Dynamic Founders Redefining Success Across Industries

Mahesh Kudav - Chairman & Managing Director at Venus Safety & Health Pvt. Ltd.
Mahesh Kudav’s journey is not just a business success story—it’s a blueprint for redefining leadership and innovation in India’s safety manufacturing landscape. As Chairman & Managing Director of Venus Safety & Health Pvt. Ltd., he has transformed a small venture founded in 1986 into a globally trusted brand, setting new benchmarks for quality, scale, and purpose.What truly sets his journey apart is his ability to combine scientific knowledge with entrepreneurial vision. A chemistry graduate with a deep-rooted interest in textiles, Kudav identified a critical gap in India’s safety ecosystem early on and pioneered the concept of “neck-up” PPE solutions. This foresight enabled the company to move beyond conventional offerings and build a differentiated, innovation-led portfolio.
Under his leadership, Venus has evolved into a global player, delivering patented and internationally certified safety solutions across more than 32 countries. The company’s strong focus on R&D has driven continuous product innovation, enabling it to expand into a comprehensive range that includes respiratory, head, eye, and hearing protection, along with advanced air filtration systems tailored for diverse industrial needs.
A defining moment in Kudav’s leadership came during the COVID-19 crisis, when he spearheaded the rapid scale-up of N95 mask production. At a time when the world faced acute shortages, Venus not only supported frontline workers but also contributed significantly to strengthening India’s push towards self-reliance.
Through a sharp focus on innovation, global standards, and purpose-driven growth, Mahesh Kudav has redefined what success looks like in the safety industry—proving that true leadership lies in anticipating needs, building resilience, and creating impact at scale.

Prbhjiit Maniktala - Founder at VAZANEH
Prbhjiit Maniktala is a fashion entrepreneur and creative director known for building brands with clarity, restraint, and a strong design identity.
Trained through hands-on experience rather than convention, she approaches fashion as both craft and strategy, balancing artistic instinct with business discipline. Her work is defined by precision, emotional intelligence, and the ability to translate abstract ideas into a clear visual language.
In 2025, she founded VAZANEH, a couture label conceived as an extension of her personal design philosophy: quiet strength, architectural silhouettes, and modern Indian elegance.
From concept to production, Prbhjiit remains deeply involved in every layer of the brand, spanning textile development, fittings, casting, styling, and shaping the overall brand narrative. She works closely with Indian artisans, pushing technical boundaries while maintaining consistency in finish and quality.
Beyond design, she is recognised for her instinctive understanding of positioning and long-term brand building. In less than a year, she has shaped VAZANEH into a distinct voice within the luxury space, earning early editorial attention and a growing couture clientele.
Grounded, detail-driven, and future-focused, Prbhjiit represents a new generation of Indian entrepreneurs building with intention and lasting cultural relevance, blending creative courage with operational rigour and understated ambition.

Siddharth Rajgarhia - Chief Learner & Director at Delhi Public School Varanasi | Nashik | Lava Nagpur | Hinjawadi / Pune East & Co-Founder at Equanimity Learning | AI Enthusiast/ Building Bharat Podcast
Siddharth Rajgarhia, Chief Learner and Director of Delhi Public School (Varanasi, Nashik, Lava Nagpur, Hinjawadi Pune East), is transforming India's educational landscape, leaving no stone unturned in his mission to empower real education. Impacting over 8,000 students with quality education, he also champions the 1% Principle through Equanimity Learning, where as co-founder he has empowered more than 500 educators with cutting-edge pedagogical practices and AI integration. He has also coached school leaders in transformative leadership, helping them build schools that truly become great places for learners.
His initiative SDG2SavetheWorld connects students and teachers across 20+ countries and is recognised among the world's 100 most innovative programs. Under his leadership, DPS Varanasi was shortlisted as one of the World's Best Schools in the Environment category.
An eminent speaker, host of the Building Bharat podcast series, and prolific writer, Rajgarhia consistently champions future-ready education. A Master of Education, Harvard CSML alumnus, he has been honoured as BW Education's 40 Under 40, Eduleader India 2022–23, and among IPN Foundation's Most Impactful Edu Leaders.

Maya Varma - Co-founder & Chief Brand and Product Officer at Joker & Witch and Teejh
Maya Varma is the Co-founder and Chief Brand and Product Officer at Joker & Witch and Teejh, bringing over 15+ years of diverse experience across design, brand, retail and e-commerce.  A graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi, Maya is an accomplished accessory designer & entrepreneur. She has previously worked with renowned brands such as Swarovski, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Hidesign, Holi, and Styletag.com, gaining extensive exposure across design, retail, and e-commerce domains.
At Joker & Witch and Teejh, Maya serves as the custodian of brand and product, driving creative direction and ensuring alignment with the brand’s vision. Passionate about building brands in the fashion and lifestyle space and impacting consumer centric commerce, she has built two bootstrapped profitable online brands. While one of her brands Joker & Witch is a New-Age Watch & Accessories brand for Gen Z and millenials, the other brand Teejh focuses on ethnic indian jewellery and sarees for the modern Indian women. Both the brands have established a strong presence in the online e-commerce space and Joker & Witch has recently launched its first 2 offline stores in Bangalore.
A creative designer and storyteller with an intrinsic understanding of consumer and commerce, she considers herself the creative force behind the brands, complementing the strategic acumen of her co-founder.

