Ajit Prabhu had humble beginnings in the city of Hubli, where he grew up amongst two other brothers, his mother, and father. Though his childhood consisted of numerous fond memories, such as attending an all Kannada medium school and interacting with several of his fellow classmates, he was always searching for more.
Ajit learned early on in his life that a strong work ethic coupled with a solid education was the way to climb the rungs of the socioeconomic ladder. He fondly remembers the day he first made the connection between starting a business and having “nice things.” His mother and him were walking to the market in Hubli, when a striking car passed by them. “Why don’t we have a car like that?” he innocently asked. To this, she replied, “Because, we are poor. If you want these nice things, you must study and start your own business!”
Ajit did not take these words lightly and thus began his QuEST for success. His natural aptitude for being a leader and deep seated love for building a business started in a much earlier and unconventional way than his role in the industry today. Since first grade, as “topper of the class” and a “teachers pet,” Ajit had continuously been assigned as class monitor. Fast forward to the age of 15, he sold incense sticks to friends and family and honed in on his skills as a salesman. Little did Mr. Prabhu know that these lessons were fueling his entrepreneurial passion that would transform him into the magnate he is today.
Ajit was an exceptionally bright student and had the hunger to learn, constantly striving to become better. Through his hard work and dedication, day in and day out, he managed to come to America with a scholarship and went on to attend Old Dominion University for his graduate studies, and later finished his second MS at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
This charity has sprouted from the monetary adversity that Prabhu faced when growing up. Mr. Prabhu has a soft spot for those children yearn to make a better life for themselves and have the potential to be real game changers, but cannot afford to do so. Thus, it is with great excitement that Ajit has embarked on this journey to sponsor, mentor, and empower 1,000 youths in his lifetime so that they have a shot are creating their own miracles.
B. Sc. Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, MAHE, Manipal
Pratheep