Arise, Awake

Arise, Awake Plot Summary

Introduction

In the quiet corridors of college campuses across India, a revolution is brewing. Young minds, traditionally expected to follow the well-trodden path of campus placements and corporate careers, are charting their own course while still in the protective cocoon of academia. These campus entrepreneurs represent a new breed of risk-takers who refuse to wait for graduation to pursue their dreams. Their stories unfold against the backdrop of a rapidly changing India, where traditional notions of success are being challenged. From IIT Bombay to NLS Bangalore, these young trailblazers demonstrate extraordinary courage, resilience, and vision. They teach us about the power of starting early, the value of learning through failure, and the importance of perseverance in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Whether they're creating innovative software solutions, disrupting traditional industries, or solving everyday problems in creative ways, these young entrepreneurs embody the spirit of a new India – ambitious, resourceful, and unafraid to dream big.

Chapter 1: The Birth of Entrepreneurial Spark

For most students at prestigious institutions like IIT or NLS, the path ahead seems predetermined: excel in academics, secure a lucrative placement, and climb the corporate ladder. Yet for a select few, a different calling emerges, often sparked by a moment of insight or frustration with the status quo. Shashank N D and Abhinav Lal from NIT Surathkal didn't set out to become entrepreneurs. Their journey began when they joined their college's newly formed Entrepreneurship Cell, simply out of curiosity. "Back in 2005, when we joined college, nobody had heard of the term 'entrepreneurship'," Shashank recalls. As they worked to spread awareness about entrepreneurship on campus, the e-virus entered their system. The tenth out of ten ideas they brainstormed—software for doctors—eventually became Practo, a company now serving over 10,000 doctors across India with revenues nearing ₹20 crore. For others like Eshwar Vikas from SRM Engineering College, the spark came from identifying a gap in the market. During a trip to Delhi, Eshwar was shocked to discover that a masala dosa could cost ₹130. The restaurant owner explained this was because he had to pay ₹20,000-25,000 monthly to the dosa cook. This revelation led Eshwar and his roommate Sudeep to embark on creating an automatic dosa machine, despite having no background in mechanical engineering. The entrepreneurial awakening often happens in unlikely places. For Prabhkiran Singh of IIT Bombay, it was outside the campus gates where he started a flavored lassi business called 'Khadke Glassi.' Many questioned his decision: "If this is what you wanted to do, why join IIT?" Though this venture eventually failed, it taught him valuable lessons that later helped him build Bewakoof.com, a successful youth-focused online business. What unites these campus entrepreneurs is not just ambition but a deep-seated desire to solve real problems and create value. They are driven by purpose rather than prestige, choosing the uncertainty of entrepreneurship over the security of campus placements. As Sourabh Bansal of IIT Kharagpur puts it, "I wrote down '₹5000 crore' next to my bed and people used to say, 'kya likh raha hai, pagal hai kya?' But I thought this is a number that could be achieved." The birth of this entrepreneurial spark represents a significant shift in India's educational landscape—where institutions once focused solely on producing employees are now becoming breeding grounds for employers and innovators.

Chapter 2: Finding Solutions to Real Problems

The transition from having an entrepreneurial spark to building a viable business hinges on identifying real problems worth solving. For these young entrepreneurs, the journey begins with acute observation and a willingness to question established norms. Rupesh Shah, who initially failed to enter IIT and even failed his first-year university exam, discovered his calling when he stumbled upon the open-source software movement. He saw a need for a user-friendly Linux operating system and created 'Intux OS,' which was eventually downloaded by over 100,000 users. "I realised that to make Intux successful, we need to increase the awareness of Linux itself," Rupesh explains. This insight led him to start a training company for engineering graduates. Though this venture ended badly due to partnership issues, the experience taught him valuable lessons about business relationships and contracts. Similarly, Apurva Joshi ventured into the unusual domain of forensic accounting during her articleship. While her peers were filing tax returns and making Tally entries, Apurva was conducting fraud-risk assessments for major companies. "I realised that fraud is like God – it is everywhere!" she notes. Recognizing the lack of specialized education in this field, she developed a university-recognized course in fraud-risk assessment, creating a solution to a gap in professional education. Perhaps the most direct approach to problem-solving came from Aruj Garg of National Law School, Bangalore. As an outstation student dissatisfied with campus food options, he established 'Bhukkad,' a takeaway food joint catering to hungry students. "The biggest problem I could see on campus was 'food'," Aruj explains. Later, when diagnosed with high cholesterol, he pivoted his business to focus on healthy, natural fast food, addressing an even broader market need. The most successful ventures emerged when students applied their technical education to solve practical problems. Magicrete, founded by Sourabh Bansal from IIT Kharagpur and his partners, revolutionized construction by producing AAC blocks that are lighter, more energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly compared to traditional bricks. By bringing modern manufacturing techniques to an age-old industry, they created a company with a turnover of ₹150 crore within a few years. What distinguishes these entrepreneurs is their ability to see beyond textbook knowledge and academic theories. They demonstrate that true innovation often lies at the intersection of technical expertise and real-world needs. As Prakash Mundhra of Sacred Moments puts it, "Everybody thought the puja kit idea was just to win B-plan contests and win some prize money. But it had entered deep in my veins." This passion for solving authentic problems became the foundation for successful enterprises.

