Darshan's Diary

What happens when you're trying to market a product in a category that doesn't fully exist yet — and the audience doesn't trust the industry you're in? That's the daily reality of Web3 product marketing, and Varun has lived it firsthand. Varun is the co-founder of Kosh Money, a Web3 payments company, and GoPMM — India's growing community for product marketers. Before that,...

In this episode, I sits down with Sugam Anand (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sugamanand/) , Design Leader at Smallcase, to explore what it really takes to design for high-stakes financial products, where trust is everything and a wrong design decision can cost users real money. Sugam breaks down how Smallcase thinks about the two core jobs of an investment platform: helping users make informed decis...

In this episode, I sit down with Nitin Awasthi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitinawasthi/) , VP and Head of Product at MoveInSync, to uncover how technology and deep human empathy shape the future of enterprise mobility. With over 16 years of experience scaling products at Microsoft and high-growth startups, Nitin shares deep insights on navigating the conflicting needs of diverse stakeholders, so...

What happens when you're trying to market a product in a category that doesn't fully exist yet — and the audience doesn't trust the industry you're in? That's the daily reality of Web3 product marketing, and Varun has lived it firsthand. Varun is the co-founder of Kosh Money, a Web3 payments company, and GoPMM — India's growing community for product marketers. Before that,...

Designing for speed is easy. Designing for speed without breaking systems, operations, and trust is where it gets real. In this episode, we sit down with Apoorv Gupta ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/apoorv-gp/** ), Design Lead for Flipkart Grocery & Minutes , who is shaping how 450M+ users shop in one of India’s most complex, operations-heavy environments. From building 0→1 products to optimizin...

In this episode, we’re joined by Swaroop Repaka (https://www.linkedin.com/in/swaroop-repaka-10747b10/) , Head of Product for B2B Compliance at ClearTax. Swaroop leads the product organization behind a compliance platform trusted by 4,000+ enterprises, including one in every four large enterprises in India. At ClearTax, his mission is deceptively simple but incredibly difficult to execute: eliminat...

In this episode, we sit down with Ishan Kansal, Senior VP of Product at Snabbit, to unpack what truly changes when product leadership moves from digital-native scale to operationally intensive, real-world services. With over 11 years of experience across fintech, banking, insurance, and hyperlocal marketplaces, Ishan has built and scaled businesses where trust is not a feature, it’s the foundation...

In this episode, we sit down with Vijay Varma , a product veteran with over 20 years of experience in the online gaming industry, including leadership roles at Junglee Games. With a career spanning from the early days of gut-driven development in 2005 to today’s hyper-competitive, data-rich landscape, Vijay brings a rare perspective on how to build digital products that truly resonate with users....

In this episode, we sit down with Arun Murugesan, Head of Design at MoneyView, to pull back the curtain on the complex world of Fintech design. With nearly two decades of experience, Arun shares how MoneyView bridges the gap between high-level business goals and deep user empathy. We dive into the evolution of the Indian consumer, debunking myths about the "tech-illiteracy" of rural user...

In this episode, I sit down with Ankit Gupta, a seasoned product leader at Reliance Retail, to deconstruct the complexities of building AI-driven products for India’s massive and diverse ecosystem. Ankit breaks down the "unlearning" required when moving from online to offline retail, explaining how Reliance uses proxies like RFID and standardized rack space to track customer behavior in...

In this episode, we sit down with Nitin Pulyani , the Senior Vice President of Product Management at Cashfree Payments , and a seasoned product leader with over two decades of experience building large-scale fintech and consumer products in India. Nitin shares how Cashfree designs and operates mission-critical payment infrastructure—covering everything from onboarding and risk to the systems that...

In this episode, I sit down with Achyutha Sharma, Head of UX Research at Flipkart, to uncover how research shapes bold product decisions and drives business impact. With over 17 years of experience across B2C, D2C, and B2B sectors, Achyutha shares deep insights on leading large research teams, navigating billion-user demographics, and uncovering overlooked opportunities in commerce. We discuss how...

In this episode, we sit down with Sreeram Narayan, Director of Product at Pine Labs, to explore the art and science of building impactful fintech products. With over 15 years of experience across payments, lending, and digital finance, Sreeram shares how he turns complexity into clarity—crafting roadmaps that balance user needs, business goals, and long-term scalability. We discuss:How merchant fe...

