Trusted Mentor to Startups Worldwide | Board of Directors - Chirag Rural Development Foundation, ReReeti Foundation, & Harvard Alumni Association My journey began in a garage in Bangalore in 1994, at the age of 18, when I launched a computer assembly startup with $25, turning it into a $100,000 venture within three years while still in college. After earning my MBA from The University of Iowa in the US, I returned to India in 2000 and helped scale my family’s polymer business 20X building a first-of-its-kind integrated manufacturing facility. At 31, I discovered my true calling in for-profit social impact ventures, helping to build several startups in their early stages that have since delivered global impact. • D.light has replaced kerosene lanterns with clean, healthy solar lighting, reaching over 150 million people worldwide. • Embrace's affordable infant warmer, has saved over 700,000 babies across 22 countries. • Chirag has illuminated over 800 villages across India. Also, as an advisor, coach, and mentor, I’ve helped startups across India, the USA, the UK, Singapore, Kenya, and Australia. My ventures have been featured in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Economist, CNBC, and Forbes, to name a few. I’ve also shared my knowledge and experience through articles in The Economic Times, Times of India, Financial Express, and other leading publications. [See list in Publications section] In 2012, I completed my Executive Education at Harvard Business School, and in 2022, I was elected President of the Harvard Club of Bengaluru, where I helped foster a dynamic community of professionals committed to being a force for good. Most recently, in July 2024, I was honored to be appointed to the Board of Directors of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA).