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India Today
18 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
Meet Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-founder of Ashoka University and Naukri
Sanjeev Bikhchandani is one of the most revered entrepreneurs and philanthropists in India. He is widely known as the founder of India's first online job portal, but he has also created a huge impact in India's education sector by co-founding Ashoka University. From building businesses to supporting social causes, Sanjeev Bikhchandani represents a compelling story of how innovation, vision, and meaning can overlap to drive real is Sanjeev Bikhchandani?Sanjeev Bikhchandani is one of the most respected entrepreneurs in India. He is most known for founding India's first and most popular online job portal. Today, he is also known as a powerful investor, philanthropist, and startup mentor. His efforts have improved the lives of millions of jobseekers across India and helped shape the digital economy.A Look at Sanjeev Bikhchandani's Professional JourneySanjeev Bikhchandani is an Indian entrepreneur and the founder of Info Edge. He was born in New Delhi, India. Bikhchandani went to St. Columba's School, New Delhi, and graduated from school in obtained a Bachelor of Arts with Economics as his main subject from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, graduating in 1984, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad) in completing his MBA from IIM Ahmedabad in 1989, Sanjeev Bikhchandani began his career in marketing at Hindustan Milkfood Manufacturers (now GlaxoSmithKline), working on the Horlicks 1990, he left his job to pursue entrepreneurship. He founded Info Edge in 1995, which would become a leading online classifieds company in 1997, he launched which quickly grew to become India's largest web-based employment site, revolutionising job search and recruitment in the his leadership, Info Edge expanded its portfolio with other classified sites, including (real estate), (matrimonial), and (education).Bikhchandani is recognised as an astute investor, having made successful investments in startups such as PolicyBazaar and is also part of the 'Vision Circle' of FYI (Foundation for Young Innovators), a non-profit organisation supporting young has received several honours, including the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2008) and the Padma Shri (2020).Awards and honours received by Sanjeev Bikhchandani 2008: Received the Ernst and Young – Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Business Transformation.2008: Honoured with the Dataquest Pathbreaker Award and Teacher's Achievement Award for Business.2011: Conferred the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A).2012: Received the CF Andrews Distinguished Alumnus Award from St. Stephen's College, Delhi.2012: Honoured with the Lakshmipat Singhania – IIM Lucknow National Leadership Award as Young Leader in the Business Category.2017: Featured in Outlook Magazine's list of India's fifty greatest CEOs ever.2019: Awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in IT by the Financial Express.2020: Conferred the prestigious Padma Shri Award by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Sanjeev Bikhchandani stands not just as the founder of a successful internet company but as a symbol of how entrepreneurship can be a powerful force for change. From enabling millions of Indians to find jobs through to investing in the country's digital and educational future, Bikhchandani continues to inspire a new generation of change India's startup and innovation ecosystem evolves, leaders like him remain a guiding light for building businesses that are both purposeful and impactful.
The Hindu
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Political Line newsletter: Old Boys and New Men: people in the India-Pakistan conflict
The fact that India and Pakistan (and Bangladesh) were part of the same country until August 1947 has become so remote to most of the people living in these countries that many of them might even find it difficult to believe. These modern countries were formed as a result, at least partly, of British imperial policies which accentuated and aggravated social divisions. American scholar Jeffrey Sachs recently noted that several conflicts of the world currently — in South Asia, West Asia and East Asia (China and Taiwan) — are legacies of British and western imperialism. In the Indian subcontinent, the conflicts began as 'fraternal violence' — to borrow from historian Shruti Kapila. The long history and myth of violent fraternity goes all the way back to the Mahabharata in which the war was within the family. As of today, the rivalries have acquired a new edge that is sharper and more dangerous than in the past. A key factor in the current tone and character of this conflict