them a core part of the strategy, rather than viewing them as challenges to be navigated across.
The Literature Times: Could you explain how the “Dharma Compass” works in practice?
Anupam Pattanayak: The “Dharma Compass” is a practical framework leaders can use to navigate complex decisions by aligning actions with core ethical values and responsibilities. In practice, it works like this:
Step-1 – Clarify Your Duty: Identify your responsibilities to all stakeholders—employees, customers, shareholders, and the community. Understand what is expected of you from each perspective.
Step-2 – Evaluate Ethical Alignment: Before making a decision, ask if the action aligns with principles like honesty, fairness, and respect. Does it uphold integrity, or compromise it for short-term gain?
Step 3 – Consider Long-Term Impact: Look beyond immediate profits or results. Will this choice build trust, sustainability, and goodwill that support lasting success?
Step 4 – Balance Interests: Weigh conflicting demands objectively, aiming to find a path that honors as many aspects of your duty as possible without causing harm.
Step-5 – Act with Courage and Responsibility: Once the ethical course is clear, proceed decisively, even if it’s difficult or unpopular. Transparency and accountability reinforce your commitment.
In essence, the Dharma Compass helps leaders stay grounded in their values, ensuring their decisions contribute positively to their organization and society over time.
The Literature Times: How can non-Indian readers relate to and apply the lessons from your book?
Anupam Pattanayak: The Indian Epic is referenced throughout this book; however, readers may find that its teachings resonate similarly with other religious texts, such as the Bible and the Quran. These scriptures were not solely intended for religious rituals or places of worship—they were authored to guide through complex moral dilemmas, much like those encountered in today’s corporate boardrooms.
A CEO who approaches the Bhagavad Gita or the Bible not just as a sacred text but as a leadership guide is likely to lead with greater clarity, integrity, and courage. I encourage readers to set aside any preconceived notions or biases about specific religions while engaging with this book and instead focus on drawing parallels with their own religious or philosophical teachings. I am confident that doing so will reveal meaningful insights aligned with the purpose of this work.
We have made an effort to give annotations in English for Sanskrit verbs and words for ease of our readers and have added a short Glossary of terms section at the end of this book to correlate the actors and various non-English words as references in this book.
The Literature Times: Which Mahabharata character do you think today’s CEOs can learn the most from?
Anupam Pattanayak: Every character in these Epics embodies a blend of virtues and flaws. While Duryodhana is often portrayed as an antagonist, I have also sought to highlight his positive qualities. Similarly, the role of a CEO is highly demanding and complex. Although a CEO is supported and advised by a board of directors, many situations arise where there is no clear-cut solution; rather, the answers often lie within nuanced grey areas requiring thoughtful judgment and balance. This is where the Dharma compass can help them navigate through these odds.
Coming back to the characters, I would like to take few references here:
Yudhishthira – The Ethical Leader: His unwavering commitment to truth and dharma teaches leaders the importance of integrity and patience. Yudhishthira’s focus on long-term righteousness over short-term gains is essential for ethical, sustainable leadership.
Arjuna – The Skilled Strategist: Arjuna’s discipline, focus, and adaptability model strategic thinking, while his relationship with Krishna highlights the value of mentorship and self-awareness.
Sri Krishna – The Visionary Guide: Krishna embodies visionary leadership, emotional intelligence, and ethical pragmatism. He teaches leaders to inspire, negotiate, and make tough decisions with clarity and compassion, guiding through complexity with calm confidence.
Draupadi – The Resilient Advocate: Draupadi’s strength, courage, and unwavering voice against injustice resonate deeply in today’s boardrooms. She exemplifies advocacy for fairness, resilience in adversity, and the importance of speaking truth to power. Modern leaders can learn from her determination to uphold dignity and challenge unethical behavior, fostering inclusive and accountable organizational cultures.
Together, these figures present a rich, balanced leadership blueprint—one that combines ethics, courage, strategic vision, operational wisdom, emotional intelligence, and resilient advocacy—critical for leading successfully in today’s complex business environments.
The Literature Times: What was the biggest learning you gained while writing The Dharma Code?
Anupam Pattanayak: The biggest learning I gained while writing The Dharma Code was the profound relevance of ancient wisdom to modern leadership challenges. It became clear that principles like integrity, duty, empathy, and resilience—articulated thousands of years ago—are timeless guides for navigating today’s complex corporate world.
I also realized how leadership is fundamentally about service and stewardship rather than authority or control. The book reinforced that ethical decision-making often involves navigating grey areas where there is no single “right” answer, requiring courage, patience, and a deep understanding of one’s responsibilities.
Ultimately, writing this book deepened my appreciation for the interconnectedness between personal values and organizational success and how the right mindset can inspire not just business growth, but also positive, lasting impact for society.
My Key Takeaways:
I act with clarity, not compulsion
I serve with courage, not ego
I build not just wealth, but worth.
The Literature Times: How do you see the future of leadership evolving in the next decade?
Anupam Pattanayak: In my opinion, in the coming decade, leadership won’t just evolve—it will transform in profound ways. With digital technology, AI, and hybrid work changing how businesses operate, leaders will need to stay agile and digitally savvy to navigate this new landscape. But it’s not just about tech skills; emotional intelligence and genuine empathy will be crucial for connecting with diverse teams spread across different places, creating workplaces where people feel valued and innovation can flourish. Leaders will also need to lead with clear purpose, weaving ethics, sustainability, and inclusion into everything they do. Those who invest in growing these qualities and continuously learning will not only guide their organizations through constant change but also help define what leadership—and work—will look like in the future.
The Literature Times: What message would you like every reader to carry after finishing your book?
Anupam Pattanayak: Leaders operate under constant pressure, which is precisely why the most capable and discerning individuals are entrusted with these critical roles. It is their shared responsibility to honor the position they hold, recognizing themselves as temporary stewards whose foremost duty is to uphold the integrity and values of the organization. Leadership is transient, and while decisions made today may address immediate challenges, what ultimately matters is the legacy one leaves behind.
Ancient epics present timeless scenarios and profound lessons that often surpass the scope of modern business case studies. While contemporary analyses may offer quick fixes, the wisdom contained within these epics provides enduring guidance aimed at achieving sustainable organizational success and contributing to the greater good of society.
As leaders, it is imperative to thoughtfully consider diverse perspectives with honesty and empathy. Additionally, we must cultivate resilience, the courage to make decisive choices, and the patience to allow transformative change to unfold. This holistic approach is essential for navigating complexity and ensuring long-term, ethical leadership.
