Devdutt Pattanaik is an Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author. He was born brought up in Mumbai. He spent his childhood and student life in Chembur, Mumbai. He studied in Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School in Chembur. He graduated in medicine (M.B.B.S.) from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, and subsequently obtained a diploma in Comparative Mythology from Mumbai University.
Devdutt Pattanaik started working in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry (Sanofi Aventis and Apollo Group of Hospitals), respectively for 14 years and spent his spare time writing articles and books on mythology, which eventually became his full-time profession. His first book Shiva: An Introduction was published in 1997.
Since becoming Chief Belief Officer of Future Group in 2008, Pattanaik has focused on mythology and management, and is currently leadership coach and inspirational speaker to many organizations besides Future Group. He is working to create a ‘Retail Religion’, to build deep, lasting ties between customers and brands.
In 2015, Pattanaik presented the Hindi television series Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik on the “EPIC ON” channel. In the show, he attempts to demystify and decode the folklore and traditions that accompanies Indian mythology. In December 2016, he made “his debut on the Forbes India Celeb 100 list, on the 93rd spot.”
His columns on management and culture, appear in the Sunday Mid-day, Tehelka, the Hindustan Times, and the Times of India. He also writes a column called ‘Management Mythos’ for the Economic Times, that juxtaposes myth onto modern leadership challenges.
Devdutt Pattanaik has written over 25 books for everyone from business executives to children. Pattanaik is the author (and often illustrator) of several works on aspects of myth, including ‘Business Sutra: A Very Indian Approach to Management’; ‘7 Secrets of Shiva’; ‘7 Secrets of Vishnu’; ‘A Handbook of Hindu Mythology’; ‘Sita : An Illustrated Retelling Of The Ramayana’; and ‘Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata’. He is also the author of a novel ‘The Pregnant King’.