Chapter 3: Building Teams and Securing Support

The journey from a solo dreamer to a successful entrepreneur inevitably requires building a strong team and securing adequate support. For these campus entrepreneurs, finding the right co-founders often began with friendships forged in hostel rooms and classrooms. Eshwar Vikas and Sudeep Sabat of Dosamatic complemented each other perfectly – while Eshwar handled marketing and business development, Sudeep focused on the technical aspects of their automatic dosa machine. "We felt it's time we start our own company!" Eshwar recalls after successfully completing a project with Sudeep. Their partnership was strengthened through countless nights of trial and error, with Eshwar often waking Sudeep at 7 am on weekends saying, "We need to have a Ferrari soon – let's go!" This shared vision and complementary skills proved crucial when designing and manufacturing their innovative product. Beyond finding co-founders, these young entrepreneurs discovered the importance of mentorship. For Innovese Technologies, founded by Ankit Gupta, Neeraj Agarwal, and Dhruv Sogani from BITS Pilani, participation in iAccelerator at IIM Ahmedabad provided invaluable guidance. "By the end of the program, we knew how to talk with the 'tools of the trade' like CPM, CTR and ROI," Ankit explains. This mentorship helped transform their idea for YoCaptcha, an advertising platform using captcha technology, into a viable business that was eventually acquired by a German multinational. Securing financial support presented another significant challenge. With limited personal funds, these entrepreneurs displayed remarkable creativity in finding resources. Anurag Arora of Ganpati Facilities used an innovative approach to launch his hostel business without initial capital. He convinced one student to pay the annual fee in advance, then used that money to secure flats and furniture for more students. "People are shocked and surprised to know I started this business from an initial investment of zero rupees," Anurag notes. Family support, both emotional and financial, often proved crucial. When Shashank and Abhinav were developing Practo, they stayed at Shashank's empty family house, using it as both office and accommodation. "We used to tell folks – all you gotta do is get your own mattress!" Shashank recalls. Similarly, Sourabh Bansal's father provided the initial investment for Magicrete, while Prakash Mundhra borrowed from his father to launch Sacred Moments. Institutional support came in various forms – from college incubators to government schemes. Rupesh Shah secured a term loan from the State Bank of India under CGTMSE, an unsecured loan scheme for promising ventures. Meanwhile, Dosamatic received a grant from their college after impressing representatives from the US-based Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. What emerges clearly is that building successful campus startups requires not just individual brilliance but the ability to inspire others with your vision. As Prabhkiran Singh of Bewakoof puts it, "The world conspires to help you in your quest of doing something bold and big."

