Ajay Gupta

Ajay Gupta is a serial entrepreneur who has spent over three decades growing businesses in education, healthcare, edtech, FMCG/retail and multimedia. Ajay has pioneered two extremely successful pan-India education start-ups—Bachpan (comprising over 1,200 play schools)and Academic Heights Public School (comprising over 110 schools)—that continue to grow exponentially, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. This growth is the result of the franchise model of business, but infused with unparalleled research, innovation, multilayered support, technology and continuous upgradation. To fulfill his dream of connecting PG (playgroup) to PG (post-graduation), Ajay has co-founded a world-class higher education institution, the Rishihood University (an Impact University) at Sonepat in Delhi-NCR. Ajay has had polio from when he was nine months old and walked all his life with the help of crutches. Due to orthopaedic complications, he has now become fully wheelchair-bound. To create more accessibility for Divyangs and create a national movement for inclusivity, he started the Hum Honge Kamyab Foundation. Ajay’s philanthropic work was recognized when he was awarded the Kailashpat Singhania Award in 2019 and the Global Choice Award in 2021. A prolific writer, Ajay has published his short stories, experiential articles and poetry in magazines and social media. He lives in Delhi with his wife Deepshikha (his ‘girlfriend’ after marriage), daughter (a doctor) and son (a lawyer).