Some leaders measure success in numbers. Others, like Sujit Paul, measure it in impact. His professional journey spans retail, consumer goods, and global business expansions, but it was healthcare that called to him as the most purpose-driven industry of all a sector where innovation is not simply about technology, but about rethinking systems to deliver greater value to society.

Resilience has been his constant companion, shaped by years of working across diverse industries and geographies, navigating change, and building strength through challenge. Today, as Group CEO of Zota Healthcare Limited, Sujit channels that resilience into transforming perceptions. Under his leadership, generics are no longer viewed with scepticism; instead, they are associated with trust, standardized quality, and informed choice. He has not only elevated the brand but also educated customers, instilling confidence in affordable healthcare solutions.

For Sujit, technology is only a tool. What matters most is how it is used with ethics, transparency, and inclusivity at the forefront. The recognitions he and his team have earned are not endpoints, but milestones reminders that Zota Healthcare is on the right path. His vision is long-term: to create lasting impact in healthcare by aligning innovation with purpose and ensuring that progress uplifts humanity at large.

Transforming Affordability, Trust, and Innovation

Sujit’s professional journey has always been anchored by a single guiding principle: impact. In the early years of his career, he gained wide exposure working across industries such as retail, consumer goods, and global business expansions. Yet, it was healthcare that stood out to him as the most purpose-driven sector one not merely tied to economics but to human dignity, access, and wellbeing.

When he joined Zota Healthcare, Sujit quickly recognized a stark reality: the gap between quality healthcare delivery and affordability in India was alarmingly wide. For many families, branded drugs were so costly that medicines themselves became substitutes for treatment. With more than 55% of healthcare expenditure in India coming from out-of-pocket expenses much of it on medicines the situation left millions vulnerable. This awareness became the foundation for Davaindia, now India’s largest chain of generic medicine retail stores.

Through Davaindia, Sujit set out with a clear mission: to give people access to quality medicines at affordable prices. Generic medicines, medically equivalent to branded ones but often overshadowed by doubts and lack of awareness, became the centrepiece of this transformation. By building trust in a retail-led ecosystem where patients could confidently purchase WHO-GMP certified generics, Zota Healthcare not only disrupted the pharmaceutical market but also empowered millions of Indians to sustain long-term care. For Sujit, the true measure of success lies in these stories families who once had to choose between healthcare and household expenses now able to afford both.

To him, innovation is not merely about technology it is about rethinking systems to deliver greater value. At Zota Healthcare and Davaindia, innovation manifests in three transformative ways:

1. Harnessing Healthcare Technology – Leveraging AI platforms, telemedicine, and e-pharmacy solutions to extend care beyond physical stores. Patients in remote areas can now consult doctors virtually and order medicines through an app, ensuring last-mile accessibility.
2. Transforming Retail Strategy – Introducing an organised retail chain model to a fragmented Indian pharmacy sector, much like organised retail transformed FMCG. This approach has redefined perceptions of generics, instilling trust and educating consumers.
3. Pharmaceutical Accessibility – Simplifying the narrative and educating patients that generics are not “inferior substitutes” but medically equivalent alternatives. Through collaboration with doctors, awareness campaigns, and strategic pricing, Sujit is helping normalize generic medicine usage in India, with ambitions to ripple this change worldwide.

For Sujit Paul, true innovation is about problem-solving at scale when people embrace a solution so seamlessly that it becomes invisible, embedded in their daily lives, and indispensable to their wellbeing. That vision continues to guide his leadership at Zota Healthcare, ensuring that accessibility, affordability, and quality remain at the heart of everything the company builds.

Global Standards in Affordable Medicine

Sujit drives the organisation across three strategic axes that define both its growth and its purpose.

The first is Growth and Accessibility. Under his leadership, Davaindia has become India’s largest generic pharmacy chain, with an ambitious vision of deeper penetration into Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural India regions where affordability remains the biggest barrier to healthcare. Sujit is relentless in ensuring that price never stands between a patient and their treatment.

The second axis is Trust and Awareness Building. He recognises that the greatest challenge in the adoption of generic medicines lies not in efficacy but in perception. To overcome this, he has spearheaded initiatives focused on doctor engagement, patient education, and institutional collaborations, building a movement of trust around generics. By breaking deep-rooted conditioning that equated branded drugs with better quality, Sujit and his team have redefined how millions of people view healthcare access in India.

