How VITians Built Multi-Crore Businesses And How the Campus Nurtures Big Ideas

At the recent Weekend Leader Awards held at VIT Chennai in association with VIT Business School, Dr G V Selvam, Vice President, VIT called on students to rethink their future beyond job placements. “Don’t be job seekers. Be job creators,” he said, sharing stories of VITians who used their education and campus experiences to launch successful companies.
At VIT, there is a unique scheme designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs. If a student comes up with an idea, the institution offers Rs 3 lakh to help them develop it. Dr Selvam recalled three particularly interesting cases.

The first one was a team that came up with an idea to make shampoo for people using hard water. They said, "Sir, there are many shampoos, but nothing to work well with hard water.

“We supported the idea. They joined our incubator and connected with many companies. Today, their turnover is Rs. 120 crore. They don’t own a factory. Everything is outsourced. Knowledge is their asset.”

Another student from Hyderabad joined VIT, got a job in an IT company, and was earning well. “But after three years, he quit and met me. He said, ‘Sir, I started an event management company.’ He was active in cultural events at VIT and discovered his passion there. Now, he is doing extremely well.”

Dr. Selvam recounted another case from the 2010 batch. A student from a doctor’s family did not take up any job after graduation. His family was worried. He sat idle at home while his friends worked abroad.

“After three years, he started a drone manufacturing company. Today, top companies approach him for orders. He had that fire in him, and he waited for the right time,” Dr. Selvam remarked.


“The dabbawalas of Mumbai were startups long before we coined the word,” Dr Selvam remarked, drawing parallels between traditional business models and modern entrepreneurial ventures like Swiggy and Zomato. “What makes a startup successful is not size, but the power of an idea and the fire to see it through.”

Dr Selvam noted on how innovation isn’t new to India. “The dabbawalas of Mumbai were startups long before we coined the word,” he remarked, drawing a link between traditional business models and today’s tech-enabled ventures like Swiggy and Zomato.

This reflection set the stage for him to highlight the awardees, whose entrepreneurial journeys also stemmed from identifying everyday problems and building impactful solutions.


Dr Selvam recounted the story of Senthil Sankar, Managing Partner of Shree Renga Polymers, who built Ecoline, a Rs 100 crore venture, by recycling used PET bottles. Senthil, a VIT alumnus, received The Weekend Leader – VIT Person of the Award.

“He didn’t just take over his father’s business—he transformed it,” said Dr Selvam. “This is what I call Individual Social Responsibility. Senthil has recycled over 1.65 lakh tonnes of plastic waste. That’s service to the nation.”

Highlighting the journey of Deepika and Thiyagarajan, co-founders of Putchi Maternity Solutions, Dr Selvam noted how a personal need evolved into a pioneering business.


“They started with just Rs 60,000 and today they are running a Rs 5 crore fashion label catering to expectant mothers. That’s the power of solving a real-world problem,” he said.

He also praised Ramya and Shweta, co-founders of RNR Donne Biryani, for spotting an opportunity in one of India’s most loved cuisines. “People say education, health, and food are evergreen sectors. Biryani alone is a Rs 10,000 crore industry in Tamil Nadu,” Dr Selvam pointed out.

“They began as a cloud kitchen and now run a successful restaurant business with a turnover of Rs 8 crore. They have made biryani not just a food but a brand.”


Dr Selvam appreciated Anand Baradwaj, Co-founder of Sweet Karam Coffee, for their focus on traditional snacks. “He has taken traditional Indian snacks to the UK and USA. I remember once in Chennai, I went all around the city in my car, but couldn’t find a proper place to buy kozhukattai.” Today, thanks to such entrepreneurs, you can get these traditional snacks anywhere.

Through these stories, Dr Selvam reminded students that entrepreneurship is not only for those with resources but also for those with courage and clarity. “We often read all successful stories. You should know the failure stories also. Then only we can grow up. Every failure will become a step to success,” he said.

He closed with words meant to linger in the minds of future innovators: “Once a VITian, always a VITian. I used to end with H and H - Hard work and Honesty. Always be honest and do hard work.” - TWL Bureau