Sanjiv Sarin: The former Tata Coffee CEO reveals the other side of success in his memoir

(Jul 25, 2026) The former Tata Coffee CEO has led businesses across continents, survived the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and embraced spirituality as a way of life. In his memoir, ‘The Other Side of the Mountain – A CEO’s Journey Through Spirituality,’ Sanjiv Sarin reflects on leadership, purpose and why true success begins beyond the boardroom.

In November 2008, Sanjiv Sarin was in Mumbai on one of his regular business trips. Like he had done numerous times before, the then Executive Director – Business Development of Tata Coffee checked into The Taj Mahal Palace. Little did he know that November 26 would become one of the darkest nights in India’s history.

As terrorists laid siege to the hotel, Sarin found himself confined to his room under circumstances few could imagine. He waited through hours of gunshots, uncertainty and fear, turning to meditation, a practice he had embraced years earlier through the Art of Living, to steady his mind. The experience stayed with him long after the headlines faded.

In retrospect, the former Tata Coffee CEO does not see that night as the defining turning point of his life. Instead, he views it as one chapter in a journey shaped by leadership across continents, an unexpected encounter with spirituality and the gradual realisation that professional success is incomplete without purpose.

His memoir, The Other Side of the Mountain – A CEO’s Journey through Spirituality, brings those chapters together. “People need to see beyond a leader’s visible successes,” he tells The Global Indian after a conversation on the book at LOYA, Taj West End, Bengaluru. “We all have our own paths and vulnerabilities, but there are solutions and opportunities if we stay open and commit ourselves.”

That search for meaning had begun long before the Mumbai attacks. Years of working across cultures, making difficult decisions and leading businesses in different parts of the world had gradually shaped his understanding of leadership. 

Sanjiv Sarin at Loya, Taj West End, Bengaluru with Vinita Bali, former MD, Britannia Industries

Learning across borders

Before joining the Tata Group, Sarin spent nearly 18 years with Cadbury, eventually becoming Country Director for the Philippines. Working across different countries exposed him to diverse cultures and ways of doing business, while strengthening his appreciation for India’s strengths.

Indians have a great propensity for hard work and are solution-oriented. We do not get bogged down by complex issues because we deal with them day in and day out.

Sanjiv Sarin

Whether it is managing diverse markets, understanding different cultures or adapting quickly to change, he believes Indian professionals have developed an ability to thrive in complexity. “There is a fire in the belly of the emerging population across the country which is striving to gain financial freedom,” he adds.

More than coffee

Coffee became much more than a business during his years at Tata Coffee.

His earliest memories of the beverage go back to childhood winters in Delhi, when coffee meant a warm, frothy drink sprinkled with drinking chocolate. Living in London and later Manila introduced him to freshly roasted and ground coffee, while his years at Tata Coffee helped him appreciate the subtle differences between robusta and arabica. “A good cup is very personal. It’s a great conversation and companionship builder, much like a glass of wine,” he observes.

Those years also deepened his appreciation for the people and communities behind every cup. From plantations to boardrooms, coffee became a way of building relationships and understanding cultures. Watching India’s café culture evolve, with boutique roasters, farm-to-cup brands and a growing focus on sustainability and specialty coffee, has been particularly rewarding. He believes India’s growers are well positioned to make an even bigger mark on the global stage.

Sarin’s contributions to the FMCG sector earned him the 2017 FMCG CEO of the Year award at the World Quality Congress and the Udyog Ratan Award from the Institute of Economic Studies.

Leadership through mindfulness

If coffee shaped one chapter of Sarin’s career, spirituality shaped another. What began as a casual Art of Living programme gradually became part of his daily life. Meditation and breathing practices brought a sense of calm that slowly found its way into the workplace as well.

“It made me calm, focused, sensitive and fearless, and played a crucial role in shaping my corporate journey,” he says. The lessons gained even greater significance after he survived the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

“It gave me a sense of purpose. I realised that life is ephemeral. Life can change in an instant.” The experience also reshaped the questions he asked himself as a leader. Beyond business performance, he began thinking more deeply about the people around him and the role he played in helping them grow.

I realised that many people are seeking purpose just as much as I am. I began asking myself, am I an enabler for their journey?

Sanjiv Sarin

Writing to understand

Many of those questions eventually found their way into The Other Side of the Mountain, a memoir that grew from his long-standing habit of jotting down thoughts and reflections. Retirement gave him the space to revisit those scattered notes, whether they centred on a difficult decision, an unexpected lesson or a question that had stayed with him over the years. As he wrote, the process became deeply reflective.

Writing led to reflection. I pondered over why things happened the way they had; what role did I play in them; or did I need to take responsibility for a particular instance. Some chapters were a revelation when I saw seeming coincidences strung into a pattern.

Sanjiv Sarin

The process brought clarity and reinforced his belief that sharing experiences openly may help others navigate similar journeys.

A purposeful retirement

Retirement has been less about slowing down than focusing on what matters most. Sarin is now a certified leadership coach and co-founded Purpledot Consultants, where he works with individuals and organisations on leadership development. He also coaches leaders from non-profit organisations on a pro bono basis.

“To enable a person to become what he or she can and, through that, help create a better work environment. The butterfly effect flows down.” Giving back has become central to this chapter of his life. Together with his family, he established the Unalome Foundation to serve communities and support the education of deserving young students.

Music remains another constant. Over the years, he has performed alongside fellow CEOs at fundraising events supporting children with thalassemia and learning disabilities.

“Music has always been an intrinsic part of my life. Now, it has evolved into music with purpose.” Travel, meanwhile, has become less about business and more about experiences, whether watching the Northern Lights in Iceland, exploring the Norwegian fjords or travelling to see Rod Stewart and Coldplay perform live.

One routine, however, has never changed. “Meditation and breathing practices are a daily part of life,” he says.

Redefining success

Looking back, Sarin says the decision that shaped his life most was not accepting a larger role or leading a bigger company, but embracing spirituality.

The same practice gave him the confidence to retire a year earlier than planned so he could spend time with his grandson, a stage of family life he says he largely missed while raising his own children because of professional commitments.

His advice to young Indians hoping to build global careers is simple. “Understand different cultures, be curious and open to learning, be fearless, believe in yourself and stay rooted.”

For Sarin, success is no longer measured by the titles he has held or the companies he has led. It lies in helping others discover their own potential and living with a sense of purpose. The Other Side of the Mountain is, in many ways, an invitation for readers to look beyond achievement and reflect on what truly gives a life meaning.

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