The third is Sustainability and Global Vision. Sujit believes that Indian healthcare can set global benchmarks in affordability, transparency, and scale. Beyond Indian borders, Zota Healthcare is steadily making its mark in international markets. From sustainable manufacturing and supply chain digitisation to clinical collaborations, he envisions building India into a healthcare hub that provides affordable solutions worldwide.

This transformative journey, however, has not been without its resistance. Sujit’s greatest challenge has been altering perceptions convincing patients and practitioners alike that generic medicines, scientifically certified and WHO-GMP approved, are as effective as their branded counterparts. Scaling up added its own complexities, as healthcare remains highly regulated and operationally demanding. From defining systems to training teams and integrating technology across Davaindia’s expanding network, every step required perseverance and precision.

On a personal level, Sujit’s global career across industries and geographies has made him resilient to change. He admits there were times when the easier, more conventional path seemed tempting. Yet, the conviction to create meaningful impact through affordable healthcare kept him anchored. For Sujit, the mission goes far beyond commerce his vision is of a world where good healthcare is not a privilege, but a universal right.

Impact Beyond Numbers

Sujit remains humbled by the recognition he has received along his professional journey milestones that he views not as personal achievements but as validations of a collective mission. Among them, he was named one of the “100 Top Global Leaders” by AsiaOne for his contributions to healthcare innovation, recognised as one of the “Top 10 CEOs in Healthcare” by CEO Insights magazine, and honoured as “India’s Impactful CEO” by Times Now. To him, these acknowledgments are reflections of the incredible team at Zota Healthcare and Davaindia, serving as reminders that they are moving steadfastly in the right direction.

At the heart of Sujit’s leadership lies a guiding mantra: “Purpose over profit, impact over image.” He believes that while numbers are important, they never tell the whole story. True success, in his eyes, is measured in the number of lives touched and transformed. Profit, he often says, is not the goal but the natural outcome of a deeply affirmed purpose.

Sujit’s inspiration is drawn not from boardrooms or accolades but from ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Meeting patients who struggle to afford even basic medicines yet fight for their dignity fuels his conviction to drive change. On a personal level, his family remains his eternal motivator. Their values of compassion, respect for human dignity, and service to others are deeply etched into his worldview and leadership approach.

Purpose-Driven Phygital Leadership

Sujit believes there is immense potential for the “Phygital Model” to redefine global healthcare accessibility. In this model, trust is anchored by brick-and-mortar pharmacies, while digital platforms provide reach, convenience, and efficiency. For example, a patient in a small town may seek a personal interaction at a Davaindia outlet for certain medicines, while follow-up orders for replenishment can be seamlessly processed online.

This hybrid approach enables:

• Delivery of truly personalized patient care at scale.
• Utilization of data and insights to design innovative solutions that align with patient needs and enhance adherence.
• Expansion of healthcare access in regions with limited physical infrastructure.

Sujit sees this as more than a business concept it represents the future face of healthcare delivery worldwide.

His advice to emerging leaders is clear:

• Anchor in purpose: Focus on impact rather than success for its own sake; success naturally follows meaningful work.
• Inculcate resilience: Challenges are inevitable, but they serve as opportunities for growth.
• Lead with compassion: In healthcare, leadership is a service, not a privilege. True success lies in the positive difference one makes in the lives of others.

Empathy, Responsibility, and Impact

For young professionals and entrepreneurs, Sujit emphasizes the following principles:

• Start with empathy: Healthcare is not merely an industry; it directly impacts people’s lives. Solutions must be built with the patient at the center.
• Think long-term: Health transformations take time. Persistence in the field is essential, even when progress is slow.
• Innovate responsibly: Technology is a tool, and its application must reflect ethics, transparency, and inclusivity.
• Build partnerships: No single organization can solve healthcare challenges alone. Collaborations with governments, NGOs, doctors, and communities amplify impact.
• Believe in your ability to effect change: Every action, no matter how small such as making medicines affordable can trigger larger transformations.

Sujit often underscores his mission:

• “Healthcare is not a privilege; it is a right. Our mission is to make quality medicines accessible and affordable for every household in India.”
• “True innovation is measured not by technology alone, but by the number of lives it touches and transforms.”
• “At Davaindia, affordability does not mean compromise; our generics embody trust, quality, and dignity for all.”
• “Leadership is not about titles; it is about responsibility. When every decision improves lives, that is real success.”