Our People
A powerhouse team backs Chiratae's industry expertise and years of experience.
Vinutha Venkataraman
Head - Human Resources
Ratan Tata
Advisor
A powerhouse team backs Chiratae's industry expertise and years of experience.
Vinutha Venkataraman
Head - Human Resources
Ratan Tata
Advisor
Founder & Chairman
Sudhir Sethi is Founder and Chairman of Chiratae Ventures, one of India's leading venture and growth capital firms. Chiratae manages $1.3B in assets across seven funds and has made over 135 investments, resulting in 60 exits — including 18 M&A transactions and 5 IPOs (FirstCry, Lenskart, Newgen, PolicyBazaar and Yatra) — and has backed 8 unicorns to date.
Chiratae has invested over $1B in technology businesses and returned over $1B, with over $300M deployed across 60+ DeepTech companies in AI, Climate, Healthcare, Medical Devices, Robotics, SpaceTech and Agile Manufacturing — including Agnikul, Aether Biomedical, Cavli, Miko, Pixis and TakeMe2Space. The firm has also backed leaders of India's digital economy including Flipkart, FirstCry, Lenskart, Myntra, Newgen and PolicyBazaar, alongside emerging names like AgroStar, Curefoods, Cult.fit, Fibe and Redcliffe.
Mr. Sethi has over 30 years of technology and investment leadership experience, and has served in advisory roles with EMPEA, IVCA, NASSCOM, Ascent Capital, IIM Bangalore's Entrepreneurship Centre, SEBI's AIF Committee and Jagdish Sheth School of Management, Bengaluru. He runs the "Chiratae Visionary Series," a thought-leadership platform whose guests have included the late Mr. Ratan Tata, Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Mr. Uday Kotak, Mr. John Chambers and Mr. Manish Choksi. He is a trustee of the Sethi Foundation, a philanthropy in health, education and micro-entrepreneurship. He holds an engineering degree in Electronics and Telecommunications and an MBA from the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.
Founder & Vice Chairman
"Every marathon is not just a challenge but an experience in endurance, patience and commitment."
TC Meenakshisundaram (fondly known as TCM) is the Founder and Vice Chairman of Chiratae Ventures, with over 38 years of industry experience including 18+ years in venture investing. He serves on the boards of Lenskart, AgroStar, Vayana, Kristal.ai, Metadome, Bounce, HUVIAiR and Pando, among others.
His investments include Agrostar, Cloudcherry (exited), CreditMantri, e-Shakti, Fintellix (exited), Lenskart, PolicyBazaar, Vayana Network and Zivame (exited). Prior to Chiratae, TCM held leadership roles across Walden International, Venture Infotek and Wipro. He is a marathoner and an ardent Formula 1 fan, and is active in chess and philanthropy.
Managing Director
Venkatesh leads Chiratae's SaaS and Cloud investing practice and authored the firm's "Indian SaaS Revolution" report. He has led investments in Deepfence, GetVantage, Healthplix, Hevo Data, Pixis, Questt, Rentomojo, SquadCast and SquadStack.
Prior to Chiratae, he worked across venture capital and investment banking at Reliance Ventures, Credit Suisse, Adventity and Blue Star Infotech. He is a CFA charterholder, holds an engineering degree from VJTI Mumbai and an MMS from JBIMS.
Managing Director
"Learn to enjoy the open roads, this journey is long and far."
Ranjith focuses on HealthTech and early-stage online B2B investing, and has been investing since 2007 — including Myntra, Fintellix, Sourcebits and AasaanJobs. His current board seats include Uniphore, Redcliffe, Expand My Business and Mili.
He serves on the Investment Committee of C-CAMP's Leap Fund, and previously worked as an aircraft engine designer at Pratt & Whitney and Airbus. He holds a mechanical engineering degree from Bangalore University and an MBA from Great Lakes Institute of Management. Outside work he enjoys Royal Enfield riding and playing guitar.
