Dr. Shabana Parvez, MD, FACEP, US Bureau Chief of The Desi Buzz and founder of ArlingtonIntegrative.com, sat down for an exclusive interview with Poonam Gupta-Krishnan, a renowned AI strategist, visibility and alignment coach, and author of “Varna – Know Your Why.” In this insightful conversation, Poonam shares how she integrates Sanatan wisdom into modern talent development and systems transformation, shedding light on her journey as the founder of Iyka and her mission to align individuals and organizations with their true purpose in an era driven by AI and rapid change.
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Dr. Shabana Parvez: Welcome to The Desi Buzz Talk Show, Poonam! Can you share how your early life in Kanpur shaped your career in technology and leadership?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: Thank you, Dr. Parvez, and wishing you and all the women leading with heart and purpose a very Happy Women’s Day.
Growing up in Kanpur, I was surrounded by an environment that emphasized discipline, education, and perseverance—but also expected women to walk well-trodden paths. That tension between structure and aspiration became the fertile ground for my curiosity. I was constantly drawn to the why behind everything, from scientific principles to human behavior.
That same curiosity fueled a series of evolutions in my life: from teaching to chemistry research, to building a multimillion-dollar IT company in the U.S. Today, that journey has culminated in my book Varna: Know Your Why, which blends Vedic science with modern data insights to help people discover their natural leadership tendencies and align their careers and lives accordingly.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You transitioned from a research scientist to a serial entrepreneur. What inspired this evolution, and how did your scientific background shape your approach?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: My evolution from research scientist to entrepreneur wasn’t a departure—it was a deepening. Science taught me discipline, pattern recognition, and objective inquiry. But entrepreneurship taught me boldness and systemic thinking.
The turning point was a question that wouldn’t let me go: Why is technology making business more complicated instead of simpler? That question birthed Iyka Enterprises. I wanted to declutter the IT landscape and help businesses refocus on outcomes, not tools.
Now, two decades later, I see that same clutter—this time not in technology systems, but in how we lead, hire, and manage people. As AI accelerates unchecked, the world faces both immense potential and grave risk. My response is Varna: Know Your Why, authored under my publishing name Poonam Guptaa. It brings forth yuga-tested alignment principles that have withstood the rise and fall of civilizations. We are using AI not to dominate humans, but to decode their innate nature, redirect misaligned forces, and anchor systems in dharmic intelligence. This work introduces a practical, measurable framework to bring harmony into corporations, governments, and society, restoring balance in a time of chaos. It’s how we ensure technology serves consciousness, not destruction.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Iyka has been making strides in AI-driven solutions in healthcare, education, and government. Your book also uses AI to help people find alignment. Can you tell us more?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: Absolutely. At Iyka, our focus has always been on using AI and data not to complicate systems, but to restore clarity, intelligence, and purpose within them. In healthcare, we’ve helped agencies streamline compliance and unify siloed patient data. In education and government, we’ve supported a smarter workforce and performance planning. But now, with my upcoming book Varna: Know Your Why, we’re taking that mission inward.
We are using AI to decode the most powerful yet misunderstood system of all: the human being. The Varna AI model translates timeless Sanatan wisdom into actionable intelligence, revealing how individuals lead, decide, contribute, and thrive. It’s not about labeling people—it’s about liberating their potential. For organizations, this becomes a strategic lever to build aligned, resilient, and high-performing teams.
That’s why we’re launching Varna Staffing—a revolutionary model that brings these insights directly into the hiring and retention process, especially for education and healthcare sectors where burnout and misalignment are rampant. This isn’t just staffing—it’s soul-aligned strategy.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What do you see as the biggest challenge in digital transformation today?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: Digital transformation has never been about technology. It’s about alignment of people, process, and purpose.
The biggest mistake I see is companies focusing on “tools” instead of transformation. You can’t fix a broken culture by implementing an expensive system. It’s like putting a jet engine on a bullock cart.
True transformation begins when:
- People feel psychologically safe to change
- Processes evolve to reflect how people really work
- And technology serves that ecosystem, not dominates it
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You’ve given nearly 100 talks on AI, leadership, and transformation. What core message do you hope people take away?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: The core message I want people to take away is this: AI is no longer optional—it is here, shaping every sector and system. But when used without wisdom or alignment, it doesn’t just miss the mark—it magnifies the damage.
