As India’s startup ecosystem continues to burgeon, the pivotal role of talent acquisition leaders in driving success becomes increasingly apparent. certain individuals stand out for their expertise, recruitment agenda, and remarkable contributions to the field redefining talent management paradigms, and fueling the success stories of some of the most promising startups in the country. Here’s a glance at some of India’s top 30 talent acquisition leaders, their backgrounds, and their current positions:

Shobhit Jain (GM Talent Acquisition, Paytm): Shobhit Jain, currently serving as the General Manager of Talent Acquisition at Paytm, boasts over 12 years of experience in consulting, telecom, and startup sectors. With a focus on strategic recruiting and employer branding, Jain is committed to leveraging social media and technology to enhance recruitment efficiencies.

Kirit Nagar (Senior Director & Head of Talent Acquisition, Razorpay): Hailing from Gurugram, Kirit Nagar brings over 13 years of talent acquisition experience to the table. Having worked with renowned organizations like Uber and Adobe, Nagar specializes in competency mapping, diversity & inclusion, and building organizations from scratch, where he drives talent acquisition initiatives with finesse.

Dinesh Khanna (Head-Talent Acquisition, ElasticRun): Dinesh’s two decades of experience, including leadership roles at AB InBev and Dell, attest to his ability to align human capital strategies with business objectives. His tenure at AB InBev and Dell Technologies underscores his proficiency in driving recruitment strategies for growth-oriented companies.

Savita Hortikar (VP, Global Talent Acquisition Leader, Fractal.ai): With over 23 years of experience, Savita excels in building winning teams and championing diversity initiatives. Her tenure at Oracle, Yahoo!, and IBM showcases her prowess in recruitment consulting and tech-driven hiring.

Rohit Kandu (Talent Acquisition Specialist, SUGAR Cosmetics): Operating from Mumbai, Rohit Kandu has carved a niche in the talent acquisition landscape. With hands-on experience across diverse industries including FMCG, retail, and IT, Kandu is adept at handling end-to-end recruitment cycles and nurturing candidate pipelines.

Jagadamba B (Vice President Talent Acquisition, Perfios): With over 20 years of experience, Jagadamba is known for her hands-on expertise in end-to-end recruitment. She excels in both niche and generic skill hiring across various industry verticals, demonstrating strong leadership and strategic capabilities.

Sandeep GR (Head Talent Acquisition, Amagi Corporation): Sandeep’s 18+ years of experience span across continents, offering comprehensive staffing solutions. He excels in team leadership, social recruiting, and stakeholder management, driving growth and capability development.

Anupriya Krishnan (Director Talent Acquisition, Acko): Anupriya, based in Bengaluru, is a strategic leader with 15 years of experience, specializing in scaling teams and building sustainable delivery models. She’s adept at leading various recruitment models and implementing HR interventions for accelerated growth.

Abhishek De (Vice President Talent Acquisition, HighRadius): Abhishek, with over 14 years in HR, excels in HR business partnering, talent management, and executive search. Leading a large global team, he focuses on attracting, developing, and retaining top talent while pursuing a Fellow Program in Management.

Rashi Bhatia Kaushik (Senior Manager Talent Acquisition, Tata 1mg): Rashi, based in New Delhi, brings over 12 years of experience in recruiting IT talent for startups. Her expertise lies in developing and implementing recruiting plans and strategies to fulfill business objectives, emphasizing the best person-job fit.

Mahesh Sathe (Senior Manager Talent Acquisition, The Good Glamm Group): Mahesh, based in Mumbai, India, has overseen hiring across 12 brands, including BookmyShow andBytedance. His leadership has resulted in successful hires, shaping the growth trajectory of India’s digital media landscape.

Soumya Bastia (Talent Acquisition Lead, Licious): Soumya, based in Bengaluru, India, With more than 12 years of expertise, manages talent acquisition at Licious, specializing in building high-performing teams. With a rich background in tech and e-commerce, Soumya’s expertise ensures the company’s growth through strategic hiring.

Akshita Kadam (Lead Talent Acquisition, boAt Lifestyle): Akshita’s strategic HR approach drives talent acquisition at boAt Lifestyle, ensuring alignment with business goals. With over 11 years of experience in talent acquisition and human resources, Her expertise in social recruiting and people analytics enhances recruitment effectiveness and supports organizational growth.

