By Chandran Iyer
Vikrant Vartak is a man of many talents—a published author, insightful blogger, dynamic talk show host, sought-after panel moderator, innovative entrepreneur, and a passionate animal lover. With a career marked by versatility and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Vikrant exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit in every sense.
Vikrant has penned two books: Guideposts and 50 Dilemmas. Guideposts serves as a management handbook for entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, offering insights derived from 21 episodes of The Senate Talk Show, hosted by him through his initiatives Mavens and The Senate. “I wrote this book to expose readers to a wide array of thoughts and ideas shared by experts on my shows,” Vikrant explains.
50 Dilemmas discusses, as exhaustively as possible, fifty tricky questions that plague an entrepreneur’s mind. Wherever possible, an attempt has been made to provide a ‘rule of thumb’ to resolve the dilemma. However, there are many dilemmas where a concrete rule of thumb cannot be provided. The author leaves such dilemmas with various possibilities and pointers.
As the Managing Director of The Senate, one of Pune’s prominent workplace solution providers, Vikrant promises to deliver a “complete ecosystem for growth” to his clients. The Senate offers state-of-the art business environment with 400 seats and 45 plush plug-n-play office suites spread across 21,000 sft across its two locations in Erandwane and Wakad in Pune.
Founded in April 2013, The Senate provides exclusive areas for a Recreation Centre, a Reading Lounge (Crossword’s style of seating area with a large library), an open-air cafe called Chimes, a large terrace venue offering a vintage theme called Chhat, and so on. They boast of a suave, well-equipped, air-conditioned banquet hall with good acoustics called Conferia which can accommodate an audience of 150 guests in theatre format or a get-together of up to 200 guests.
Vikrant is a passionate animal lover with a heartwarming connection to his furry and feathered friends. His home is a lively haven for his eight dogs, each with a unique personality, a few cats, and a mischievous squirrel who has become an inseparable part of the family. Vikrant’s deep bond with animals stems from his belief that they bring unparalleled joy, loyalty, and lessons in unconditional love.
Each of his dogs has a special place in his life—whether it’s the playful Golden Retriever “Luna” who loves fetching balls, the gentle giant Jerry who guards the house, or his blissful companion Coco who joins him on his evening walks. The squirrel named Ninja, a curious little creature, often steals the spotlight with its antics, from nibbling on nuts to chasing the dogs around the yard. Vikrant ensures that all his pets are well cared for, dedicating time to their needs, be it daily walks, nutritious meals, or playful bonding sessions. His home is a testament to his love for animals, brimming with warmth, laughter, and the pitter-patter of tiny paws. Vikrant has also been donating regularly to organizations like RESQ, MH14 Animal Hospital, and others.
To foster holistic development among entrepreneurs, Vikrant founded Mavens, a CEO peer group that serves as an advisory board and a learning platform. Through routine meetings, members engage in candid discussions about business challenges and opportunities.
One of Vikrant’s flagship initiatives is The Senate Talk Show, a periodic event conducted in an engaging interview format that has now become a must-attend for Pune’s elite entrepreneurial community.
First ten Talk Shows were held with first-generation, Pune-based entrepreneurs who built successful organizations from scratch. 11th Talk Show onwards, they started their Pride of Pune series with those iconic brands from Pune who have not only managed to hit the sweet spot with Puneites, but are also highly regarded across the country and beyond. Twelve Talk Shows (11th to 22nd) have already been conducted under this series. Vikrant had the privilege of interviewing fifteen of these guests. The event attracts an audience of 130-150 high-caliber entrepreneurs, including several celebrity guests. “We are working towards making The Senate Talk Show as Pune’s signature event for entrepreneurs,” Vikrant asserts.
Vikrant also gets invited by other forums to moderate panel discussions and talk shows. He was recently invited by YPO-Kolkata to Kolkata to moderate a panel discussion with Ms. Anu Aga and Ms. Meher Pudumjee as the panellists. Prior to that, he was invited to moderate a panel discussion on ‘Women in Business’ with Ms. Anu Aga and Ms. Radhika Gupta of Edelweiss as the panellists.
Before The Senate, Vikrant had founded StealthHunt, an IT recruitment firm that served top clients like Deloitte, HCL, Zensar, and others. However, the cyclical nature of the business led him to shut it down during an industry downturn. Undeterred, Vikrant pivoted his focus to The Senate, transforming it into a thriving venture.
Through his work with The Senate and Mavens, Vikrant Vartak evangelizes entrepreneurship. Whether hosting talk shows, moderating panel discussions, writing books and blogs on entrepreneurship or offering cutting-edge workplace solutions, Vikrant is a driving force behind Pune’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
In Vikrant Vartak, Pune not only has a business leader but also a passionate advocate for innovation, growth, and collaboration—qualities that inspire entrepreneurs to aim higher and achieve more.