is the generational shift in both countries. For the first time in history, India and Pakistan are led by people who were born after Independence and the Partition. Three generations — 78 years — have passed since the Partition. In 2014, Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to be born after Independence (1950). In Pakistan, this shift had happened seven years earlier. Pervez Musharraf was the last ruler/army chief of Pakistan who was born before the Partition. Ashfaq Kayani, who succeeded Musharraf, was born in 1952; The current army chief of Pakistan, Asim Munir, was born in 1968. Musharraf and Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq — who tilted Pakistan irreversibly in the direction of radical Islamisation — were both born in Delhi, and both left the city in 1947. Musharraf as a four-year old and Haq as a graduate of St. Stephen's College. K. Natwar Singh, who joined St. Stephen's a year after Haq left, went to Islamabad as India's High Commissioner when the latter was the ruler of Pakistan. Singh later recounted how Haq would give his private jet to a group of students from St. Stephen's who went to Pakistan. This was not a one-sided affair — Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani were both born in what would later become Pakistan. Singh, as PM, would famously dream of a day when one could have 'breakfast in Amritsar, lunch in Lahore and dinner in Kabul'. In 2005, Mr. Advani went to Pakistan, and also visited the St. Patrick's school in Karachi where he studied. He would nostalgically recall stories of his childhood. When Musharraf came to India, he visited his family's home in Old Delhi. Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto shared 'pedigree and degree', as a commentator put it; it was his mother and her father who signed the Simla Agreement. In her last book that she finished before her assassination in 2007, Benazir wrote that Pakistan's ISI suspected her to be an Indian asset and sabotaged her ties with Rajiv. The military leadership of both countries also had personal contacts in the early decades. In 1947, Sam Manekshaw was a Lieutenant Colonel and Yahya Khan was a Major in the British Indian Army. Military assets were partitioned — two-thirds of the personnel going to India and one-third going to Pakistan. Khan purchased from the future Field Marshal a red motorcycle but apparently did not pay the promised amount of ₹1,000 around the time of Partition. During the 1971 war, Manekshaw was the Indian Army chief and Yahya Khan was the President of Pakistan. As per an account by Pakistani columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee in 2008, Field Marshal Manekshaw said after the 1971 Bangladesh war, half in jest: 'I waited for 24 years for ₹1,000 which never came, but now he has paid with half of his country.' Even more dramatic is a slice of the story of the surrender of the Pakistani army in Dhaka. Lieutenant General Kuldip Singh Brar gave this account in an interview to an online news portal about the eventful day of December 16, 1971. Major General Gandharv S. Nagra was leading a contingent of Indian troops to Dhaka. He and Lieutenant General A.A.K. Niazi, the commander of Pakistani forces in East Pakistan, had gone to college together. There was no direct communication between the two armies. The Indian Army chief was asking the Pakistani troops to surrender, over a radio broadcast. Nagra's convoy approached an abandoned post of the Pakistani army near Dhaka, and used the phone there to connect to its command headquarters. Niazi was on the line. 'He (Nagra) said, 'Abdullah, this is Gandharv here' and General Niazi asked, 'Gandharv, where are you?' He said, 'I am at the gate of Dhaka and waiting for you to surrender.' General Niazi said, 'We are ready to surrender, but we don't know who to tell.' General Nagra said, 'We are here.' General Niazi said, 'I'm sending a few cars, you come into Dhaka and we'll work out the surrender terms.' We then went into Dhaka in Pakistani vehicles and saw the hospital, university, airfield en route. We arrived at the HQ, Pakistan Eastern Command. General Niazi came out and embraced General Nagra. They went into the office to talk. Meanwhile, we informed Calcutta that we were in Dhaka, and the Pakistan army was ready to surrender.' The rest of the formality followed. Even through wars, terrorism and continuing conflicts, leaders of both countries had some memories of these countries being one, and this was very personal too. Not only did they share the same country in their memories, all of them were also trained in the western education system. With the complete passing of those generations, the India-Pakistan conflict is in a new phase.
India Today
18-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Harsh Goenka posts old pic of 3 Indian CEOs in Azerbaijan. Can you name them?