Sagar Nautiyal (Leading Talent Acquisition, BrowserStack): Sagar, based in Mumbai, spanning over 11 years of expertise, spearheads recruiting efforts for BrowserStack, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. His strategic approach to talent acquisition ensures alignment with organizational goals and sustained growth.

Sarmita Mukherjee (Talent Acquisition Manager, ChargeBee): With experience of over 11 years, Sarmita spearheads tech recruitment at ChargeBee. Her strategic vision and hands-on approach ensure top-notch hires, contributing to the success of India’s leading SaaS platform.

Sarita Singh (Associate Director Talent Acquisition, Games24x7): With almost a decade of experience, Sarita specializes in recruiting IT talent for startups. She excels in developing and implementing recruiting plans and strategies to fulfill business objectives effectively.

Shilpa Malhotra (Head of Talent Acquisition, MindTickle): Shilpa, based in Pune, India, leads talent acquisition for MindTickle, showcasing her expertise in managing recruitment life cycles across various verticals. Her strategic approach ensures seamless candidate and stakeholder experiences, driving organizational success.

Ashish Kumar (Head of HR & Talent, Even. in): Ashish Kumar, hailing from Bengaluru, India, spearheads HR and talent functions at Even. in, bringing over a decade of experience from leading companies like Zomato and MPL. With a robust background in talent acquisition and branding, Ashish is renowned for his innovative approaches and strategic leadership in the HR domain.

Paramjeet Singh (Lead Talent Acquisition Partner, PhonePe): Paramjeet, based in Bengaluru, India, drives talent acquisition at PhonePe, revolutionizing India’s digital payments landscape. His focus on diversity, employer branding, and leadership hiring shapes the company’s innovative and inclusive culture.

Esha Aggarwal (Head of Talent Acquisition, Purplle): Esha’s tenure at TCS showcased her leadership in niche recruitment and talent management. With over a decade of experience. her strategic approach at Purplle emphasizes stakeholder management and hiring excellence, driving organizational success.

Kalpana Singh (Senior Manager – Talent Acquisition, API Holdings): Kalpana, based in Mumbai, India, leads technology hiring for API Holdings, drawing from 9+ years of experience in lateral and leadership recruitment. Her multifaceted roles include managing campus initiatives and facilitating contract hiring processes.

Ganesh S. (Talent Acquisition Expert, Hasura): With 8+ years in talent acquisition, Ganesh is renowned for designing and executing recruitment strategies in diverse tech domains. His leadership at Hasura and NASSCOM underscores his proficiency in talent management across global markets.

Suman Lakkimsetty (Talent Acquisition Leader, Darwinbox): Suman’s proficiency in talent acquisition is evident from his tenure at HighRadius and Kony, Inc. His leadership at Darwinbox emphasizes strategic talent sourcing and acquisition to fuel organizational growth.

Preetesh Saha (Director Talent Acquisition, Delhivery): Preetesh Saha, based in Gurugram, India, brings over 8 years of experience in tech/product recruitment. He’s known for adding over 2000 top candidates to industry giants like Expedia and Airtel. Currently leading talent acquisition for Delhivery, he focuses on adding value to the SaaS platform and corporate functions with a keen eye for data science, engineering, and business roles.

Shankar Singh (Recruitment Specialist, Sprinto): Shankar Singh, operating from Bengaluru, India, is a data-driven recruiter with a passion for nurturing teams and dreams. With a rich background spanning private startups to Fortune companies, Shankar excels in full-cycle recruiting and strategic sourcing, matching top professionals with their ideal career paths.

Shrikant Dharmadhikari (Associate Director HR, Xpressbees): Shrikant leads talent acquisition and management at Xpressbees, a logistics giant. With over six years of experience, he’s adept at hiring for technology, product management, and operations, creating a positive work culture, and employee engagement.

These professionals exemplify excellence in talent acquisition, embodying a blend of strategic vision, industry knowledge, and a passion for nurturing talent. As they continue to spearhead recruitment initiatives across leading organizations, their impact on the talent landscape remains profound and enduring.

*This article is written by Priya Kumar, Lead Journalist at Indian Startup Times