Principal - Investments
"Find purpose. The means will follow."
Anoop leads Chiratae's ConsumerTech sector coverage and its APAC investor network. He previously founded the IIM Indore Alumni Angel fund and worked with Accenture Ventures. His investments include PlayShifu, Shopdeck, Tamasha, Railofy, Artium Academy and Oye Rickshaw.
He holds a B.E. in Computer Science (Madras) and a PGDM from IIM Indore.
Principal - Growth & Exit
"Donate Blood during Life, Donate Eyes after Life."
Amish leads Portfolio Growth & Exits at Chiratae and heads the firm's Spotlight platform. He previously worked in investment banking at McKinsey, YES Bank and PwC.
He holds a degree in Management from Narsee Monjee and an MBA from IIM Indore, and is active with an NGO focused on eye and blood donation.
VP - Investments
"Do the right thing, always."
Mandeep leads Seed and Series A deals at Chiratae. He previously worked at Ola (Business Finance and Ola Financial Services), IFC Washington DC, Brightriver Capital and SBI Capital Markets.
He holds a degree in Metallurgical Engineering from PEC Chandigarh, an MBA from FMS Delhi, has studied at Chicago Booth, and is a CFA charterholder.
VP - Investments
"Embrace challenges, evolve & create meaningful impact."
Saharsh leads investing in Northern India across Seed to Series B. He previously worked at Orios Venture Partners and Ola/Rivigo, and founded a health-tech startup that was later acquired.
Outside work he enjoys reading, football and indie music.
AVP - Investments
Chandraneel evaluates early-stage investments at Chiratae. He previously worked as an Associate at JP Morgan on North American Healthcare M&A.
He holds a B.E. (Hons.) in Electrical & Electronics from BITS Pilani and is a CFA Level 3 candidate. Outside work he enjoys badminton and cricket.
Senior Associate
"Hard work can beat talent if talent does not work hard."
Yash focuses on Seed to Series B investments across B2B and Healthcare. He previously worked at Alkemi Growth Capital, PwC India and ZS Associates.
He holds an MBA from ISB Hyderabad, a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from VNIT Nagpur, and is a CFA charterholder. Outside work he enjoys table tennis, badminton and dancing.
Analyst
"Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up."
Aman focuses on early-stage SaaS, AI and DeepTech investments. He previously worked as a management consultant at YCP Auctus.
He holds a BTech and MTech in Energy Science & Engineering (with a minor in Industrial Engineering & Operations Research) from IIT Bombay, and is a CFA Level 3 candidate.
Analyst - Investments
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
Kinshuk focuses on early-stage FinTech investments. He previously worked in Zamp's Founder's Office and in commercial diligence at Bain.
He holds a BA (Hons.) in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce.
Analyst
"The path to discovery is rarely straight — it's the willingness to keep moving that shapes the journey."
Shailja covers early-stage opportunities across sectors. She previously worked at W Health Ventures and D.E. Shaw.
She holds a BA (Hons.) from Lady Shri Ram College, and is a trained Kathak dancer and classical singer.
Analyst
"The only thing riskier than trying is not trying."
Samarth covers early-stage opportunities across sectors. He previously worked with Antler India and Titan Capital (evaluating 15+ investments) and in Strategy at Accenture.
He holds a B.Tech in Production & Industrial Engineering from IIT Roorkee. Outside work he enjoys cricket, badminton and pickleball.
Chief Financial Officer
Swaminathan leads Finance, Compliance and ESG at Chiratae, bringing 12+ years of experience including a role as VP-Finance at Sequoia Capital. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary.
Sr. Vice President - Capital Raising (India)
"Believe in yourself and give it your best shot."
Ritu leads investor relations and India fundraising distribution at Chiratae. She previously worked at Stockal and as a private banker at Axis, RBS-Coutts, Sanctum Wealth and HDFC.
She holds a postgraduate qualification from IISWBM Kolkata, and enjoys photography, gardening and spending time with her pets.