Chapter 4: Overcoming Failure and Setbacks

The path to entrepreneurial success is rarely straight, and these campus trailblazers encountered numerous failures and setbacks along their journeys. What sets them apart is not the absence of failure, but their response to it. Prabhkiran Singh's first venture, 'Khadke Glassi,' a flavored lassi business outside IIT Bombay, failed within months. "The same people who once congratulated me now said, 'Yeh to hona hi tha (we knew he would fail),'" he recalls. Yet instead of giving up, Prabhkiran pivoted to creating funny T-shirts with his friend Siddharth Munot, eventually building Bewakoof.com into a ₹5 crore business. Technical challenges often threatened to derail product-based startups. When Eshwar and Sudeep were developing their automatic dosa machine, they faced countless failures. "By this time, we had been shifted from Amar Industries and taken space at a factory closer home. This, too, they had convinced the owner to provide free of cost," Eshwar explains. The summer went by with endless experiments on their messy contraption. After months of frustration, when their machine finally produced its first dosa, it was "a little burnt, not so round but, to us, it was the 'best dosa' in the world!" Perhaps the most painful setbacks came from interpersonal conflicts. The founding team of Innovese Technologies fractured when Neeraj stopped coming to the office and eventually quit via SMS. This created serious problems for the remaining founders, especially when trying to raise investment. "We learnt a lesson about how important 'a team' is and what serious and dangerous hassles you can have even if one member quits," Ankit reflects. Similarly, Rupesh Shah learned a harsh lesson when his first business partner, the chairman of his college, manipulated ownership documents. "I told my team that I don't see a future and I can no more continue. The most satisfying part was that my entire team too walked away with me." Financial crises tested the resilience of many ventures. InOpen Technologies faced a catastrophic situation when a promised investment of ₹40 crore fell through at the last minute. "To describe the situation, we had 44 employees and just ₹2000 in the bank!" Rupesh recalls. Instead of shutting down, his team pooled their savings, borrowed from friends, and convinced clients to pay in advance. Board members extended soft loans, helping the company survive until securing investment from a Japanese education company months later. External factors like power cuts, bureaucratic hurdles, and skeptical family members added additional layers of challenge. Apurva Joshi spent five months navigating government bureaucracy to secure licenses for her forensic accounting course. Eshwar and Sudeep endured 14-hour power cuts while developing their dosa machine during Chennai's summer heat. What emerges clearly from these stories is that setbacks are not merely obstacles but crucial learning opportunities. As Rupesh Shah puts it, "We all face problems but problems have a common pattern. A 'big' problem of the past becomes ordinary in the present. Similarly, the 'big' problem today will become an ordinary issue. Just hang on!" This resilience and ability to learn from failure ultimately shaped these entrepreneurs into stronger business leaders.

Chapter 5: Scaling Up: From Campus to Market

The transition from campus project to market-ready business represents a critical phase for student entrepreneurs. This leap requires not just a viable product but a complete business strategy, professional operations, and market validation. For Practo, founded by Shashank N D and Abhinav Lal, scaling began with a fundamental shift in mindset. "As a 'student entrepreneur', you can be average and still get noticed. Now you are like everyone else – there's no excuse for not being the best!" Shashank explains. Their first major breakthrough came at a Giftex exhibition in Mumbai, where doctors showed genuine interest in their product. This validation gave them confidence to manufacture 12,000 Diwali puja kits despite having no confirmed orders. "I sold 4000 kits in the last week before Diwali. If I did not have the kits ready, I would have missed that business," he recalls. This bold move resulted in gross revenues of ₹35 lakh with ₹5 lakh in profit. Securing institutional funding marked a pivotal moment for many ventures. Practo's meeting with Sequoia Capital transformed their trajectory. Unlike typical investor meetings focused on market size and ROI, Shailendra Singh simply asked, "Why are you doing this?" This allowed Shashank to share his vision of digitizing all medical records. The result was an on-the-spot investment offer that eventually helped Practo expand to Singapore and develop new features like their "virtual receptionist" service. Building a professional team became essential for growth. Magicrete's founders quickly realized they needed expertise beyond their own capabilities. "Managing production as well as travelling all over for sales became a challenge. I realised that we needed to build a team – a great team as capable or more capable than me!" Sourabh explains. They recruited fellow IITians, giving them significant responsibilities and equity stakes. This team-building approach allowed them to expand from one factory to multiple locations across India. Geographic expansion presented both opportunities and challenges. Bewakoof.com started by selling T-shirts on campus but quickly recognized the potential of e-commerce. When they exhibited at IIT Bombay's Mood Indigo festival, their entire stock of 300 T-shirts sold out in two and a half days. This experience prompted them to launch a website, allowing them to reach customers nationwide. They gradually added new product lines and built a following of 1.4 million on Facebook without paid promotion. Perhaps the most crucial aspect of scaling was developing systems and processes. InOpen Technologies invested in converting their computer science curriculum into eight regional languages and two foreign languages to reach a broader market. They organized conferences for school principals, introducing them to their innovative teaching methods. This systematic approach helped them secure partnerships with state education departments, reaching approximately 400,000 students in government schools. The scaling phase also required entrepreneurs to reconsider their initial business models. Aruj Garg of Bhukkad initially planned to expand to more campus locations but realized this wasn't sustainable since colleges remain closed for several months each year. After being diagnosed with high cholesterol, he pivoted to the concept of "natural fast food" targeting young executives and IT workers. "The goal is to set up a commercial kitchen and have Bhukkad outlets all over Bangalore. We're small right now but the dream is big," Aruj shares. These stories demonstrate that scaling requires not just financial resources but strategic thinking, adaptability, and a willingness to evolve beyond the initial vision. As Shashank of Practo puts it, "One year before, your parents and everyone else says you are a fool for doing this. Now this VC, which has supported great companies, is saying – maybe you have it in you! You feel like the 'king of the world!'"