In this episode, we sit down with Ayush, Head of Design at Jupiter, where he led a multidisciplinary team of 20+ designers across product design, design systems, research, illustration, and motion. At Jupiter, Ayush has spearheaded the end-to-end redesign of the Jupiter app and website, launched 30+ new features, and led large-scale initiatives like a 100-member internal hackathon, all shaping how...

In this episode, we sit down with Deepak Jose, a seasoned design leader who has shaped product experiences at companies like Hike, Dunzo, and Ola. With over a decade of experience building and leading design and research teams, Deepak shares stories of creating impactful features while balancing user delight with business outcomes. You’ll hear insights on:Bridging the gap between “wow” moments and...

In this episode, we sit down with Vaishnavi Devi ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/gvaishnavi/ ) , Director of Product Management at Swiggy, to explore what it takes to build products for delivery partners at scale. With over 13 years of industry experience across Swiggy, Ola, and Zipdial, Vaishnavi brings deep insights into solving for operational complexity and driving adoption in high-growth consum...

In this episode, Ankur Sardana, Head of Design & Research at Tata Neu, shares how he’s leading one of India’s most ambitious super app design missions—uniting diverse brands like Croma, BigBasket, Titan, and more under a single seamless experience. With over 19 years of experience across Samsung, Amazon, Philips, Honeywell, and OLX, Ankur dives deep into:The UX challenges of blending multiple...

Building innovative fintech products isn’t just about great ideas—it also requires the right ecosystem. In this episode, Aditya, former Sr. Director of Product at INDMoney and now VP of Product at mPokket, shares how government policies and regulatory support have played a crucial role in unlocking opportunities in investing, lending, and tax management. From enabling cross-border stock investment...

In this episode, I sit down with Alipta Ballav, Senior Design Manager at Microsoft, to explore what it takes to lead impactful design in complex, high-scale industries like retail, healthcare, and automotive. Alipta shares his journey from building a 21-member healthcare design team at Cerner Corporation, to shaping system-level retail experiences at Microsoft’s Retail Industry Cloud. We also disc...

Growth opportunities don’t always come from obvious places. In this episode, Malthi SS, former Director of Product Management at PayPal and founder of SparkProd Consulting, shares how she identified and unlocked product growth across global fintech and SaaS giants. From driving innovation at PayPal, Intuit, and SAP to balancing legacy product trust with bold new strategies, Malthi offers deep insi...

Great content doesn’t just engage—it empowers. In this episode, Aman Raj, Head of Content, Communication, and Social Media at Groww, shares how he crafts narratives that educate, build trust, and drive growth. From shaping brand-led content in a market driven by personal brands to navigating the unique challenges of fintech content, Aman brings fresh insights from his experience at Groww, Inshorts...

In this episode, we sit down with Arpith Scindia , Director of Design at Yubi , to explore what it truly takes to lead design at the intersection of finance, data, and enterprise-scale systems. Arpith shares his journey of transitioning from B2C design leadership at Aspero to leading product design at one of India’s largest digital debt platforms. He talks about the mindset, systems, and framework...

In this episode, we sit down with Saurabh Soni , Head of Design at Razorpay, to unpack what it takes to scale design in a high-growth fintech environment. With experience spanning early-stage startups to large organizations, Saurup brings a rare perspective on how designers can grow both horizontally across skills and vertically into leadership. We dive into the mindset and principles that shape p...

In this episode, I sit down with Agni, former Head of Design at Ola, to explore the world of mobility, fintech, and design innovation. With a career spanning leadership roles at Ola and FamPay, Agni has played a pivotal role in shaping vehicle experiences, financial products, and large-scale consumer tech solutions. We kick off by discussing his experience designing a Head-Up Display and vehicle i...

In this episode, we sit down with Ayush Baheti, a seasoned product leader who played a pivotal role in Meesho's hyper-growth journey, transforming it from a reseller-first platform to a B2C powerhouse competing with giants like Amazon and Flipkart. Now steering product at ShopDeck, Ayush brings invaluable insights on scaling products for Bharat’s diverse market. Join us as Ayush shares untold...