AI is a mirror. If we only point it outward—to analyze markets, predict consumer behavior, or optimize operations—we’re missing its most transformative potential.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What if we used it to understand ourselves? Our teams? Our nature? Our purpose?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: That’s the conversation I’ve been taking across stages over the years. When applied with intention, AI doesn’t replace humanity—it reveals it. It helps us make more authentic decisions, place the right people in the right roles, reduce burnout, and most importantly, build cultures of alignment. My work with Varna AI is showing that ancient frameworks, when powered by modern tools, can create extraordinary human-centered systems.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Your book Varna: Know Your Why brings Vedic science into leadership. What inspired this work?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: Modern leadership models are crumbling under the pressure of complexity, burnout, and misalignment—because they assume that everyone should lead, behave, and succeed the same way. But ancient India never made that mistake.
The Varna system, rooted in over 5,000 years of Vedic wisdom, recognized that human beings are wired differently by nature, and that true progress comes from honoring that design. Some are visionaries and thinkers (Brahmin/Sattva), others are courageous executors (Kshatriya/Rajas), value creators (Vaishya), or systems builders and sustainers (Shudra/Tamas). When people are forced into roles that contradict their nature, we see disengagement, dysfunction, and burnout. But when alignment happens, clarity, flow, and innovation follow.
My book Varna: Know Your Why, backed by data and powered by AI, brings this timeless framework into the boardroom. It’s not about putting people in boxes—it’s about freeing them from the wrong ones. It’s human-centered performance—anchored in purpose, not pressure.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You’ve launched schools for ragpicker kids, supported entrepreneurship, and built trade programs. What drives your social impact work?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: For me, success has never been defined by revenue or recognition. It’s defined by how many lives are quietly lifted through the work we do.
Whether it was building a school for children who once picked rags on the streets of Noida, helping underserved entrepreneurs find traction in over 35 U.S. cities, or co-creating a media and entrepreneurship center in Chicago’s Hydepark, every project had one thing in common: unleashing dormant potential.
These weren’t charity projects—they were alignment projects. Because when you align technology, community, and purpose, you don’t just solve problems—you create ecosystems that sustain themselves.
Each of these efforts could be a conversation of its own, and I’d love to share more, because they’ve shaped the way I now approach corporate transformation: not as a top-down mandate, but as a bottom-up awakening.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You’ve received over 35 national and international awards, and this year were named a 2025 Business Leader of Color by Chicago United. What do these recognitions mean to you?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: Each recognition I receive is not a destination—it’s a signal. A reminder that purpose-driven leadership still matters in a world hungry for depth and direction.
Being named a 2025 Business Leader of Color by Chicago United is especially meaningful. It’s not just a badge of achievement—it’s a call to responsibility. It affirms that building inclusive, conscious, and future-aligned systems is not optional—it’s urgent.
For me, this award isn’t about being celebrated—it’s about being seen for the work I’ve dedicated my life to: redefining leadership through alignment, not assimilation. Through Varna, through AI, through every system we build at Iyka and Varna Staffing, we are offering a model of leadership that’s as ancient as it is futuristic. And recognitions like these remind me that the world is ready for it.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Outside of work, you talk about holistic leadership. How does this shape your life?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: Holistic leadership isn’t something I switch on at work—it’s the lens through which I live. For me, alignment isn’t just an efficiency principle; it’s a spiritual one.
Whether I’m mentoring young women, spending time with my family, or deepening my Kriya Yoga practice, I lead from a place of inner coherence. That stillness helps me listen better, decide faster, and lead with more grace—even in chaos.
I’ve come to believe that the more aligned we are within, the more powerfully we can align the world around us.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What message would you like to share with our audience about achieving success while staying true to one’s values?
Poonam Gupta-Krishnan: In a world that glorifies hustle and filters, I say:
“Don’t fake it till you make it. Know yourself till you own it.”
Your values are your superpower. They’re what keep you grounded when the world pulls you in a hundred directions. Define your success. And when you do—it will last.
And that’s why I’ve dedicated my work to building tools, like Varna, that help people and organizations reconnect with their true nature—because alignment isn’t just a strategy, it’s a way to come home to yourself.
