In a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping decisions faster than humans can process them, leadership coach Kuruva Venkataramana Murthy is urging a different kind of transformation, one that begins within.
With more than two decades of experience coaching CXOs, founders, and public policy leaders, Murthy has become a distinct voice in India’s evolving leadership landscape. But unlike many in the corporate world, his compass doesn’t point outward to trends - it turns inward, towards values rooted in age-old wisdom.
“I’m not against AI,” he says. “I’m only against outsourcing your awareness to it.”
Murthy’s approach to leadership draws heavily from Indian philosophical traditions, particularly the concept of Dharma: not as a spiritual abstraction, but as a real-world, actionable lens for making better decisions in complex environments. He believes that in a world of accelerated automation, it’s not just intelligence but discernment that will define the future of leaders.
Born and raised in India, Murthy’s early influences came from both academic rigor and cultural storytelling. His fascination with the inner world led him to explore philosophy, symbolism, and what he now calls “soul science” - a language of self-inquiry and clarity.
Over the years, Murthy developed a distinctive leadership framework that speaks to modern anxieties while drawing strength from timeless concepts. One of its core pillars is what he calls the AAA Model:
Adapt with Awareness: Leaders must question, not blindly accept algorithmic recommendations.
Amplify Ethics: Technology must serve human values, not override them.
Accelerate with Alignment: Growth should be in harmony with the leader’s deeper purpose.
“Technology can inform decisions,” he says, “but it should never replace discernment.”
His focus on intention-setting, reflection, and composure finds expression in practices rooted in Indian tradition. He emphasizes Sankalpa (a conscious intention), Swadhyaya (self-study), and Sama (inner balance) as essential leadership tools, especially when digital overload becomes the norm.
Those who’ve worked with Murthy often describe his sessions as a blend of strategy and stillness. He’s known for asking difficult questions - not to test, but to help leaders rediscover their clarity. “In boardrooms filled with noise, I try to hold space for silence,” he explains.
Perhaps one of the most symbolic choices Murthy has made recently was asking mothers to unveil his latest work on AI and leadership. “Mothers embody the original algorithm,” he says with a smile. “They respond with wisdom, not just logic. That’s the spirit leaders need today - not cold, mechanical action, but warm intelligence grounded in responsibility.”
Murthy believes that the surge of AI tools is not a threat to leadership but a mirror, one that reflects our own biases, accelerates our decisions, and tests our integrity. “Critical thinking isn’t a casualty of AI unless we allow it to be,” he often reminds his audience. The TEDx speaker’s latest book, “AI-Driven Leadership: Adapt, Amplify, and Accelerate,” launched on 2nd August, is an unexpected answer to this modern dilemma: To look to dharma – not in a mystic way but as a practical guide for making decisions, in the growing age of AI.
What sets his voice apart isn’t a rejection of technology, but a reminder that tools can never substitute for clarity, compassion, or courage. “The future will not just belong to the fastest,” he says. “It will belong to those who are most aligned with themselves.”
In an age when efficiency is often mistaken for wisdom, Kuruva Murthy’s work invites leaders to pause, not to delay action, but to deepen intention.
About Kuruva Murthy
Kuruva Venkataramana Murthy is a leadership coach, TEDx speaker, and founder of a conscious leadership platform. With a background in strategic coaching and Indian philosophy, he works with founders, CXOs, and policy leaders to help them align decision-making with ethical clarity and inner purpose. Under his leadership, One in the Universe has evolved into a leadership movement, winning accolades such as the India Business Awards 2025 in the category of “Iconic Brand of the Year in Conscious Fashion and Healing Innovation.”
To explore these practices and frameworks, visit www.oneintheuniverse.in
