From Source Code to Social Impact: Jairaj Bhattacharya’s Journey in Education Innovation

Jairaj Bhattacharya is the founder and CEO of Edtech Startup ConveGenius. A member of the founding batch of the Young India Fellowship, he is the first Ashoka alumnus to be a Founder of the University. He had also previously supported two Young India Fellows through need-based scholarships.

Jairaj Bhattacharya is on a journey to redefine how the next generation learns. Born and raised in Hyderabad, Jairaj says he felt free to explore only when he secured admission to the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad. He chose to make the most of it.

In the second year of his electronics and communications engineering course, he joined the robotics club and spent most of his time creating innovative software. It was during a business plan competition in college, that Jairaj demonstrated his software, Source Code. He was immediately approached by investors. But he was focused on studies and so, decided to sell his software to those investors. That was a game-changer.

Jairaj decided to create something that would be innovative and could solve ‘real problems.’ He quit his job in Singapore and joined the Young India Fellowship’s (YIF) first cohort in 2010.

“YIF Curriculum enables one to think on every single aspect in life. You can apply what you’re taught in Ashoka to whatever you’re doing in life. It provides you with the skills important to be a leader and change maker.“

It was at Ashoka that he learnt to absorb, appreciate, and respect different perspectives. Studying sociology, art, and history, helped Jairaj expand his thinking. Ashoka and the YIF proved to be catalysts in his journey as an entrepreneur. While at Ashoka, he started working on the idea of ConveGenius, a technologically driven educational enterprise aimed at providing education to children in the country. During the day, Jairaj was focused on his curriculum. In the evenings, he spent time with his peers and professors. That year, Jairaj built relationships that would last a lifetime. Founders at Ashoka became the first angel investors at ConveGenius.

ConveGenius, currently in 13 Indian states with 35 million users, witnessed exponential growth during the pandemic. Skill development, employability, and access to opportunity are the next areas he wishes to address. This is part of his vision of “marrying a problem statement which could create social impact, with the use of technology.” Jairaj believes his journey in Ashoka prepared him to be a leader and set an example for others. Today, Ashoka is more than an alma mater. It is a family he has been part of, as a student and now as the first Founder from the alumni community. He hopes to be part of this institution for many years to come.