Shrikant Bolla was born with a visual impairment, and he faced several challenges in life. After not being able to secure admission at IITs, he aimed for USA’s MIT, and achieved success. In 2012, he launched Bollant Industries and today, the turnover of the company is in crores.
New Delhi: Shrikant Bolla, originally a resident of Andhra Pradesh, is the founder of a package solution manufacturing company called Bollant Industries. Despite being visually impaired since birth, his visions for making his business reach to the heights of success are incredible. The business tycoon Ratan Tata is one of the investors of Shrikant Bolla’s establishment.
Shrikant Bolla’s background
Shrikant Bolla was born on 7 July 1992 in Sitarampuram, Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh. His father, Damodar Rao earned a monthly income of Rs 1600, and his mother, Vektamma was a homemaker. After his birth, the relatives advised to parents to give him up for adoption. Shrikant Bolla’s parents did not treat him differently and raised him in a comfortable and loving environment at home.
Shrikant Bolla’s education
Shrikant Bolla received his early education from a village school that was located five kilometres away from his house. The world consists of both good and bad people, and Shrikant went through his fair share of bad experiences. When he was isolated by his fellow students at the local school, his parents got him admitted in a school in Hyderabad. Fortunately, Shrikant could forge good connections there and that reflected in his studies. He cleared class 10 exams with 90 percent marks after which he got an opportunity to join the Lead India Project of the then President APJ Abdul Kalam.
Shrikant wanted to pursue science subjects for his senior secondary education, but he was denied the opportunity on the grounds that the subjects were offered to blind students. He did not stop there and fought for what was right. After much persuasion, he was allowed to join the science stream and he outshone everyone by scoring impressive 98 percent marks in class 12.
Higher education
After completing class 12, Shrikant Bolla began his preparation for securing admission at IIT. The coaching centres posed a challenge for him as not a single one of them give him a place in their institutions. Distressed by the situation, Shrikant dreamed bigger and prepared for USA’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He made the impossible happen and successfully secured admission at MIT.
The beginnings
Shrikant Bolla received many offers from top USA companies, but he chose to return back to India. He wanted to work for the betterment of his community and established Bollant Industries in the year 2012 for the same cause.
Business investment from Ratan Tata
During the initial phase of the launch of the business, Shrikant struggled to raise funds for his company. His hard work was recognized by Ratan Tata who invested in his business. By 2018, the turnover of the company was Rs 150 crore. Almost 50 percent of the employees belong to the differently abled category.
In the year 2017, Shrikant Bolla was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. He has also received several entrepreneurial wards.
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