“I’m a Hyderabad girl, born and raised. This city isn’t just where I grew up—it’s where I’ve built everything. I did think about moving to other cities at one point, but I stayed. It felt right to continue here.

At the center of it all was my dad, a larger-than-life chartered accountant who didn’t just crunch numbers but shaped lives. To me, he was a superhero with a pen.

A little girl staring wide-eyed as her dad signed big, important documents—that was me. He handed me the Economic Times when I could barely spell ‘economy.’ I didn’t get it—but I got him: his discipline, integrity, and relentless positivity, amplified by my mom’s quiet strength, love, and generosity. Together, they built a legacy that went far beyond any inheritance.

I wanted to be that cool. That unshakable.

Dad’s influence was everywhere—cousins tried CA, but I had my eyes on an MBA. I’m a talker, a people person! Early on, I wrestled with which path to take—business school or Dad’s world? I took the CAT exam, but math? Not my BFF. So I pivoted to CA—not just to follow in his footsteps, but to prove I could nail it on the first try. Spoiler: I crushed it.

Articleship was my crash course in life. Deloitte taught me precision—think corporate bootcamp, all hustle and high stakes. Then Dad’s practice showed me the soul of finance: trust, relationships, real people. It was like flipping a coin and winning both sides.

My maternal grandfather is a businessman with political clout and serious charisma. He was ambition on legs. Between his larger-than-life presence and Dad’s rock-solid values, I hit the jackpot of role models. When I qualified as a CA, I carried them both in my pocket.

After two years in audit at KPMG, I moved to Grant Thornton and dove into due diligence. Then came this wild startup—selling domain names! No factories, no products, just ideas worth millions on an Excel sheet. My brain did a double take. Suddenly, I saw a world beyond balance sheets—and I wanted in.

Life’s wild—sometimes the worst gifts, like a rough marriage and a recession, land you exactly where you belong. A move to the UK in 2011–12 let me work in the startup sector. By 2013–14, Hyderabad’s scene was still small—about 350–400 startups and 15–20 ecosystem builders plotting in pubs and coffee shops. We had August Fest, the TiE Entrepreneur Summit, and then came T-Hub—a total game-changer.

Today? Over 8,000 startups! Much of the ecosystem you see now was ideated back then by that tiny group—and I’m proud to have been an active part of it.

Startup life as a woman? Not easy. At 28, I was young, ambitious, and jumping between roles—unconventional moves that raised eyebrows. I lost opportunities. Sexism was as present here as in any industry. I learned fast: good work alone doesn’t guarantee respect. It’s not handed to you—it’s claimed.

So, I let my hustle prove what words couldn’t.

Startups are messy, wild, and broke half the time—but oh, the rush! Building something from nada? It’s a high no corporate gig can touch. Once you’re hooked, there’s no going back. Trust me, I’ve tried. To know that you’re a part of someone’s success—or their struggle—is a deeply satisfying place to be.

In 2015, I lost my dad. At the time, I was already halfway into launching Fat Cow Creamery—a gourmet ice cream truck.

We launched, people loved it, but the co-founder dynamic was off. Caught between grief, a broken partnership, and the rollercoaster of startup life, we had to shut it down in 2017—despite a promising start.

Heartbreak hit hard, so I played it safe for a while. But that entrepreneurial fire? Still flickering.

Since 2017, I’ve worked relentlessly to build ecosystems. I finally understood that while the investment world is fun, actively supporting entrepreneurs—helping them build, designing the right programs, making the right connections—especially in the early stages, is crucial. I knew from the start it was a thankless job, but it had to be done. And I loved doing it. I’ve had the privilege of designing world-class programs for leading ecosystem builders like T-Hub, APIS, and the Wadhwani Foundation.

Fast forward to 2024: Fresh off setting up GMR Fund, I kicked off The Funding Office (TFO), supporting a few startups with compliance and capital. Then, a chance to reshape entrepreneurial support for women founders came knocking—how could I say no?

I kept the compliance wing of TFO, running it on principles dreamed up a decade ago with Dad, while building WE Hub’s urban innovation vertical. Over the last two months, I’ve started diving back into TFO, working with more startups, investors, and incubators.

Through urban innovation at WE Hub, I’m creating access, visibility, and investment for women entrepreneurs. With programs like We Enable, We Engage, and We Elevate, we’re opening doors and fueling growth. And we’re building a strong community—the secret sauce of any startup journey—because no one thrives alone.

If WE Hub was my purpose-driven hustle, Lotus is my soulful pause. Born from the concept of the third space—a place that’s not home, not work, but something softer in between—Lotus is where the pressure to perform is left at the door.

It’s deeply inspired by the Ikigai philosophy, which sees community as essential to a long, fulfilling life. Especially for women in their 30s and 40s—juggling ambition, care, work, and quiet personal dreams—a physical space to just be… to belong without needing to prove anything… is not a luxury.

It’s a lifeline.

Over the years, I’ve had my share of professionally satisfying and exhilarating moments. While WE Hub unquestionably tops that list, I also look back with pride on the early days—setting up incubation facilities across Andhra Pradesh, launching T-Fund, and unlocking state perks for startups in Telangana.

Was it exhausting? Absolutely. Frustrating at times? You bet. But watching founders soar because of the groundwork we laid? That’s the magic. That’s the gold.

Looking back, every gig, every stumble, every high-five built me. Dad’s legacy isn’t CA—it’s integrity, impact, and dreaming big. Success isn’t a handout. It’s grit, guts, and seeing the world through others’ eyes.

I’m here to keep pushing—one startup, one woman at a time.”