MAM
Weekend Unwind with: Shradha Agarwal, CEO & co-founder of Grapes
Mumbai : In this week’s edition, IndianTelevision.com continues its series of informal and lighthearted chat that peeks inside the minds of corporate executives.
To get to know the person behind the title a little better, we have Grapes CEO and co-founder Shradha Agarwal, who has opened up her heart and mind to us by sharing her life nuggets and mantras for dealing with life’s curveballs.
Having essayed diverse roles from account manager to marketing manager to head digital strategy and engagement in various organisations across sectors, Shradha believes the key lies in ‘Unlearning’. For it helps think up innovative business strategies and “out of the box” communication strategies. The “intrapreneur itch” made her leave her MNC job nine years back to join Grapes (then Grapes Digital), where she took a year to understand the technology and the agency business, before starting the marketing vertical in 2015.
So here goes:
Your mantra for Life
Never quit
A book you are currently reading/plan to read
Currently, I am reading ‘Delivering Happiness: A path to profits, passion and purpose’ by Tony Hsieh.
Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
I make sure to indulge myself in 30-45 mins of exercise, a mix-up of cardio and yoga. Besides this, the other fitness mantra I follow incessantly is consuming less sugar.
Your comfort food
Aglio Olio (a traditional Italian pasta dish) and Pulao
When the chips are down a quote/ philosophy that keeps you going
I genuinely feel that “Life is 10 percent of what happens to you and 90 percent of how you react to it.” There are times when things don’t work in your favour, and it’s always best not to react at the moment but analyse, learn and experience it. Rather than panicking, have patience and faith in yourself because it ameliorates the problem.
Your guilty pleasure
Ice-cream & cake
When was the last time you tried something new?
Dance. I love dancing and used to be a choreographer in my college days. Be it school, college or any function, I was always excited to perform but with time it gradually declined. But very soon, I will be joining a dance class, and cherish the memories.
A life lesson you learned the hard way
Don’t get upset over small things, or have expectations from others. It is you who decides what you want in life. The sooner you realise it, the better off you’ll be.
What gets you excited about life?
Doing creative work and creating kickass campaigns for my clients keep me excited every day. When a client appreciates the work and the audience shower their love, that feeling is unmatched. It keeps you motivated to work hard and do better every day.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid of failures. There are times when we are not able to discover our strengths but, after trying and failing in the journey of life we realise our strong points, which ultimately help us in reaching the destination. Also remember, to be confident but never let success make you complacent.
An activity that keeps you motivated/ charged during tough times
It’s my work that keeps me energised and motivated.
What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?
Meeting friends, or watching a web series.
Your go-to stress buster
Going for a candlelight dinner with my husband.
One thing you would most like to change about the world
Don’t be judgemental. In today’s context, I see that people in seconds start judging other people. Everyone has a different life and what is good for you may not be for the other person. Stay grounded, be humble and spread positivity as the world needs better people.
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