Industrialist Harsh Goenka shared a throwback photograph from a visit to Azerbaijan with fellow CEOs in a now-viral post on Group Chairman Harsh Goenka posted the old photograph from a past trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, featuring three Indian business leaders walking side by the image on X, he referred to the trip as one from 'better times' and invited users to identify the people in the 'In better times, when I visited Baku, Azerbaijan, I took this photo from behind of three CEOs/friends whom I had gone with! How many can you identify?' he a look at the post here:Two individuals in the image were identified almost immediately. The man on the left was recognised as Vikram Mehta, the former CEO of Shell India, who holds degrees from St. Stephen's College and Oxford University. The person in the centre was none other than Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani. In the image, Ambani was seen strolling without any visible security, while holding an older model of the identity of the third person remains unknown, with Goenka refusing to reveal it. He confirmed that the man is neither Harsh Mariwala nor Sanjeev Bikhchandani, names many had guessed in the post not just gained traction for the mystery around the unidentified CEOs but also for Goenka's blunt assessment of Baku. In a reply to one of the comments, he described the city as a 'useless place.'His comment comes at a time when Indian travellers are distancing themselves from Azerbaijan following its public support for Pakistan after 'Operation Sindoor'. Turkey too backed Pakistan during the same Reel
Mint
18-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Harsh Goenka shares old photo from trip to Azerbaijan, calls it ‘useless place'
RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka posted an old photograph on social media platform X, capturing a moment from a trip to Baku, Azerbaijan - a journey he described as having taken place 'in better times.' The image features three prominent Indian business leaders walking together, viewed from behind. While several social media users quickly identified two of the individuals in the photo, the identity of the third remains undisclosed. Goenka challenged followers to guess who the trio were, asking, 'How many can you identify?' The first person was confirmed as Vikram Mehta, the former CEO of Shell India, who holds a bachelor's degree from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, and a postgraduate degree from Oxford University. The second was identified as India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, who in the photograph was notably seen walking without visible security and holding an old iPhone. Speculation regarding the third figure ran rife, but Goenka dismissed all guesses. He clarified that the person on the right is neither Harsh Mariwala nor Sanjeev Bikhchandani. Political tensions have sparked a boycott of Azerbaijan as a tourist destination among Indian travellers, following the country's support for Pakistan in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. Both Turkey and Azerbaijan expressed solidarity with Pakistan, leading to widespread disapproval in India. As a demonstration of national pride, the Bengaluru Wholesale Cloth Merchants Association has announced an immediate halt on all textile imports and exports to and from Turkey and Azerbaijan, citing their recent "support" for Pakistan. Meanwhile, 800 members of a Jain group cancelled their planned trips to Turkey. Reflecting the growing resentment, Harsh Goenka did not hold back his opinion of Baku, calling the city a 'useless place' in response to a comment on X.
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Former National shooting coach Sunny Thomas no more
Professor Sunny Thomas, the national coach during the golden phase of Indian shooting, passed away at his home in Uzhavoor in Kottayam on Wednesday. He was 83 and is survived by his wife Josamma, two sons and a daughter. Thomas was the national shooting coach for 19 years, from 1993 to 2012, and during this period the country won four Olympic medals including Abhinav Bindra's gold in Beijing 2008. That was India's first-ever Olympic gold in an individual event. Thomas was presented the Dronacharya Award in 2001. 'Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Prof. Sunny Thomas. He was more than a coach, he was a mentor, guide and father figure to generations of Indian shooters,' wrote five-time Olympian and former World champion Bindra on X. 'His belief in our potential and his relentless dedication to the sport laid the foundation for India's rise in international shooting. He played a big role in my early years and I'll always be grateful for his support and guidance. Rest in peace, sir. Your impact is everlasting.' Indian shooters had won hundreds of medals, in five Olympics, six World Championships, over 50 World Cups, six Asian Games and five Commonwealth Games, under his guidance. The other Olympic medals during Thomas tenure as coach came from Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (silver, Athens 2004) and in the 2012 London Olympics from Vijay Kumar (silver) and Gagan Narang (bronze). Thomas took to shooting at the Kottayam Rifle Club and was a multiple State champion and a national champion in 1976. Thomas was also a professor and head of the English department at Uzhavoor's St. Stephen's College for nearly 30 years. The funeral will be held at Thevakkal, near Kakkanad, in Kochi at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday. Very difficult to fill the void: NRAI president 'This is a void which Indian shooting will find very difficult to fill,' said Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, the president of the National Rifle Association of India. 'Professor Thomas was an institution in shooting and India would not have become the shooting power that it is today, without his selfless contribution to our sport. The entire shooting community is in grief.'
