Tech leader Kamini Ramani joins us with her modern playbook for success, culled from the inspiring stories of a largely unrecognized cadre of luminary women of Indian heritage.
About the Book
“I wish Lotus Leadership had been around decades ago.”—Reid Hoffman
We’ve been ignoring the surging force of Indian women in American business for far too long. Not anymore. Speaking with more than thirty women of Indian heritage excelling in American business, Silicon Valley tech executive Kamini Ramani noticed a pattern: their success came from neither emulating men of any ethnicity, nor “leaning in.” Instead, these women drew—often unconsciously—from the learned wisdom prevalent in Indian culture, specifically in the stories of Hindu goddesses.
In Lotus Leadership, Ramani distills the paths of these exceptional women into one framework that anyone can follow. At the core of this wisdom is an embrace of duality that encourages harmony rather than dissonance; an emphasis on the collective over the individual; and the ability to own your power with calm and resilience.
In her no-nonsense “Auntie” style, Ramani unveils a new way of leading:
Embracing both your so-called feminine and masculine sides in harmony.
Letting curiosity guide you–not the pursuit of titles, ladders, or a paycheck.
Building harmonious life partnerships that take a long-term view of “having it all.”
Living in abundance beyond material wealth to include a happy family, a strong team, philanthropy, and investing in one’s community.
Combining all these traits in a way that is completely unique to your strengths and your journey.
About the Speakers
Kamini Ramani is a native of Mumbai, India, who attended Yale and Stanford Universities. In her four-decade career as a technology marketing leader she advised legends like Steve Jobs, and she established Mayfield, a top tier venture capital firm. She continues to work closely with Silicon Valley leaders as a founding member of the South Asian women’s network Neythri. Her passions include forest bathing, storytelling, and swapping book recommendations with her two adult daughters. She and her husband Omar Khan are thirty-five-year residents of San Francisco.
Srinija Srinivasan was born in India and raised in Lawrence, Kansas. She has followed a lifelong curiosity about consciousness, from the arts to artificial intelligence. While studying abroad in Japan, she met Yahoo!’s future cofounders whom she would later join as their fifth employee. For over fifteen years, Srinija’s work at Yahoo! centered on the human experience. That, alongside chairing the board of nonprofit SFJAZZ, led her to co-found Loove, a Brooklyn-based music venture exploring how artistic values can guide our markets. She’s also a co-founder of Jubilee College, a two-year college near Mount Shasta where students are equally rooted in physical work, rigorous liberal arts study, and contemplative practice. Srinija is a board member of the On Being Project and a former vice chair of Stanford University’s Board of Trustees.
Judy Estrin is a networking technology pioneer and Silicon Valley leader. Since 1981, she has co-founded eight technology companies and served as CTO of Cisco Systems. As CEO of JLABS, LLC, she is an advisor and speaker in the areas of entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation in organizations, national policy, and education. Previously, she served on the boards of directors of The Walt Disney Company, FedEx Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Rockwell Corporation, KQED, and The Medium Corporation. In 2025 Estrin was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering for contributions to the early development and adoption of networking technologies, products, and services, and for leadership that advanced innovation. She was named to the Forbes 250 list of America’s Greatest Innovators in 2026. Estrin is the author of the book, Closing the Innovation Gap: Reigniting the Spark of Creativity in a Global Economy (McGraw-Hill, 2008). The book explores key concepts of innovation and challenges business, education, and national leaders to work together to reignite the sustainable innovation essential for future growth. Her more recent thoughts about the impacts of technology on democracy and society are expressed in online outlets including TIME.
ACCESSIBILITY: We never want cost to be a barrier to admission for our community. Please email events [at] keplers [dot] org if you would like to attend this event but cannot afford a ticket. To request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for this event, please email events [at] keplers [dot] org at least one week prior to the event.
REFUNDS: We are able to offer refunds up to 7 days before the event.
We want Kepler’s to be a welcoming and comfortable space for everyone. If you are feeling unwell, especially with respiratory symptoms, please stay home. Thank you for helping us create a safe and considerate environment for our community.