Necessity they say is the mother of invention. There is no getting past the fact that we are in the midst of a crisis, whose length and breadth has shown up a few shortcomings of our infrastructural wealth. Amidst the doom and gloom, however, the young, the inspired have risen to the challenge and come to the fore to help their fellow citizens. I’m a firm believer it is generation Z that will define the future of this country; young minds who are driven by the passion to create and are prepared to go the extra length to turn dreams into ideas and those ideas into tangible valuable assets.
In this list of people who have vitalised the Indian entrepreneurial space with their energy and foresight the name of Saurabh Singh, who has just featured in Forbes’ list of Iconic Vibrant Leaders must be written in golden letters. Singh embodies everything that spells ‘promise’ for a country that is achingly in need of some.
It’s a little bittersweet, I’ll admit, to celebrate individual brilliance in the face of the collective challenge that the country is faced with at the moment. People like Singh, however, have not only found ways to help the community in these testing times, but also ensure businesses and other start-ups flourish. At the end of the day one must try to exceed their own reach.
They say there is no victory without the taste of failure. It’s a truism that Singh admits to first-hand. Through failure and the knockabout effects of the grind that is growing a business, Singh has learned from his failures and has used that experience to script the success of his five start-ups. It takes courage to admit to failure, especially in a success posturing social environment like ours. The unambiguity with which Singh claims his struggles alongside his success makes him stand out as a leader and mentor who knows what it takes to build over barricades and boundaries. He has redefined the approach the entrepreneurship.
There is no denying the fact that India needs entrepreneurial vision, and people like Singh who can connect the dated fringes of the country to mainstream vehicle of digital technology. To which effect, Singh’s company Appinventiv has helped countless small to big businesses leverage the power of digital transformation. Singh has been instrumental in generating 5000+ job opportunities for professionals and has through his guidance and mentorship uplifted and transformed some 2000+ businesses.
What makes Singh’s contribution to this space unique is that unlike other entrepreneurs hasn’t shied away from the social and political aspects of technology. Instead, he has, engaged with it. From running the ‘India Against Corruption’ campaign to planning the digital strategy for BJP’s 2014 election campaign, Singh has embraced politics. He is now an established political strategist and advises several state governments on various things. This country needs its young blood to step forward and define its discourse, through constructive and ingenious interventions like the one Singh has choreographed.
Singh isn’t an overnight sensation either, but has bided his time, learning with each step, and the odd misstep. He started his first start-up as early as the age 19, and from thereon in there was no turning off of the entrepreneurial spirit within him. Though he held various senior positions at tech companies, Singh wanted to carve his own way. It’s easy to often mistake ambition for greed, and there are plenty of examples where the latter is the knee-jerk reaction to someone’s individual success. Some people, however, are beyond the impulsive judgments of onlookers ambit of impulsive judgement. Singh has not only scripted a story of success but also of kindness and giving. He helped found Awake India to help initiate change in society and currently serves as founding member of Daan Sewa another non-profit organisation attempting to help the needy and downtrodden. Philanthropy, Singh believes, is a duty and not a hobby.
Singh echoes the thought that gen Z will define the future of this country, which is why, Appinventiv’s core clientele is made up of ambitious, enthusiastic entrepreneurs like the man himself. The company, however, doesn’t just believe in delivering a product, but focuses heavily on research and development. Singh believes, the brightest ideas of tomorrow, are waiting to be made in India’s offices. All it takes is a little inspiration and the forthright determination to solve modern India’s most immediate problems.
It’s leadership like this that most offices, start-ups and companies are crying out for. Singh does offer his mentorship and all that he has learned over 18 years of experience building businesses from scratch, so entrepreneurs like himself, may thrive and chart paths more iconic than his. It’s of course easier said than done. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea either, but Singh’s journey, the roadblocks he has managed to cross and the heights he has written to, proves it isn’t the quality of the pen that decides your life’s script, but the will with which you use it to write your story.
