The Inspiring Journey of Radhika Gupta: From Attempted Suicide to CEO Success

Meet Radhika Gupta – The Woman Who Went From Attempting Suicide to Becoming One of India’s Youngest CEOs

In every successful person’s story, there lies a phase of immense struggle and hardship. Radhika Gupta’s inspirational journey is no different. Born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1982, Radhika’s childhood was riddled with challenges right from the beginning. She was born with a broken neck due to complications during birth and had to wear a plaster cast for the first few months of her life.

As the daughter of an Indian Foreign Services officer, Radhika’s family moved frequently to different countries across the globe. Though this nomadic lifestyle exposed her to diverse cultures, it also meant constantly struggling to adjust to new environments and make new friends.

Despite these early difficulties, Radhika showed exceptional academic excellence and graduated from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania in 2003 with dual degrees in Economics and Computer Science. She was also offered a job at McKinsey, one of the top management consulting firms globally. But little did she know, this was just the beginning of a tumultuous phase.

The Years of Depression and Attempted Suicide

Though landing a job at McKinsey was a coveted achievement for any graduate, Radhika soon realized she was unfulfilled and dissatisfied at her job. Working long stressful hours with unrealistic expectations took a toll on her mental health.

Around this time, she also suffered a major personal setback when her boyfriend whom she had been dating for 5 years suddenly broke up with her. This proved to be the final straw that pushed Radhika into severe depression. She left her job at McKinsey and moved back to India. But the cloud of depression and anxiety persisted.

Feeling worthless and hopeless about the future, 22-year old Radhika attempted suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. Fortunately, her mother discovered her and rushed her to the hospital in time. This incident proved to be her wake-up call. She realized she had to turn her life around and find her true purpose.

The Road to Entrepreneurship

After recovering, Radhika knew she had to break out of the mold and chart her own course. The corporate world had crushed her soul, and she needed something more meaningful. She decided to tap into her creative and entrepreneurial side.

In 2011, Radhika founded Forefront – a platform to provide capital to Once this venture found its feet, Radhika leveraged the experience and expertise gained to make an even bigger splash. Edelweiss, one of India’s leading diversified financial services companies, was looking to grow their asset management business, and Radhika was the perfect fit to lead.

In 2015, Radhika became the CEO of Edelweiss Asset Management Company at just 33 years old, one of the youngest CEOs in Indian finance. Under her leadership, Edelweiss MF has grown its assets under management from 11,000 crores to over 1 lakh crores and became one of the fastest growing mutual funds in India.

Radhika achieved this meteoric success by consistently challenging the status quo in the asset management industry. She focused on trailblazing marketing like using real-life investor stories for advertising instead of celebrities. She targeted digital media and leveraged social media influencers to draw in younger investors. And she introduced cutting-edge technology to make investing more convenient and accessible.

Her progressive strategies paid off, and recognitions flowed in. In 2018, Radhika was featured in Fortune India’s ’40 under 40′ list. She was awarded the ‘Woman Ahead’ award by Economic Times for her trailblazing leadership. Clearly, this was not someone willing to be limited by outdated industry conventions.

The Makings of a Leader

Radhika’s extraordinary journey reveals key insights on what sets her apart as a leader:

1. Embracing individuality – Radhika believes conforming is overrated. She says, “I am a misfit, a contrarian. But being different is a strength.” Her individualistic thinking enables her to innovate fearlessly.
2. Learning obsession – Radhika is a voracious learner, reading across diverse topics from psychology to design. This ever-curious approach sparks creative ideas and strategies.
3. Resilience – Radhika could have allowed her early setbacks and suicide attempt to sink her. But she persisted and turned adversity into ambition. This grit helped her rebuild.
4. People-first – As a leader, Radhika focuses on enabling people, not controlling them. She invests in mentoring young talent and building future leaders.
5. Purpose-driven – Money or fame alone could not satisfy Radhika. She found her ikigai at the intersection of personal meaning and professional impact. This higher purpose fuels her fire.

