Securing the Digital Future: A Conversation with Karmendra Kohli, Co-Founder & CEO of SecurEyes. As India undergoes a massive digital transformation, the importance of cybersecurity has to be consciously and continuously underscored. From BFSI to healthcare and critical government systems, safeguarding sensitive data and systems has become imperative. At the forefront of this battle is Karmendra Kohli, Cofounder and CEO of SecurEyes, one of India’s leading cybersecurity firms.
With over two decades of experience, Kohli has helped shape the cybersecurity narrative in India, combining indigenous innovation with global standards. In this exclusive interview, he shares his journey, the challenges facing India Inc., and how SecurEyes is empowering organisations and talent alike.
IT Voice- What inspired you to start your journey in cybersecurity, and how has SecurEyes evolved since its inception?
Karmendra Kohli: I have been in cybersecurity for 24 years. I started with what was then called Internet security and worked at various tech firms before launching SecurEyes. What struck me during those early years was that how most organisations were unprepared for cyberattacks, both globally and in India . Cybersecurity was more of an afterthought. That is what pushed us to start SecurEyes in 2006. Since then, we have evolved from a consulting startup to a comprehensive cybersecurity partner with a global footprint, driven by our core value of democratizing enterprise-grade cybersecurity.
IT Voice- How would you describe your leadership style, especially in an ever-evolving threat landscape?
Karmendra Kohli: My leadership is adaptive and situational. Over the years, I have learned that being proactive, demonstrating agility, and fostering collaboration is key in our line of work. I believe in continuous learning and mentoring, developing a team that evolves with the changing threat landscape. Open communication and shared ownership have been central to how I lead.
IT Voice- What are the top cybersecurity challenges Indian enterprises face today?
Karmendra Kohli: First is the skill gap, enterprises are digitizing faster than they can secure themselves. Second, integration complexity, legacy and newage systems now interact with web enabled apps, IoT, cloud, AI, and third-party vendors, increasing vulnerabilities. Third, insider threats, especially in hybrid work models. And finally, the sophistication of attacks, they are more targeted and complex now.
IT Voice- How is SecurEyes contributing to national cybersecurity resilience, particularly in BFSI, healthcare, and government sectors?
Karmendra Kohli: We operate at the intersection of public and private sectors in domestic and international markets. This allows us to bring international best practices to Indian government projects including . Our approach focuses on building risk-based resilience, not just checkbox compliance. We have built indigenous risk management platforms that help institutions move towards continuous cyber-risk evaluation thereby impacting national cybersecurity resilience.
IT Voice- What makes SecurEyes stand out in India’s crowded cybersecurity space?
Karmendra Kohli: Three things:
1-Outcome-driven services that create measurable value for clients.
2- Indigenous innovation—we are the only Indian firm with in-house RegTech/SupTech platform like SE REGTRAC, which automates compliance across multiple frameworks and provides insights into sectoral performance for key regulators. The platform is sector/domain/framework agnostic thereby making it eligible to be used by regulators and enterprises across business sectors. Apart from this our other compliance and risk management platforms ensure accuracy, speed, consistency and click-of-a-button insights for our customers.
3- Knowledge transfer—we train client teams to build internal resilience instead of creating dependency on us.
IT Voice- How are you addressing the demand for cyber risk assessments and incident response readiness?
Karmendra Kohli: During the pandemic, we anticipated this demand and started building our own platforms. Our risk-based AI automation helps clients maintain audit-readiness year-round. We also offer real-time dashboards for CISOs and management to track their security posture while using AI to predict emerging regulatory or threat trends.
IT Voice- How do you interpret regulatory frameworks like CERT-In guidelines, RBI circulars, and the DPDP Act?
Karmendra Kohli: These are a step in the right direction. CERT-In’s recently released proactive comprehensive Cyber Security Audit Policy Guidelines and mandatory reporting guidelines, RBI’s cyber security frameworks, and the DPDP Act’s privacy-by-design principle all indicate cybersecurity’s growing importance. They push organisations to take security seriously from the start, not as an afterthought.
IT Voice- How does SecurEyes help organisations align with both national and global standards?
Karmendra Kohli: Our expertise lies in blending technical, legal, and governance aspects. Whether it is CERT-In, ISO 27001:2022, PCI DSS or the DPDP Act, we help clients map their security strategies accordingly. Our solutions are designed to make organisations both locally compliant and globally resilient.
IT Voice- What is your take on India’s cybersecurity talent pool?
Karmendra Kohli: India has immense potential. Our students have strong intellectual abilities, but often lack hands-on exposure and business context. We need more practical training, internships, and real-world simulations. Bridging this gap is essential to building a world-class cybersecurity workforce.
IT Voice- Are you doing anything to build this talent pipeline?
Karmendra Kohli: Yes. Through our SecurEyes Cybersecurity Academy, we run a 12–14 week certification program called Cyber Security Certification Program (CSCP) a.k.a Drishti. It includes hands-on training and apprenticeships under senior professionals. In a truly Industry Academia partnership model, we have also launched an MCA program and Mtech program in Cybersecurity and Incident Management with Sri Sri University, focusing on industry-driven learning. This hybrid course assists potential students in building promising careers in Cybersecurity.
IT Voice- What role do AI, ML, and Zero Trust play in your roadmap?
Karmendra Kohli: A significant one. We are integrating AI into our predictive risk management and continuous compliance management products. Using ML, our platforms are becoming smarter, enabling real-time risk identification and remediation. We are also aligning with Zero Trust principles to ensure security beyond the traditional perimeter-based models.
IT Voice- Is SecurEyes building any in-house platforms that could redefine cybersecurity in India?
Karmendra Kohli: Yes, our SE REGTRAC platform is already transforming how regulatory oversight and compliance management areis performed across sectors. We are now adding AI capabilities to predict risks, manage vendor and business continuity, and ensure continuous monitoring. Our platforms cater to both technological and business nuances of cybersecurity.
IT Voice- What are your global expansion and partnership plans for 2025?
Karmendra Kohli: We are already present in the Middle East and Africa. Next, we are targeting Southeast Asia and the Americas. Our solutions address universal cybersecurity challenges, so we are forming strategic alliances with global integrators to scale our reach and impact.
IT Voice- What is your vision for SecurEyes over the next three years?
Karmendra Kohli: Our vision is to become the go-to cybersecurity partner for India’s digital journey and a global leader in AI-powered cybersecurity. We want to be at the forefront of making cyberspace safer for enterprises, governments, and citizens, both in India and worldwide.
