Lead with humour: Swajal founder Dr Vibha Tripathi

My first job was at IIT Kanpur. I joined as a research professor in the electrical engineering department and was asked to guide partners and students for a research on organic solar cells right after my introduction. Thereupon, I spent the following 100 days conducting a series of workshops and seminars in the field of renewable energy, since I specialise in the R&D of thin film solar cells.

My biggest innovation
My most innovative idea came when I was guiding partners in the R&D of solar cells. Under my supervision, IIT Kanpur made its foray into flexible organic solar cells, a unique concept that has the potential to become a disruptive technology in the future.

The worst mistake I made
In the modern era of fast-paced technological transformations, relying too much on emergent technologies is one of the biggest mistakes one can make. I fortunately learnt this lesson very early on in my career.


I believe that human abilities are significantly underrated, and that automation doesn’t necessarily mean a complete reliance on machines.

The best friend I made
My husband. We were part of the Indian Institute of Technology at the same time. We are both ardent learners and have learned a lot from each other

Best leadership lesson I learnt
My best leadership lesson has been leading with humour. Laughter relieves stress and boredom, boosts engagement and well-being, and spurs not only creativity and collaboration but also analytic precision and productivity.

I believe the best thing about humour is that it alleviates tensions even in some of the most anxiety-ridden situations, and enables us to focus better on the problem that we have on our hand. It has always made my relationship with employees at work more stress-free, transparent, and open.

How I managed my work-life balance
I used to take long walks round the IIT gardens with a cup of ‘cutting chai’. In the evening, after long hours of research, just sitting and meditating in an open space helped me maintain the work-life balance. This is a practice that I continue, even to this day. It might be a small enough thing, but I feel it makes a significant difference. Meditating gives me a lot of peace of mind, irrespective of the role that I have to play at any given moment.

How I had fun at work
My favourite pastimes include sharing jokes with peers and going out for a lunch or just desserts. I feel it’s important to blow off steam and create memorable experiences while you have fun at work.