Chapter 6: Managing Growth and Future Vision

Managing rapid growth while maintaining a clear future vision presents unique challenges for campus-born enterprises. As these ventures expanded beyond their initial success, founders needed to balance day-to-day operations with long-term strategic thinking. For Magicrete, which crossed ₹130 crore in revenue and counts more than 1500 developers as clients, the challenge became building "fences" around the business as competition intensified and margins fell from 40% to 20%. "We are entering new regions like Orissa and Karnataka where there are still very few plants," explains Sourabh Bansal. Beyond geographical expansion, the company diversified into dry mortar and prefabricated construction. "We will see a day when factory se bane banaye solutions site par jayenge – it will be prefab everywhere!" This forward-looking approach helps them maintain momentum despite increasing market saturation. Professional management systems became crucial as organizations grew. InOpen Technologies evolved from a handful of people to a team with PhDs, instructional designers, psychology masters, and even a former Google employee. "On the academic side, we now have PhDs, instructional designers, masters in psychology. We recently hired someone who worked with Google!" Rupesh shares. The company established service centers with ITI diploma-holders in different cities to support their expanding customer base. Financial discipline emerges as a consistent theme among successful ventures. Despite earning substantial profits, Anurag Arora of Ganpati Facilities maintains proper accounting and returns security deposits to students – practices many competitors neglect. "I want to grow my company and, to do that, to raise investment – or even take a home loan – I need to maintain proper accounts," he explains. This approach helps build trust with customers and positions the company for sustainable growth. External partnerships and acquisitions offered new growth avenues for some ventures. Innovese Technologies entered into an alliance with the digital advertising platform NetworkPlay, which eventually led to acquisition by German publisher Gruner and Jahr. "At one level, we did think – we can continue on our own. But we also felt that Gruner + Jahr can do justice to the product, take it much further," Ankit explains. This strategic decision provided an exit for the founders while ensuring their innovative product could reach its full potential. Technology integration became increasingly important as businesses scaled. Bhukkad invested in cloud-based inventory management software that allows tracking of raw materials at each outlet via smartphone. Dosamatic continuously refined their tabletop dosa machine, making it lighter and more reliable while maintaining strict quality standards. "We have a tolerance level as low as 0.01 mm, hence we want to make the machine ourselves. As volumes grow, we may have to outsource," explains Sudeep. Perhaps most impressive is how these entrepreneurs maintain their founding vision while adapting to market realities. Prakash Mundhra's Sacred Moments began as a puja kit business but evolved into a corporate gifting company. "I concentrate only in the B2B market and search for a gap where I can provide better packaging or better service," he explains. This flexibility allowed him to build a ₹4.5 crore company while staying true to his original mission of making religious practices more accessible. The founders' future visions often extend beyond their current success. Dosamatic aims to create a home version of their machine: "In 5 years' time, our dream is that every house which has a microwave oven should have a dosa machine!" InOpen plans to apply their critical thinking approach to science education by acquiring and refining a syllabus from the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education. Magicrete intends to take the company public in 2-3 years. These ambitious visions provide direction and motivation as the companies continue to grow.

