‘Think Like a Sage, Lead Like a CEO: Tantrayukti for Business Success’ by Sidhharrth S Kumaar

In an age saturated with Western leadership models and Silicon Valley playbooks, Sidhharrth S Kumaar’s Think Like a Sage, Lead Like a CEO offers a refreshing—and surprisingly relevant—perspective rooted in ancient Indian wisdom. This 2025 release bridges the often-overlooked gap between timeless Vedic intelligence and the hyper-modern demands of executive leadership, making it one of the more original entries in the business/self-help genre this year.

The core of the book revolves around “Tantrayukti,” a Sanskrit term referring to 32 structured methods of reasoning and persuasion traditionally used in ancient Indian scriptures. Historically applied by sages, scholars, and strategists like Chanakya, Kumaar reimagines these principles as powerful tools for modern leaders facing high-stakes decisions, strategic ambiguity, and organizational complexity.

Designed as a 30-day transformation program, the book isn’t a passive read. Each chapter introduces a specific Tantrayukti, demystifies its traditional use, and then applies it to contemporary business challenges. Whether it’s navigating a crisis like Elon Musk’s leadership at Tesla or building long-term strategic moats like Jeff Bezos at Amazon, Kumaar weaves in real-world business cases to anchor his philosophical insights in practical relevance.

What sets the book apart is its multidimensional value. It is part leadership manual, part philosophical treatise, and part strategic toolkit. Yet it remains remarkably accessible. Kumaar avoids academic jargon and opts for clarity, using bite-sized chapters, reflection prompts, and summaries to ensure that even readers with no background in Indic thought can extract value.

That said, this is not a book for those looking for quick-fix hacks or business clichés. Think Like a Sage, Lead Like a CEO demands active engagement. The reader is called to think, reflect, and implement. There’s a meditative quality to the book’s pacing—perhaps by design—emphasizing that effective leadership is less about charisma and more about clarity, resilience, and disciplined thinking.

Another strength lies in its broad appeal. While tailor-made for CXOs, startup founders, and strategy consultants, the book also speaks to “conscious thinkers”—those in pursuit of purpose-driven leadership. In this way, Kumaar doesn’t just equip readers with tools but also with a worldview: leadership as service, rooted in wisdom and inner balance.

Still, the book may challenge readers unfamiliar with Eastern philosophies. Despite the author’s efforts to modernize the concepts, those unaccustomed to integrating spiritual or philosophical frameworks into business thinking may need to recalibrate their mindset. But for those willing to make the leap, the reward is a leadership lens that is both deeply human and radically effective.

In an era where AI, uncertainty, and burnout dominate the business landscape, Think Like a Sage, Lead Like a CEO is a compelling call to slow down, think deeply, and lead wisely. It invites us to replace reactive decisions with resilient thinking, transactional ambition with timeless purpose.