Rejected By IIT, The Blind CEO Who Built A 50 Cr Company

“I lack eyesight,but not vision. An entrepreneur life's a roller-coaster and one needs self-belief.” -Srikanth Bolla 

Born visually challenged to a farming family in the rural part of Machilipatnam, the success story of Srikanth Bolla will be an epitome of inspiration for generations to come. Born in 1992, this Industrialist went on to become the first international blind student at MIT, where he studied business management. Post-MIT, Bolla chose to return to India where he set up Bollant Industries in Hyderabad, a company that employs and trains differently-abled individuals to manufacture eco-friendly and compostable packaging. The company is funded by Mr Ratan Tata and has an annual turnover of more than 100 crores with 4 manufacturing plants located in  Hyderabad, Telangana and Karnataka.

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Bolla’s Early life and Education - Against all odds!

Coming from an illiterate and economically backward family, the path of getting a formal education and blend into the norms of society was filled with despair and descrimination for him. His struggles began at a very early stage when his teachers had little faith in him and would invariably make him sit on the last row.

When he was born neighbors and relatives had advised his parents to leave him in an orphanage, owing to his visual impairment. He wanted to pursue science in his 12th year after matriculation, but he was not allowed to. Bolla filed a complaint, and after a six-month wait, he was granted permission to pursue science on his own terms. Bolla received a 98 percent on his XII board exams, placing him first in his class. Just like any science student, he too wanted to pursue engineering from premier engineering institutes of this country. Being denied admission to coaching institutes for Indian Institute of Technology did not stop him from pursuing his dream and he went on to become the first international blind student at MIT.

Establishing Bollant Industries

In 2011, Bolla co-founded Samanvai Center for Children with Multiple Disabilities, where he started a Braille printing press, providing educational, vocational, financial, and rehabilitation services to students with multiple disabilities so that they can live an economically independent and self-sustaining life. 

With backing from Ratan Tata, Bolla founded Bollant Industries in 2012, which makes Areca-based products and employs several hundred people with disabilities. Bollant produces eco-friendly disposable products and packaging solutions for manufacturers out of the natural leaf and recycled paper, addressing a variety of issues including employment, economics, and the environment. Bollant has grown at a rate of 20% per month on average since its establishment, with a turnover of 150 crore in 2018.

• Srikanth is the director of Surge Impact Foundation, founded in September 2016. The organisation aims to enable individuals & institutions in India to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

In April 2017, Bolla was named by Forbes magazine in its list of 30 under 30 across all of Asia, one of only three Indians in that list.

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Srikanth Bolla’s Biopic - Coming Soon…

Tushar Hiranandani, who made the biopic Sandh Ki Ankh starring Bhumi Pednekar and Taapsee Pannu, is all set to make another one. This time, it is on Srikanth Bolla, the Indian industrialist and founder of the Bollant Industries. From being a blind who was denied admission everywhere to being a blind who built an empire of millions, Srikanth Bolla story will surely instill a deal of inspiration among the youth today.

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