General Counsel
"Whatever you do, do it well — not for anyone else, but for yourself."
Amritha heads the legal team at Chiratae, bringing 16+ years of experience including nearly a decade as a law firm partner. She is a gold medalist with a B.A. LL.B. from University Law College, Bengaluru.
Outside work she enjoys trekking, travel and reading.
Head - Portfolio Finance and Governance
"Desire is the secret of one's career — it is desire which builds resilience and delivers success."
Abhishek joined Chiratae in 2018 and previously worked at Sequoia Capital India, Goldman Sachs and Citi Hedge Fund Services.
He is a Chartered Accountant, holds a B.Com (Hons.) from Banaras Hindu University, and is a CFA Level III candidate. He is an auto enthusiast.
VP - Administration & Facilities
"Give your best at all times, and success will follow."
Raghu has spent 16+ years at Chiratae and 35+ years in his career overall, having previously worked at CYIENT, Nagarjuna Fertilizers and SOL Pharmaceuticals.
He holds a Master's in Commerce, a Bachelor's in Law, and an MBA (HR) from IGNOU.
Vice President - Finance
Vikram is Finance Controller at Chiratae, overseeing fund accounting, investor reporting and statutory compliance. He previously worked at KPMG India across private equity funds, real estate and manufacturing, spanning Ind AS, IGAAP, US GAAP and IFC frameworks.
He is a Chartered Accountant with a B.Com from Kuvempu University, and enjoys cricket.
Senior Manager - Marketing
Tanvi leads brand and marketing strategy at Chiratae. She previously worked at Sigma Ventures and YourStory.
She holds a graduate and postgraduate degree from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University.
Senior Manager - Legal
"A person who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."
Vineetha previously worked at Samvad Partners and Poovayya & Co., Bangalore. She holds a B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from Christ University School of Law.
Outside work she enjoys cooking, gardening, home décor and travel.
Principal Officer - GIFT City
"Discipline, dedication and hard work."
Vaibhav runs Chiratae's GIFT City office, covering investor onboarding, reporting and compliance. He previously worked at DSP Global Services (Mauritius) and DSP Fund Managers (GIFT City).
He is a semi-qualified Company Secretary, holds a Master's in Commerce, is an IIM Lucknow Executive Alumnus, and holds an FSI Mauritius diploma in Financial Crime Compliance.
Product Lead
"Change is the only constant in life. So embrace it."
Shalini works on digital transformation and product at Chiratae, with 6 years of multi-startup experience. She holds a degree in Computer Science from CMR Institute of Technology, Bangalore.
Outside work she enjoys painting, cooking, and NGO work — and is a devoted dog lover.
Senior Analyst - Growth and Exits
"Nurture the soul, and the body will follow."
Yukti supports growth-stage fundraising, M&A and IPO readiness at Chiratae. She previously worked at TresVista.
She is a CFA and FRM charterholder, and holds a BBA (Finance) from Christ University, Bengaluru. Outside work she enjoys badminton, table tennis and dancing.
Assistant Manager - Fund Accounting
"Sometimes life surprises you with a happy coincidence!"
Jeevanadam previously worked at PwC and BDO, auditing private equity funds across Delaware, Cayman and Luxembourg. He holds a B.Com (Hons.) from CMR University and is an ACCA finalist.
Outside work he enjoys movies and culinary hobbies.
Senior Manager (Lead - ESG & Impact)
"Believe in yourself or no one else will."
Pavan leads ESG and Impact strategy and reporting at Chiratae. He previously worked at EY and Caspian Impact Investments.
He holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology and an MBA in Environmental Management from IIFM Bhopal. He is a keen cricket and football fan (RCB, Leicester City).
Investor Relations
"Every setback is a setup for a comeback."
Ankita is part of Chiratae's Fundraising and Investor Relations team. She holds a B.Com from Sophia College, Ajmer, and an MBA from Central University of Rajasthan, and spent ~4 years in BFSI at Sharekhan before joining Chiratae.
