About Me

I am the founder and CEO of Appetals Solutions, a Mumbai, India-based company that works with startups and enterprise customers to gain a competitive edge in the new digital world. We help our clients build a high-performance enterprise using proven strategies and modern technologies to automate people, processes, and environments.

I also write Founders Handbook and blog posts about tech careers and business building.

In my free time, I offer workshops, training, and mentoring to startups and SME business owners on Zero to One Crore, Idea to IPO Strategies, and Launch Your Tech Career.

Previously, I led the technology-driven business growth as CEO and Head of Digital Services at Zee Entertainment Enterprises and CIO of Sony Music. My articles on business and technology have been published in leading publications, including MIS Asia, PC Quest, Data Quest, and many more. I was featured in CNBC Young Turk for launching world’s first 3G Live TV Service inside the car.

Appetals Solutions Private Limited

I took over the reigns of Appetals as a Director and CEO from my wife in 2012, with the aim of building cutting-edge web and mobile products for the client with ethics, speed, and boldness of entrepreneurship.
Our team at Appetals find their motivation in helping our clients build a successful business, deliver an enriching customer experience, and thrive for operational efficiencies.

Appetals launched InternDesk to help students find internships to enhance their employability through field experience during their studies. The platform connects students, colleges, and companies together for internship opportunities, short-term projects, and job placements.

Warrantyist is our web and mobile product to help people manage warranties, maintenance, and expiry of gadgets, electronics, AMCS, software licenses, and documents.

Early Life

During my 18-year stint with 5 leading companies, I was lucky to work on some pathbreaking products and implementations. I developed a transhipment tracking system for Patel Roadways, significantly reducing delivery time. As a former CIO of Sony Music,  I conceived and developed a demand forecasting system that significantly decreased the cost of goods inventory. I was conferred the “IT Implementation of the Year” award by PC Quest Magazine. I was also instrumental in the implementation of the Digital Assets Management System, digital strategy development, and the global building of online properties for Sony Music.

As a former Head of Digital Services at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, I implemented Asia’s largest Digital Assets Management System to digitize, tag, archive, and syndicate multimedia content. I also oversaw the technology development, implementation, and strategic management of Essel Group’s mobile VAS foray to tap the emerging opportunities of interactivity and content delivery on the mobile platform.

I spearheaded the setting up of Digital Media Convergence Limited for Zee to leverage digital convergence opportunities and laid the foundation for the Group’s foray into video portals, mobile TV, content aggregation, and market-leading digital initiatives.

In 2010, I co-founded my first startup with Verismo Networks, USA, to distribute video streaming and on-demand video entertainment to the Indian diaspora globally over the internet directly to their homes using the OTT platform. I successfully exited the company, selling my stake to Verismo Networks Inc.

In 2011, I co-founded AvaniTV with Mr. Prakash Bhalerao, a serial entrepreneur and a leading Venture Capitalist based in the Bay Area, USA. AvaniTV was the first 3G network-based live TV and on-demand service for in-car entertainment. Within five months, we launched the concept and acquired over 10,000 high-value customers.

Fame, Awards, and Keynotes

I was featured on CNBC TV’s “Young Turks” for launching AvaniTV Solutions. You can watch the video here.

I have written and published hundreds of articles on business and technology in leading global publications, such as MIS Asia, Data Quest, PC Quest, and others.

I have been a keynote speaker and panelist at leading conferences globally and am regularly invited to speak and panel at several domestic and international conferences on entrepreneurship, business technology, media, and mobile.

I was featured in many of my first-of-its-kind, pathbreaking works in leading national and international publications.

Projects

MockRabbit

MockRabbit is the world’s first intelligent interview practice app using the power of NLP/AI/ML. Modern software developers interested in Android, iOS, .NET, Web Development, and Computer Science can practice confidently cracking their coding interviews using the app.

InternDesk

InternDesk is for India’s young minds to connect with the workplaces to gain experiences and inspiration. As interns, students should get the opportunity to become the professionals they’ve always wanted to be. We aim to host them to internships and fresher job opportunities to help them follow their dreams.

AvaniTV

Through AvaniTV, I aimed to revolutionise on-the-go entertainment by combining live TV, movies on demand, YouTube, and Internet Radios into a single service offering that delivers an entertainment-class experience in the car. We are the first company to deliver interruption-free access to quality entertainment wherever customers go.

Digital Asset Management

I was fortunate to be part of the team at Sony Music that built the world’s first digital asset management system. Subsequently, I managed the world’s most extensive media asset library digitisation at Zee Entertainment in partnership with IBM.