rom left: Vaibhav Deshpande, CIO of AIT Global India, and Roshan Bhondekar at the company’s Pune office.
An approaching nonfiction book by two Indian technology professionals with roots in Nagpur seeks to examine how corporate politics shape decision-making, careers, and innovation in modern workplaces. Breaking Politics – Empowering Experts, co-authored by Vaibhav Deshpande and Roshan Bhondekar, is scheduled for release on January 26, 2026, coinciding with India’s Republic Day.
Published by Rajmangal Publishers of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, the book focuses on the often unspoken power structures within organizations and their impact on merit-based growth. Deshpande and Bhondekar, classmates from the Management Development Programme batch of 2012 at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, draw on decades of professional experience across multiple industries to explore how internal politics can influence outcomes as much as, or sometimes more than, technical expertise.
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According to material shared by the publisher, the book defines corporate politics as a combination of hidden agendas, personal rivalries, influence-building, and informal power networks. It argues that such dynamics can undermine trust, slow innovation, and marginalize individuals whose strengths lie in execution rather than maneuvering. The authors trace these patterns to a mix of organizational design, leadership behaviour, cultural conditioning, and individual ambition.
Rather than presenting a purely critical account, the book adopts an analytical approach that examines why political behaviour persists even in performance-driven environments. It discusses how hierarchical structures, competition for limited leadership roles, and ambiguous accountability can create conditions where influence often outweighs expertise. The authors suggest that these forces are not confined to any one sector but are visible across technology, manufacturing, services, and emerging digital industries.
Several chapters focus on how professionals encounter politics at different career stages. Early-career employees may struggle to distinguish performance feedback from political positioning, while mid-career experts often face pressure to balance technical credibility with stakeholder management. For senior leaders, the book examines the challenge of maintaining transparency while navigating competing interests within large organizations.
The authors also outline practical methods for dealing with these realities without reinforcing them. These include recognising political signals early, documenting contributions clearly, building credibility through consistency, and communicating ideas in ways that align with organizational priorities. Leadership responsibility is a recurring theme, with emphasis on creating systems where expertise is visible, decisions are explainable, and collaboration is rewarded.
Vaibhav Deshpande currently serves as Chief Information Officer at AIT Global India in Pune and has more than two decades of experience in technology leadership. His career spans telecommunications, banking, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and logistics. In the book, his perspective reflects long-term involvement in large-scale digital transformation initiatives, where alignment between strategy, people, and execution often determines success or failure.
Co-author Roshan Bhondekar brings a background that combines information technology, strategy consulting, and creative work. An Indian-Spanish entrepreneur with over 17 years of experience in IT and business leadership, Bhondekar has worked across sectors including finance, aviation, healthcare, telecommunications, technology services, and automotive. His professional focus areas include IT service management, IT governance, service integration, and data strategy.
Bhondekar is also known for his work in filmmaking and writing. His short films Hausla Aur Raste and The Shoes received recognition at international film festivals, and his published books have addressed themes ranging from optimism and resilience to national security. This blend of technical and creative experience informs his analysis of how communication, perception, and narrative influence authority and trust in professional settings.
The collaboration between Deshpande and Bhondekar is rooted in shared exposure to complex organizational environments. In earlier public reflections, Bhondekar has described corporate politics as a testing ground that, while difficult, can teach restraint and strategic communication. The book echoes this view by acknowledging that politics cannot be eliminated entirely, but can be managed in ways that reduce harm and improve fairness.
Rajmangal Publishers, which has traditionally focused on Hindi-language literature, educational texts, and social commentary, sees this English-language release as an extension of its engagement with contemporary issues. Based in Aligarh with distribution links to Delhi, the publishing house has built a catalogue that addresses education, society, and professional life. The new title aligns with India’s expanding corporate and technology landscape, where debates around workplace culture have gained prominence.
In recent years, surveys by consulting firms and industry bodies have highlighted concerns around favouritism, burnout, and attrition, particularly among skilled mid-level professionals in India’s services and IT sectors. While the book does not position itself as a solution to these systemic issues, it contributes to the broader conversation on how individuals and organizations might respond more constructively.
One notable aspect of the project is the authors’ decision to donate all royalties from the book to nongovernmental organizations supporting orphaned children in India. While not central to the book’s argument, this choice reflects an attempt to link professional discourse with social responsibility.
As its release date approaches, Breaking Politics – Empowering Experts enters a crowded field of workplace literature but distinguishes itself through its focus on Indian corporate realities and firsthand industry experience. Whether its recommendations will influence organizational practice remains uncertain, but the book adds another perspective to ongoing discussions about merit, power, and ethics in the modern workplace.