She enjoys travel.
Compliance Officer
"The mark of a life well-lived isn't in what we accumulate, but in what we contribute."
Parth handles GIFT City fund compliance and investor onboarding at Chiratae. He previously worked at Khandhar Mehta & Shah Chartered Accountants and the Multi Commodity Exchange of India.
He is a Chartered Accountant with a B.Com and M.Com from Gujarat University.
Advisor
Kris Gopalakrishnan is Chairman of Axilor Ventures and a co-founder of Infosys, where he served as Vice Chairman (2011–14) and CEO & MD (2007–11). He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2011.
He is Chairman of the Board of Governors of IIIT Bangalore, and holds a Master's in Physics and Computer Science from IIT Madras.
Advisor
Bruno Raschle is Founder, Managing Director and Non-Executive Vice Chairman of Schroder Adveq, which he founded in 1997. He previously founded MC Partners at Motor Columbus, and was General Manager of the Fastening Division at SFS Stadler Group (1994–97).
He has financed 12+ start-ups including Ballard Power Systems, is a Harvard Advanced Management Program alumnus, and holds an M.S. in Construction Engineering from ETH Zurich and an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Stanford.
Advisor
Manish Choksi is Vice Chairman and a Board member of Asian Paints Limited, which he joined in 1992. He is also an active angel investor.
He formerly chaired INDUS (the SAP user network), and has held advisory board roles with IBM and SAP APAC/SUGEN.
Advisor
Ashok Desai is Chief Business Officer and Founder of Zymr Inc. He has built $100M+ businesses at Oracle and Silicon Graphics (12+ years, leading South Asia expansion), as well as at Sasken and Symphony Teleca.
He holds an Executive MBA from Stanford and an M.S. in Physics from MS University Baroda.
Advisor
Dr Andreas Hettich chairs the Advisory Board of Hettich Group, a €1.1B-revenue furniture fittings manufacturer, and is Managing Partner of Dr. Hettich Beteiligungen GmbH (EWIKON, Halemeier, "das Forscherhaus").
He holds advisory and supervisory roles at Jowat, Peter Lacke, FSB and Georg Nordmann Holding.
Advisor — Japan
Ken Shibusawa is Founder of Shibusawa and Company (2001), Commons Asset Management (2008) and &Capital Inc. (2023, an Africa-focused impact fund). He previously worked at JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Moore Capital (as Tokyo Managing Director).
He co-chairs the Keizai Doyukai Global South Africa Committee, advises the University of Tokyo President's Office, and hosts the podcast "Made With Japan." He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas (1983) and an MBA from UCLA (1987).
Advisor — USA
Pat McGovern III is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and consultant, and Chair of the Board of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, which advances AI and data science for a more equitable and sustainable future. He has spent 25+ years supporting emerging technology.
Advisor — Singapore
Puneet Pushkarna is a General Partner at Solmark, and previously served as President of Headstrong and co-founded TechSpan (Goldman Sachs-backed). He was part of the early HCL America / HCL Technologies team.
He chairs the Core Committee of RIE2025 at Singapore's National Research Foundation, is Chairman Emeritus of TiE Singapore, and serves on the Board of Governors of IIM Nagpur and the Industry Advisory Board of SP Jain School of Management. He is a Catalyst at SMART (Singapore-MIT), and is active with the IFA, SIFAS and South Asian Heart Society.
Advisor — India
Dr Ferzaan Engineer is Co-founder and Chairman of Cytecare Hospitals, and Co-founder and Joint Chairman of Medwell Ventures (Nightingales home healthcare). He serves on the boards of Sun Pharma Advanced Research Co. (SPARC) and Cytespace Research, and as an Observer on the board of AUM Biosciences (Singapore).
He was Chairman and CEO of Quintiles India (1997–2010), holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of South Carolina, and enjoys travel, jazz and art.