Bharat Kalia, Varun Grover & Atul Raheja - Founders at Lifelong Online
Bharat Kalia, Varun Grover, and Atul Raheja are the founders of Lifelong Online, a fast-growing consumer brand redefining everyday essentials across home, kitchen, fitness, and lifestyle categories. Built on the principles of accessibility, innovation, and value, Lifelong has become a trusted choice for modern Indian households. The brand’s strong presence across e-commerce and quick commerce platforms reflects its ability to adapt to evolving consumer needs. With a focus on quality, affordability, and scalability, Lifelong continues to expand its footprint, delivering reliable products and shaping the future of everyday living in India.

Dr. Rajendra Indraman Singh - Educationist & Managing Trustee at Priyadarshani Group of Schools
Dr. Rajendra Indraman Singh is a visionary educationist and Managing Trustee of Priyadarshani Group of Schools, dedicated to making quality education accessible and inclusive. Beginning his journey as a teacher in 1997, he rose through leadership roles to build institutions known for academic excellence and innovation. He founded the Steps Remedial Centre to support students with learning difficulties and actively contributes to national education reform, including NEP 2020. As National Advisor at NISA and a founding member of IESA Maharashtra, he continues to shape policy, strengthen budget schools, and drive impactful change across India’s education ecosystem.
From a humble start to leading transformative change, Dr. Rajendra Singh’s journey reflects a lifelong commitment to education, inclusion, and impact.
As a nationally recognized leader in education, Dr. Rajendra Indraman Singh has set benchmark for unwavering commitment to excellence.
Today, under his dynamic leadership, Priyadarshani Group of Schools has become a beacon of quality, innovation, and holistic education recognized across India and internationally.

Asma Kahali - Co-Founder at Rimbaa Oak Global Pte Ltd, Consultant, Rimbaa Rayaa World Solutions Pte Ltd. Convenor, BRICS CCI
Asma Kahali is a globally positioned business leader known for her strategic acumen across gold trading, geopolitical consultancy, and crisis facility mobilisation. As Co-Founder of Rimbaa Oak Global Pte Ltd, Singapore, she has built a reputation for operating with discretion and precision in high-stakes environments. She also serves as a Convenor at BRICS CCI Women’s Wing and as a Consultant to Rimbaa Rayaa World Solutions Pte Ltd, where she contributes to complex international advisory mandates. Her journey reflects a blend of resilience, strategic foresight, and quiet leadership.

Kritika Lalchandani - Founder & CEO at Apostrophe Communications
Kritika Lalchandani is the Founder & CEO of Apostrophe Communications, a leading integrated communications agency specialising in luxury, lifestyle, and fashion brands. With over 15 years in strategic communications, she has grown Apostrophe Communications from a two-member startup into a multi-market agency managing 250+ premium brands. An alumna of IIM Bangalore’s leadership program, she champions a business-first, insight-led approach to brand building. Kritika’s expertise spans PR, influencer marketing, experiential campaigns, and reputation management, working closely with founders and leading integrated communications agency for Kritika to drive long-term brand equity. She has led award-winning campaigns like TASVA’s “Tasva Toh Banta Hai.” Recognised in BW PR 40 Under 40 and E4M 40 Under 40, she is a prominent industry voice.

Anupriya Agarwal - Founder & Brand Strategist at Maxworth Impact
With over 15 years of experience in brand strategy, activation, digital marketing, content, and e-commerce, Anupriya Agarwal is known for driving scalable, impact-led growth across sectors in India. As the founder of Maxworth Impact, she specializes in enabling businesses in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, unlocking untapped potential through insight-driven strategies. A strong advocate of on-ground execution, she works closely with businesses to solve real-time challenges one step at a time. From refining brand positioning to onboarding traditional enterprises onto digital platforms, her approach is practical and rooted in local realities. By bridging strategy with hands-on implementation, she continues to redefine how emerging market brands grow and thrive in a digital-first economy.

Amit Paranjape - Director & Business Development at Paranjape Schemes Construction Ltd
Amit Paranjape is driving the next phase of growth at Paranjape Schemes Construction Ltd, focusing on expansion, redevelopment, and new business verticals. Paranjape Schemes has a strong portfolio across residential communities, integrated townships, commercial developments, senior living projects like Athashri, assisted living initiatives such as Aastha, and inclusive developments like Swaniketan for specially abled individuals. With over 13 years of experience across the real estate lifecycle, he brings strong strategic and executional expertise. He currently oversees sales and marketing operations across over 48 projects, covering close to 10 million sq. ft. Outside work, he is an endurance athlete and actively supports grassroots sports initiatives.

Arushi Govil - Co-Founder & Director at Kayhan Entertainment & Macra
Arushi Govil is a seasoned Line Producer known for driving complex film and animation projects with precision. She has collaborated with global studios like Framestore and DNEG on films including Tenet, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Justice League, and Venom. Her credits also include Brahmastra, Triple Frontier, and Togo. With deep expertise in production management, VFX pipelines, and animation workflows, she brings structure to large-scale productions. At Kayhan, she ensures creative ideas translate into disciplined execution. Known for her calm leadership, she balances imagination with timelines, turning ambitious visions into seamless delivery while at MACRA she nurtures emerging talent, building strong foundations for future production leaders.

Dalbir Singh, Co-Founder & Director at Kayhan Entertainment & Macra
Dalbir Singh is a visual effects artist and filmmaker with over 15 years of experience across Indian and international cinema. He has contributed to major global productions including Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Avengers: Endgame, and Venom, helping build large-scale cinematic worlds through advanced VFX. His work was part of the Emmy-nominated team for Outstanding Visual Effects. At Kayhan Entertainment, he leads creative direction, blending storytelling with technical expertise. Through MACRA, he guides young talent, fostering creativity and technical excellence while pushing boundaries in animation, VFX, and immersive storytelling.