Key Achievements

• Edelweiss Growth: Radhika led initiatives that transformed Edelweiss into one of India’s top asset management firms. She played a crucial role in acquiring JP Morgan Mutual Fund and launching Bharat Bond ETF—India’s first corporate bond ETF12.
• Advocacy: Radhika is also known for her advocacy for mental health awareness and women’s empowerment. She o

Beyond the Boardroom

Radhika is not just a high-flying CEO but also happily married to entrepreneur Ankur Warikoo and a proud mom to their young son. She juggles these myriad roles by building a solid support system and cultivating a self-care routine involving yoga, meditation and reading.

On being appointed as a Shark on Shark Tank India Season 3, Radhika said she aims to help budding entrepreneurs translate their ambitions into reality. For young women entrepreneurs in particular, she hopes her story serves as a catalytic spark.

Key Takeaways from Radhika Gupta’s Journey:

1. Perseverance through adversity builds resilience to face life’s challenges. Radhika’s early struggles shaped her grit and determination.
2. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself and find your purpose. Radhika took bold risks and pivoted her career in her 30s.
3. Bring your whole self to everything you do. Radhika stands out by embracing her uniqueness and contrarian thinking.
4. Prioritize making an impact. Radhika has built her career chasing purpose, not just money or fame.
5. Upskill constantly to stay ahead of change. Radhika’s lifelong learning obsession keeps her innovative and competitive.
6. Take care of your mental health. Radhika is proof one can come back from depression and anxiety.
7. Create a robust support system. Radhika credits her family and friends for grounding her.
8. Lead by empowering people. Radhika inspires her team by enabling growth, not enforcing command.
9. Challenge status quo boldly. Radhika disrupted an industry by questioning conventional wisdom fearlessly.
10. Progress, not perfection. Radhika shows that success comes by persisting through failures and self-doubt.

At just 42, Radhika Gupta has already built a phenomenally successful career. But her eyes are set on the horizon as she aims to build Edelweiss MF into a 50,000 crore asset management firm in the next 5 years. Given her track record, she is sure to achieve it.

Radhika’s story illustrates how one can bounce back from trauma and rewrite their destiny. With determination, resilience and bold risk-taking, she transformed hardship into achievement and despair into leadership. For every aspiring changemaker, her journey serves as a guiding light to never give up. Because stories like Radhika’s remind us – you can come back from anything and go on to achieve everything.

Inspirational Leadership

Radhika Gupta’s story is not just about personal success; it embodies a broader message of resilience and self-acceptance. She emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfections and encourages others to advocate for themselves in professional settings. Her journey serves as an inspiration to many aspiring entrepreneurs and women in leadership roles

Conclusion

Radhika Gupta’s life exemplifies the power of perseverance in the face of adversity. From battling personal demons to leading a major financial institution, her story is a testament to overcoming challenges through determination and hard work. As she continues to inspire others through her leadership and public speaking engagements, Radhika remains a beacon of hope for those striving to achieve their dreams against all odds.

References:

1. https://yourstory.com/2016/08/radhika-gupta-edelweiss/amp
2. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/i-am-a-misfit-contrarian-radhika-gupta/articleshow/69718072.cms
3. https://www.tatler.com/article/radhika-gupta-interview-india-businesswoman-entrepreneur-edelweiss-ceo-shark-tank
4. https://m.economictimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/radhika-gupta-the-rebel-who-built-a-rs-60000-crore-financial-empire/articleshow/84228813.cms
5. https://www.fortuneindia.com/40-under-40/radhika-gupta-the-rebel-with-a-cause/100410
6. https://www.outlookindia.com/outlookmoney/talking-money/radhika-gupta-on-her-unconventional-rise-to-the-top-6525
7. https://www.tatler.com/article/fortune-india-most-powerful-women-2019
8. https://www.livemint.com/Companies/ZpTjfwKQWGWyFHljmipn4J/Edelweiss-Mutual-Fund-aims-to-be-Rs-50000-crore-AMC-in-5.html
9. https://www.weforum.org/people/radhika-gupta/