Changemakers build pathways that enable others to dream bigger.

As India charts its path toward a Viksit Bharat, its progress beyond policy or capital access, will be shaped by individuals who solve for hard problems, build enduring institutions, and create opportunities at scale. These are individuals who are expanding what India is capable of and whose impact continues to compound across generations.

Professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala is a Changemaker. His recent book ‘Roots and Wings,’ captures the essence of his life dedicated to lofty goals and in service of others to achieve audacious goals. An inspiring read, I would highly recommend it. I’ve had the privilege of knowing him for over two decades and now have the even greater privilege of working with him, as he joins Kalaari as an advisor.

Called the ‘Doyen of Deep Tech’ by Forbes, Padma Shri Dr. Ashok Jhunjhunwala is the man who built the backbone of India’s technological future — quietly, relentlessly, and entirely on his own terms. I had the chance to interview him for our ‘Changemakers’ series.

I have much to learn from Professor Jhunjhunwala’s journey, and here are excerpts from my interaction with him.

Watch Changemakers here.

AI as a concept can be traced back to the 1950s, though in the last couple of years it has reached a tipping point of dominating every workstream and every conversation. It reminds also of similar euphoria in the 90s on the advent of the Internet. No doubt AI will transform everything about how we live and work and interact with each other. And as a venture capitalist, I see this technology mature as an opportunity of 2-3 decades of innovation cycle, built on cascading advancements.

Building a deeptech company is not the work of years - it is the work of decades. It requires patience when outcomes are uncertain, endurance when progress feels slow, and an unwavering belief in the power of innovation to transform. These are values that have deeply influenced us at Kalaari as we continue to back founders building for the long term, often in categories where conviction must precede certainty.

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