Although he is still a B.Tech student of Thapar University, Patiala, Kavya Garg (19) is already a successful entrepreneur running a business enterprise poised to cross a sales turnover of Rs.60 lakh by the end of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. After passing his class XII examination from Faridabad’s Ryan International School, Garg was admitted into the computer science and engineering faculty of Thapar University (estb. 1956). Thus began his entrepreneurial journey. Last year (2007) he won a business plan competition at the university, following which with the help and support of classmate Randeep Singh Rana, he promoted a proprietary firm Acrospire Technologies with the objective of “inspiring productivity through efficient software applications”. With the support of family members in India and abroad, the young entrepreneur was able to raise venture capital of Rs.15 lakh, which he used to develop a software program with a common platform for multiple accounting solutions. “The basic data required for all accounting purposes including filing tax returns is common for all applications. Our software programme accumulates and stores data that can be used for multiple applications with minor modifications,” says Garg whose firm now employs four personnel in addition to student interns in two offices in Faridabad and Panchkula. By December, Garg hopes to have three software packages ready to market. Looking back, Garg attributes his entrepreneurial bent of mind to the strong foundational education he received at the Ryan International School, Faridabad. “My teachers constantly encouraged me and the school provided numerous opportunities to enter IT contests in India and abroad and appointed me webmaster of the school’s website. In senior school, I was appointed president of the school’s Knowledge Commission and also represented India at a seminar in Pakistan. This wide exposure was very inspirational and taught me to think big,” he recalls with gratitude. Committed and mission-driven, Garg ensures that Acrospire Technologies’ employees work in small focused teams which also include student interns. “I have learned from my experience that employees have to be passionate about their work and able to cope with great expectations and competition. The job of entrepreneurs is to inspire them to walk the extra mile in the organisational interest,” says Garg displaying a maturity far beyond his years. Autar Nehru (Delhi)
