When Piyush was 14, he visited an orphanage in Lonavala. He was enjoying a game of cricket when a boy at the orphanage asked him an innocent question, Why do you get to have a family, have a comfortable home and go to school and not me? This question haunted Piyush for the rest of his schooling and his early career as an investment banker. At that orphanage, I was deeply moved and realized how lucky I was. I at once resolved to lead a life where I could utilize my skill sets to help as many people as possible.
Piyush went on to graduate from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and finished his Masters from John. F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he co-authored papers on non-equity financing for entrepreneurial ventures. He subsequently pursued a career in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group.
But in the back of his head, the question continued to bother him. Then came the turning point. In December 2013, seven-time Formula One champion, Michael Schumacher, Piyush's idol, faced a serious head injury while skiing with his son and was paralysed. This was a sort of warning to me that life is short and the right time to begin is now, said Piyush.
The urge to do something to answer that tormenting question coupled with Piyush's background in finance consulting and public policy led to the birth of Impact Guru - a donation-based crowdfunding platform. Khushboo Jain, who had a strong background in luxury marketing, PR, and human psychology also decided to spearhead the venture and joined as co-founder. In 2014, Impact Guru was incubated at the Harvard Innovation Lab, USA and a year later it was incubated at PACT, Impact Hub in Singapore.
Having travelled so far, we still have a long way to go. But from here on, the real impact of this crowdfunding venture can only come from the crowd, from each of YOU, Impact Gurus. So here's your question; How do you want to make a difference?
