From selling SIM cards on the streets of Pondicherry to leading 3,000 Cr+ P&L as a Director at Flipkart and now to a new uncharted territory at Scapia — Ashwini Ravindranath’s journey is anything but typical.
“I wasn’t a 5-year-old saying I want to be this. Or a 10-year-old, or 15-year-old knowing what to do in life. I went with what were the best choices and options at that point. One thing was clear: Whatever I join, I need to be the best at it.”
From launching categories that didn’t exist to navigating motherhood through corporate challenges— Ashwini’s story is one that inspires women to turn uncertainty into opportunity.
Humble Beginnings, Big Dreams
Growing up as an only child to teacher-parents, Ashwini’s foundation was built on honesty, hard work, and being thorough — values that would become her professional compass. Her parents had moved to Bengaluru city from a rural village just to ensure she had access to English medium education, setting the stage for opportunities.
Post 12th, she decided to pursue computer science engineering – it was just the best thing to do in the early 2000s. At the time, IT jobs were making headlines with 20 lakh salary packages.
Ashwini didn’t just become an engineer, she received a gold medal in her college and got her first job at D.E. Shaw. She really did the best with her choice. But coding didn’t fulfill her and a professor’s words echoed in her mind: “Don’t stop here. You can do a lot more.”
Without a concrete plan but with crystal-clear ambition, “I wanted to make a name for myself”, she pursued MBA from SPJIMR, opening doors she didn’t even know existed.
Love at First Launch: Thriving in Zero-to-One
Ashwini began her management career at Airtel, selling SIM cards on the streets of Pondicherry. “Swapping the comfort of an air-conditioned office for on-ground sales, she discovered what would become her greatest professional superpower: the ability to create structure out of chaos.“
“In 2013, when Airtel was launching 4G in Bangalore, I was chosen as the 1st 4G Zonal Sales Manager,” she recalls with pride. “Everything was new — setting up channels, writing training manuals, pioneering 4G operations. Where others saw uncertainty, Ashwini saw opportunity.”
This spark for building from scratch grew even brighter at Flipkart. Over eight transformative years, Ashwini launched four entirely new categories, scaling each one from idea to thriving business. The domains varied—appliances, groceries, fashion—but her formula was consistent: humility, curiosity, and determination.
Her secret?
Staying humble enough to shadow colleagues, asking questions freely, and knowing when to listen instead of speak.
When the Marathon Felt Like a Sprint Gone Wrong
Ashwini’s path at Flipkart was meteoric: back-to-back promotions, increasing responsibility, and skyrocketing impact. But after maternity leave, that momentum wavered—a feeling many women know all too well..
“I was supposed to get promoted in the next 6 months, but things moved slowly,” she remembers. “Self-doubt crept in for the first time.”
But Ashwini’s story isn’t about the stumble; it’s about the comeback. She eventually earned her much-deserved promotion to Director, along with a life-changing realization: “Career is a marathon, not a sprint!”
Today, she delegates, asks for help, and leans on her support system – Her family! Her husband has been instrumental in maintaining her work-life balance, allowing her to give 100% at work and be present for the precious moments with their daughter, Ashrita.
She Figured It Out, So Can You
Ashwini Ravindranath didn’t follow a perfect script. She trusted her instincts, embraced uncertainty, and thrived by bringing order to chaos.
Whether you’re selling on the streets or sitting in boardrooms, whether you’re launching your first project or your fourth category, whether you’re finding your voice or rediscovering it after a break — remember, your story is still being written.
In a world obsessed with five-year plans, Ashwini figured it out, so can you!
Sometimes the best journeys are the ones you never planned to take.
Not knowing where you’re going is exactly how you end up where you need to be.
“Do what makes you happy. If not, switch. If yes, double down. What I follow: If it’s not making me get up in the morning, then it’s not for me. Never, never have self-doubt. Your heart knows what it wants. Do that!”