A leadership journey shaped by science and global perspective

For Venkatesh, the true value of Chevening was the exposure to new ideas and different ways of working.

‘The Chevening Gurukul Fellowship gave me the opportunity to look beyond my own field and engage with global communities working across science, education, technology, and policy. That broader perspective has shaped the way I approach leadership today.’

After Chevening and his early roles at Microsoft and Deloitte, he moved into work focused on using science and technology to improve education and skills development, helping more people access opportunities. For example, at the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, Venkatesh led the Digital Skilling Mission.

The programme helped expand access to digital skills across India, reaching more than 800 districts across 30 states. It strengthened pathways for young people to build skills relevant to a changing economy and supported national efforts to improve employability at scale.

He later became Managing Director and Chair of the Board at Springer Nature India, where he worked to strengthen India’s research and higher education ecosystem.

He worked with leading institutions and universities across India, as well as government bodies such as the Ministry of Education, the Department of Science & Technology, and the Principal Scientific Adviser’s Office.

A key focus of his work was to support the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative, which aims to improve access to global research literature for academic institutions across India.

Venkatesh has also supported the initiative Her Research, Our Future, which highlighted and recognised women researchers across India, helping to increase visibility and representation of women in science.

Today, Dr Venkatesh is Managing Director for India & South Asia at the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). He works with governments, universities, and research communities to strengthen collaboration and support the growth of science across the region.

His advice for future Fellows

‘A successful career is built on curiosity, networking, and consistent, high-quality work. A Chevening Fellowship gives you a fantastic platform to learn, engage with communities from around the world, and bring that learning back to create meaningful change in society.’