Women at the Helm: Devyani Jaipuria on Balancing Legacy with her own Vision

Daughter of billionaire Ravi Jaipuria, Devyani Jaipuria is carving her own niche one venture at a time. In an exclusive conversation with Robb Report India, she opens up about her journey.

Robb Report (RR): You helm premium education brands such as Delhi Public Schools, Dharav High School, and Modern Montessori International (MMI) centres in India. How do you define luxury in the context of education?

Devyani Jaipuria (DJ): Luxury in education is not marble foyers or international exchange programmes. Those are visible markers. True luxury is intellectual freedom. It is the luxury of being taught how to think rather than what to memorise. It is emotional safety, where a child is not reduced to marks. It is exposure that builds perspective, not entitlement. In a world moving at algorithmic speed, the rarest luxury is attention: a teacher who knows a child well enough to nurture confidence and curiosity. That is the education that endures.

RR: Through Cocoon Hospital, you’ve entered a deeply sensitive, high-trust sector. What leadership shifts are required when moving from classrooms to maternity care?

DJ: Education prepares individuals for life. Maternal healthcare protects life at its most vulnerable moment. Moving into maternal healthcare required a shift from institutional efficiency to emotional reassurance.

Leadership in such environments must combine clinical excellence with compassion, communication, and presence. Precision and protocols are essential, but so is empathy. The experience must reassure families that they are supported during one of the most significant moments of their lives.

RR: You come from a renowned business family. How have you balanced legacy with your own voice and vision?

DJ: Legacy can open doors, but it cannot tell you which ones to walk through. Growing up, I saw an enterprise built with discipline, resilience, and bold decision-making. At the same time, my mother instilled a deeper question: What will you do with what you have been given? That question shaped my path.

Honouring legacy, for me, has meant extending its values rather than replicating its ventures. Building schools and maternal healthcare institutions has allowed me to contribute in ways that feel relevant and purposeful. Continuity matters, but authenticity and relevance matter more.

RR: What does "women in leadership” mean to you beyond representation—what real power shifts need to happen?

DJ: Representation improves visibility, but power shifts improve outcomes. We will see real change when leadership stops rewarding a single model of authority and begins valuing diverse leadership styles.

Women are not here to fit into existing leadership moulds. Leadership itself is evolving because women are shaping it. True progress will come when inclusion moves from symbolic presence to meaningful influence in decision-making.

RR: Who are some leaders that you look up to?

DJ: My first lessons in leadership came from my mother. She shaped my understanding of responsibility, grace, and emotional strength. She taught me that influence is exercised through consistency of values and the ability to hold people together with empathy and quiet conviction. Much of my perspective comes from watching her navigate life with steadiness and dignity.

My father’s courage in decision-making influenced me deeply, but equally important was his ability to remain present for his family despite immense responsibility. I also learn constantly from the children and teachers I interact with. Young minds question assumptions we take for granted, and their curiosity is a powerful reminder to stay open and adaptable. Even my own children often challenge my preconceived notions with their clarity and honesty, reminding me that leadership is not a fixed state but an evolving practice. In many ways, leadership is shaped not by a single role model, but by the people who continue to refine your thinking every day.

RR: What kind of future do you envision for yourself and your brands?

DJ: I am interested in building institutions that remain relevant decades from now. In education, that means nurturing adaptable thinkers rather than perfect test-takers. In healthcare, it means ensuring dignity, trust, and access remain central to care. Growth must be meaningful, not merely expansive. Personally, I hope to continue building quietly but purposefully – work that improves lives in ways that may not always seek visibility but create lasting impact.