Chapter 7: Life Lessons Beyond Business

Beyond balance sheets and business models, the journey of campus entrepreneurship imparts profound life lessons that shape these young founders as individuals. One of the most significant transformations occurs in their communication skills and self-confidence. Prabhkiran Singh, who began as an introvert, found that running his lassi business forced him to interact with customers daily. "After selling lassi, I have become besharam. There is no situation in life that can make me uncomfortable," he reflects with a smile. This newfound confidence enables these entrepreneurs to stand their ground when facing skepticism from family, friends, and potential investors. When Apurva Joshi decided to specialize in forensic accounting, many warned her the field was too risky for a young woman. Similarly, when Eshwar and Sudeep pitched their dosa machine to potential investors, they were often met with disbelief: "Yeh? Yeh ladki kya kar sakti hai? (What can this girl do?)" Yet they persevered, driven by deep conviction in their vision. The value of practical knowledge over theoretical education emerges as another crucial insight. "Don't run behind degrees," advises Apurva. "If you clear your CA in the first attempt after doing a 'dummy' articleship, what is its market value? Zero. So go after practical knowledge." Rupesh Shah, who struggled academically, discovered that his self-taught programming skills and passion for open-source software were far more valuable than formal credentials. These journeys also teach profound lessons about human relationships. The breakdown of Innovese Technologies' founding team illustrates the critical importance of clear agreements and communication between co-founders. "We learnt a lesson about how important 'a team' is and what serious and dangerous hassles you can have even if one member quits," Ankit reflects. Conversely, the enduring partnership between Eshwar and Sudeep demonstrates how complementary skills and shared vision can overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. Many founders discover the delicate balance between ambition and personal well-being. Sourabh Bansal of Magicrete shares his father's wisdom: "There are 6 spokes of life – finance, family, society, physical, emotional and spiritual health. You have to consciously maintain a balance." Despite building a ₹150 crore company, Sourabh makes time for his young family, including newborn twin babies. Perhaps most importantly, these entrepreneurs develop resilience and perspective that serves them throughout life. Rupesh Shah, who experienced multiple failures before creating InOpen Technologies, reflects: "I failed many times and faced many challenges. I am no superman but I just managed to stick with my goals. My failures taught me one thing – that I don't have anything to lose from this point but only gain." The campus entrepreneurship journey ultimately transforms these young people from students into leaders capable of navigating uncertainty, inspiring others, and creating value. As Eshwar puts it, "Running a startup is a marathon, running a product company is a double marathon. You need to have a LOT of patience." Yet this marathon teaches them to see possibilities where others see problems, to build resilience in the face of setbacks, and to find fulfillment in creating something meaningful. These life lessons extend far beyond business success, shaping how they approach every aspect of their lives.

Summary

The stories of these campus entrepreneurs illuminate a powerful truth: the traditional trajectory from college to corporate career is not the only path to success and fulfillment. By daring to start while still in college, these young trailblazers gained invaluable real-world experience that no classroom could provide. They learned to identify genuine problems, build solutions, assemble teams, overcome failures, and scale their ventures—all while their peers were focused solely on grades and placements. Their journeys offer invaluable inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs: start early, embrace failure as education, focus on solving real problems, build strong teams, maintain financial discipline, and never lose sight of your vision even as you adapt to market realities. As Prabhkiran Singh wisely notes, "When you start early, you do not have contacts, you don't have money – it's tough! At every point of time, you will have to prove yourself. But the plus point is that you have more liberty and you can experiment more." This spirit of experimentation, resilience, and purpose-driven action represents the essence of entrepreneurship—a mindset that continues to transform individuals, industries, and ultimately, the economic landscape of India itself.

About Author

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Rashmi Bansal

Rashmi Bansal is a writer, entrepreneur and youth expert.She is the author of two bestselling books on entrepreneurship. ‘Stay Hungry Stay Foolish’ features the stories of 25 MBAs who left lucrative jobs to follow the rough road of entrepreneurship. The book created a new record in Indian publishing by selling over 300,000 copies and has been translated into 8 languages. Rashmi’s second book, ‘Connect the Dots’ focuses on non-MBA entrepreneurs. It has also been a bestseller, selling over 100,000 copies.Her third book ‘I Have a Dream’, on social entrepreneurs, is releasing in May 2011.Rashmi is co-founder and editor of JAM (Just Another Magazine), India’s leading youth magazine. She writes extensively on youth, careers and entrepreneurship on her popular blog: Youth Curry.Rashmi is a columnist on popular Indian news portal Rediff.com. She has been Consulting Editor with Businessworld magazine and Bloomberg UTV, where she hosted India’s first interactive show on careers.Rashmi is a consultant for international youth research agencies such as The Futures Company (a division of WPP, London ) and Flamingo Research (Singapore ).A guest lecturer at various business schools of repute including IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, ISB, S P Jain among others, Rashmi mentors numerous students and young entrepreneurs. She also conducts motivational talks and youth insight seminars for corporates.

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