Being a Chancellor of Reva University, I look forward to building strong tie-ups with reputable organizations to provide impeccable opportunities to my students. With the same vision, earlier this month, on an invite from Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director of Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) to sign an MOU with a reputed non-profit institution, I went to Gujarat. REVA University collaborated with EDII to set up an upcoming School of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprises (SOEAFE) at our University that will be a step closer towards building a fervor of entrepreneurship among today’s youth who enter the temple of learning at REVA.

During my eventful trip, I interacted with the postgraduate students of EDII and shared about my splendid journey as an entrepreneur with ups and downs along the way. Deriving motivation from my late wife who wanted to educate the society, I ventured into the world of Education. My wife has been my greatest inspiration in life. One of her wishes to was to build an educational institution. Starting my journey from the scratch, I learned the A to Z of education to provide a distinctive education to the student community. With a strong belief in ‘Learning to Learn’, I found the process of learning enjoyable all through these years.

While addressing a challenging question from one of the young minds about the mobilization of funds to begin the legacy of REVA, I replied that, throughout my journey from being a contractor to a developer, I faced a lot of obstacles and hurdles in Business and finally I settled down as a successful entrepreneur. I decided to venture into education to fulfill my wife’s dream and thus became an educational entrepreneur (edupreneuer).

Drawing similarities between the fields of construction and education, I told the PG students that, although it was not an easy move from construction to education, both have the objective of building right from the scaffold to the pinnacle. However, education calls for a lot of investment. Keeping funding as my priority and channelizing the financial support from the previous business, I spearheaded to education. To date, I continue to fund the education vertical from the business vertical and will have to continue up to a certain point.

Facing obstacles in life makes us stronger. Similarly, challenges and hardships have also been a part and parcel of my life as an entrepreneur. I strongly believe in three key principles of life – Ownership, Commitment, and Involvement. I not only practice these important principles but also preach them to all. I believe we are answerable to our own conscience and self. Challenges and problems come only to those who dare enough to think differently. I always believe in being unique and enjoy taking up challenges and facing them gracefully.

There are three types of management on which people work – the first category is the cohort who take up management as business; the second category is the cohort who combine business and service; and the third category is the cohort who consider business as service. Finding myself in the third category, I want to give back to the society which has recognized me as an Entrepreneur and Edupreneur. My vision is to uplift the society by creating responsible and accountable young citizens who would involve themselves in building our nation.

Best Wishes,

Dr. P. Shyama Raju

Chancellor, REVA University