Srikanth Bolla, a renowned Indian business leader and founder of Bollant Industries, joins Shark Tank India as its newest judge. In this show, entrepreneurs from across the country present their businesses in front of the 'sharks' that comprise a panel of investors. The entrepreneurs' goal is to persuade the 'sharks' to invest in their innovative business ideas.
Bolla shared this news through his social media handles. He also posted several photographs of the programme set on his Instagram handle with a caption, ''To survive a pool of sharks, you need to become one yourself. So yes, I got an opportunity to become a shark on Shark Tank India''.
"I will just say one thing to all my fellow citizens: Don't just think your idea, act on it, or someone else will! Thank you for having me, Shark Tank India - This is just the beginning!" he added.
Srikanth Bolla's educational qualifications
Srikanth Bolla was born on 7 July 1991 to a Telugu family in Seetharamapuram, Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. He was visually impaired from birth. Despite being visually challenged and having fewer academic facilities, he excelled in his career.
He began his academic journey at Devnar School for the Blind from 1998 to 2007, where he completed his class 10th. He studied Telugu, English, Hindi, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies during his time at the school. He completed his class 10th with 90 per cent marks. After completing his 10th standard, he attended Royal Junior College from 2007 to pursue his higher secondary education (class 12) in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
According to media reports, he was an active member of the Andhra Pradesh State Blind Cricket Team. He reportedly competed in multiple zonal, state and national level chess and cricket tournaments, and won several awards.
After completing his schooling, he moved on to the MIT Sloan School of Management, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he pursued degrees in Business Management from 2009 to 2014. At MIT, he also volunteered in community service and participated in Archery and Baseball.
He was also featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list. He established Bollant Industries in 2012, a Hyderabad-based company that manufactures environmentally friendly disposable paper and packaging products. Today, the company boasts an annual revenue exceeding $150 million and employs over 500 people.