Jitendra S. Joshi: Driving Indian D2C Innovation To The Global Stage
Jitendra S. Joshi
Co-Founder
In his first role at Baazee.com, he led the jewelry category and played a pivotal role in building consumer trust in online retail, achieving the remarkable milestone of selling a diamond ring every two minutes. His ability to scale operations and onboard over 400 top jewelry sellers was an early indicator of his leadership and strategic acumen.
He later became part of the founding team at Martjack, a pioneering e-Commerce platform that empowered over 300 enter -prises, including Walmart B2B, Future Group, and Hindustan Unilever, as well as more than 3,000 SMEs to thrive online. The brand crossed nearly 33 percent of India’s total e-Commerce transactions. After its acquisition, Jitendra continued to build, mentor, and lead the organization, and recently launched Nipura Fashion, a direct-to-consumer sterling silver brand gaining traction for its accessible style and thoughtful design. CEO Insights is privileged to interview Jitendra. Let’s read on
What are some of the most valuable lessons you acquired from your time at Cornell?
At Cornell, we were introduced to various established business and financial models that helped us validate, refine, and expand our ideas. It gave a strong analy -tical backbone to my entrepreneurial thinking, which I found immensely powerful. One of the most valuable take aways
was learning how to structure my thoughts and ideas effectively.
Another key aspect was the diversity of the cohort. My classmates came from a broad range of industries and backgrounds, and that diversity created a rich learning environment. The peer-to-peer insights and discussions exposed me to business challenges and strategies far beyond my sector, which was incredibly eye-opening.
And of course, the faculty was world-class in every sense. What stood out was not just their academic brilliance, but their deep connection with industry. They brought real-world experience into every lesson, making complex theories relatable with practical brand stories that made learning intuitive and impactful.
Lastly, the experience of the Ithaca campus was truly unforgettable. The facilities and the atmosphere created an environment that was immersive and energizing.
What are some of the key skills you acquired that continue to benefit you in your current role?
Two key skills that stand out are analytical thinking and effective communication. I learned how to break down complex problems using structured models and how to clearly communicate ideas to drive action.
Cornell also taught me to go beyond surface-level thinking and approach challenges with depth and precision, some thing that’s been invaluable in my leader-ship journey.
How would you define your leadership approach?
My leadership style is inclusive and collaborative. I prefer to let my team speak first during meetings. I believe great ideas can come from anyone, and I want to create space for those ideas to surface. I'm not very fond of long presentations, I prefer concise documents or open discussions where ideas can flow freely.
Another key aspect was the diversity of the cohort. My classmates came from a broad range of industries and backgrounds, and that diversity created a rich learning environment. The peer-to-peer insights and discussions exposed me to business challenges and strategies far beyond my sector, which was incredibly eye-opening.
And of course, the faculty was world-class in every sense. What stood out was not just their academic brilliance, but their deep connection with industry. They brought real-world experience into every lesson, making complex theories relatable with practical brand stories that made learning intuitive and impactful.
Lastly, the experience of the Ithaca campus was truly unforgettable. The facilities and the atmosphere created an environment that was immersive and energizing.
I prefer to let my team speak first during meetings, because I believe great ideas can come from anyone, and I want to create space for those ideas to surface
What are some of the key skills you acquired that continue to benefit you in your current role?
Two key skills that stand out are analytical thinking and effective communication. I learned how to break down complex problems using structured models and how to clearly communicate ideas to drive action.
Cornell also taught me to go beyond surface-level thinking and approach challenges with depth and precision, some thing that’s been invaluable in my leader-ship journey.
How would you define your leadership approach?
My leadership style is inclusive and collaborative. I prefer to let my team speak first during meetings. I believe great ideas can come from anyone, and I want to create space for those ideas to surface. I'm not very fond of long presentations, I prefer concise documents or open discussions where ideas can flow freely.
We work with an open-door culture anyone can walk in and share a thought, and if it has merit, we explore it. Being a small team, we’ve adopted an agile mindset, which helps us stay innovative and responsive in a fast-changing environment. I also believe in evolving personally, learning continuously, and staying open to change.
What is the future roadmap you’ve envisioned for the organization over the next five years?
Nipura Fashion is an emerging D2C sterling silver brand blending tradition and modernity. It was launched just six months ago, but the potential we see is immense. My goals are fully aligned with the vision of the organization, which is to be among the top three brands in our category, not just in India but globally.
We strongly believe that the quality and design of our products have what it takes to succeed internationally. Today, many global brands enter the Indian market, but very few Indian consumer brands expand globally.
Our goal is to build a brand that is born in India but resonates universally, with Indian creativity meeting global design standards.
We are selling through online channels, but the long-term plan includes expanding into offline retail and major global stores. It’s an ambitious path, but we believe the time is right for Indian brands to make their mark worldwide.
Jitendra S. Joshi, Co-Founder, Nipura Fashion
With over 25 years in e-Commerce, Jitendra has played key roles in shaping successful ventures, like heading a major category at Baazee.com and being part of the founding team at Martjack.
A Cornell Executive Management Program graduate, Jitendra is a board advisor and strategy consultant known for scaling startups, driving online sales, and leading high-performance teams.
He has earned accolades like the Retail Leadership Award (2013) by the Asia Retail Congress and Most Influential Marketing Leader(2016) by the World Marketing Congress, reflecting his impact on the industry.
What is the future roadmap you’ve envisioned for the organization over the next five years?
Nipura Fashion is an emerging D2C sterling silver brand blending tradition and modernity. It was launched just six months ago, but the potential we see is immense. My goals are fully aligned with the vision of the organization, which is to be among the top three brands in our category, not just in India but globally.
We strongly believe that the quality and design of our products have what it takes to succeed internationally. Today, many global brands enter the Indian market, but very few Indian consumer brands expand globally.
Our goal is to build a brand that is born in India but resonates universally, with Indian creativity meeting global design standards.
We are selling through online channels, but the long-term plan includes expanding into offline retail and major global stores. It’s an ambitious path, but we believe the time is right for Indian brands to make their mark worldwide.
Jitendra S. Joshi, Co-Founder, Nipura Fashion
With over 25 years in e-Commerce, Jitendra has played key roles in shaping successful ventures, like heading a major category at Baazee.com and being part of the founding team at Martjack.
A Cornell Executive Management Program graduate, Jitendra is a board advisor and strategy consultant known for scaling startups, driving online sales, and leading high-performance teams.
He has earned accolades like the Retail Leadership Award (2013) by the Asia Retail Congress and Most Influential Marketing Leader(2016) by the World Marketing Congress, reflecting his impact on the industry.