Entreprenuership = Passion + Action + Vision, said #sunilkhandbahale @Yi CII event

here is a transcript of our brainstorming dialogues if you missed it. https://sunilkhandbahale.com/reimaging-business-for-future-yi-cii-brainstorming-sat-july-8th-2023-aima-nashik/ #Yi Confederation of Indian Industry #aima #nashik

Harsh?Deodhar: Sunil sir, most of the Nashikers would know you very well, but if you could tell us about your journey?

Sunil Khandbahale: People see me as an #Innovator, as an #entreprenuer. Those who are close to me, know my #passion for #education, for innovation towards #entreprenuership , especially #social entreprenuership. However, I see myself as a Lifelong Learner.?

You asked me about my journey, It's a long way. Well, cutting long story short, I studied in a Government Zilla Parishad School in small village, which hardly had walls or roof.. and few years latter, I graduated from 美国麻省理工学院 #Boston, the number one university in the world. Second thing I would like to share is that, I worked in a small garage, a fabrication shop and few years latter, I was working at the Facebook headquarter at Menlo Park. Third thing, I can share is that, I was able to convert my first employer into my first customer and this is how I started my joinery of entrepreneurship back then in early 2000 at the age of 19. Now I am heading KHANDBAHALE.com . which is one of the worlds largest India official languages digital platform having user ship of over a 100 million for their language learning and translation needs, which I started back in 2000 to overcome my own language barrier. Apart from this, I am passionate about Social Innovations, so I started KHANDBAHALE.Org, there are multiple projects in #language, #music, #education, #innovation, #spirituality domain #Kumbhathon – technology for #Kumbhmela. I think I have achieved the most of the things I aspire for. Now it’s no more about ME, its about WE. I work for the next generation.?

Harsh?Deodhar: Most of engineers, would have stopped once a solution is drafted, but you sir went on digging dealer, learning from MIT Sloan to currently perusing PhD, what made you go on?

Sunil Khandbahale: To answer your question, I would like to quote Mr. Desh Deshpande , who is great Indian American Entrepreneur and Philanthropist.

Mr. Desh said, “There are three types of people.?#1 Ignorer: One who see the problem around and simply Ignores it.?#2 Blamer: The people who see the problem and keep blaming someone for it. and?#3 Solver: The type of people, who see the problem and off course they don’t ignore it or blame someone, but take it as a challenge and solve it.

I become restless when I see the problem. And that’s what keep me going.?

Harsh?Deodhar: Launching Khandbhale.com, MIT Sloan fellowship, Leading Kumbhathon, being invited by the Whitehouse- incidences are many – but if you could tell us what was a major turning point in your life and why?

Sunil Khandbahale: #1?The very first turning point of my life, definitely was going to school. Because my generation was the first in whole of my genealogy to enter into school.?

#2 When I was ranked top in my first year class of diploma, because I had clean bold in all 6 subjects in first unit test. The reason was I had schooled in #Marathi medium and I could not understand #English. That academic success is what boosted my #selfconfidence.?

#3 turning point is when I was denied an admission by a computer institute because I had no money to pay their fees. That forced me to learn coding at my own and that’s how I become self-taught software engineer.

#4 When I sold my first software to my first customer, who happened to be my first and last employer, and this is how I become an entrepreneur.?

#5 When I graduated from MIT, Boston because that could show to many students back in my country – that this is possible and you can do it. This is how I am?emerging as the messenger of education.?

Harsh?Deodhar: Sir, you have seen a poster boy hero level success, making not only a small village in Nasik proud but for the whole nation proud, I know of one physical challenge you had- while coding for long hours your back pain problems started so you designed a sleeping position PC to continue your work- this just being one- I’m sure there would be many if you could tell us how you over came these challenges.

Sunil Khandbahale: I think of three things when it comes to entreprenuerial jouney;?#1: #Passion: You must have passion of whatever you are doing.?#2. After passion, you must take #Action, so your passion comes into reality.?#3 #Vision: A longterm vision is the key to let the whole world know what you are up to.

These things get’s you everything you needed. Confidence, courage, support, name, fame, money …everything you need.?

I recommend the all time famous book called “#Alchemist”. It says, “When you want something, the whole universe conspires in order for you to achieve it”.?

Harsh?Deodhar: Sir, whats your piece of advise for young innovators of India- what works and what doesn’t? if you could guide young India in the right direction?

Sunil Khandbahale:

“Whatever in impactful is sustainable, and whatever sustainable is impactful.”?- Sunil Khandbahale

#1 Work for impact, rest will follow. I started my business with zero penny in my pocket. Don’t think of raising funds upfront. Investors will be after you, if you have really have an impactful idea.?

#2 Continuous learning: I strongly believes that, “You have to do all, what it ask for.” In the beginning, I was an innovator of these technologies. I invented and developed those for my own use, then further for small groups. But then you want to scale up it. There comes entrepreneurship. The journey from innovator to entrepreneur and to a business is vary interesting. I think, after innovation, as an entrepreneur, you must be a life-long learner. That is only possible if you have learning mindset, studentship is the positive environment for that. Now a days, many students think of education as a waste of time and wants to take break. Don’t get influenced by the dropout stories of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. These legends are school drop-out not from any ordinary school but from Harvard and Stanford like worlds top universities. One in million reaches there. They had passion, action and vision for their dreams. Now the time has changed. We are living in a competitive world. With my experience, I recommend continuous learning, till the last breath of life. Go get graduated, post graduated, doctorate, multiple doctorates, so you are the master of your own thoughts, your own field. Embraced the longline #studentship.?

#3 And third – India is an #opportunity. #Population, #Diversity, #Disparity, #Poverty, #Corruption, #scarcity of #resources, #unemployment are not that #challenges but #opportunities to grab. Worlds all unicorn companies are coming to India. India is a world’s big market place. And being Indian, no other than you understands the complexity of it.. Get into social innovations, Solve the local challenges, be the next unicorn!?

#4 Fourth and most important thing: Don’t rush for the destination, enjoy the journey!

life is all about here and now! - Sunil Khandbahale

#5 And Harsh, you asked me what works and what doesn’t? right? I would say,

what works is your imagination, and what doesn’t is also your imagination. - Sunil Khandbahale

Nothing can stop you from achieving your dream but your imagination. Believe in yourself and move forward.

“Hum honge Kamyaab, hum honge kamyab ek din, man me hai vishwas, pura hai vishwas …”