Naveen Tewari’s success story is one that has been repeated across India over the last decade as the country’s technology industry has surged.
Tewari’s story begins in 1999 when he co-founded a small company with a handful of employees building websites. That company, called Info Edge, now employs more than 10,000 people and operates more than 20 different businesses; it is valued at about $2bn.
During the internet gold rush of the late 1990s, Info Edge diligently built its web development business but never lost sight of emerging opportunities to build mobile applications. It was a prescient move: today mobile applications account for 70 percent of the company’s revenues.
“I just knew this was going to be big,” Naveen Tewari said recently in an interview with The New York Times. “I didn’t know when, I didn’t know how, but I knew it was going to happen.”
Naveen Tewari also has served on the board of Infosys
Naveen Tewari also has served on the board of Infosys, one of India’s largest technology outsourcing companies, and has been chairman of Centum Learning India, a private-sector vocational training provider. He is currently on the board of Indian conglomerate Aditya Birla Group and its flagship company Idea Cellular Ltd. “Naveen is one of the few Indians who truly understands the potential and potential of India,” said Gautam Thackeray, managing director and CEO of Idea Cellular. “He is a great leader, very accessible, really helpful, and has a lot of contacts at all levels.”
Tewari also has served as director for numerous companies in a range of industries including healthcare, education, retailing, and telecommunications. He has also been chairman of several institutions including Nasscom (the Indian software industry association) and Infosys Foundation.
In May 2014 Time magazine named Tewari one of its 100 Most Influential People in the World. In July 2014 he was named Indian of the Year by The Economic Times and CNBC.
Background of Naveen Tewari
Naveen Tewari was born in Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh, India; his father was an officer in the Indian Administrative Service. Tewari graduated from high school with top marks and attended IIT Bombay, where he specialized in Computer Science with a minor in Physics. He then went to the US for his Master’s degree and received a degree from Carnegie Mellon University, before earning another Master’s degree from Stanford University.
After Stanford Tewari focused on his entrepreneurial ambitions designing web-based tools for companies as diverse as Dell and Disney, including Webvan (his first company). Tewari left Webvan in 2000 after its spectacular failure. In 2001 he founded Info Edge, and today the company has grown to become one of the largest web development companies in India.
Naveen Tewari is married to Anita Avasarala and has two children, Sahana and Rohan
Tewari holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in Computer Science with a minor in Physics, a Master of Science from Carnegie Mellon University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Stanford University, and a Master of Science degree (2001) from the International Institute for Information Technology Management (IIITM), Bangalore, India. Tewari was included in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2014.
Tewari is also a recipient of the Young Alumni Achiever Award from Stanford University (2014), and the Business Person of the Year Award from CNBC TV18.
Naveen Tewari was born in Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh, India; his father was an officer in the Indian Administrative Service. Tewari graduated from high school with top marks and attended IIT Bombay, where he specialized in Computer Science with a minor in Physics. He then went to the US for his Master’s degree and received a degree from Carnegie Mellon University, before earning another Master’s degree from Stanford University.
After Stanford Tewari focused on his entrepreneurial ambitions designing web-based tools for companies as diverse as Dell and Disney, including Webvan (his first company). Tewari left Webvan in 2000 after its spectacular failure. In 2001 he founded Info Edge, and today the company has grown to become one of the largest web development companies in India.
The Economic Times: Tewari is a ‘Force of Nature, October 12, 2014
Note: Interview with the Economic Times accompanied by photos, in which the author refers to Dr. Tewari as “a force of nature” and “a legendary networker.” The profile also includes a link to an informative biography from the Stanford Alumni Association (SAB) that describes Dr. Tewari’s entrepreneurial activities and the honors received for his business successes. Stanford Alumni Biography titled “Naveen Tewari,” prepared by SAB, October 2014. Biography from LinkedIn.com. Time Magazine, 100 Most Influential People in the World, 2014: Time Magazine Biography of Dr. Tewari with photo and link to the original article, “The Future of Business,” by Michael Schuman (Time), which includes a brief biography and an assessment of Dr. Tewari’s management style that is similar to the assessments by other media sources described below.
Business Today: “The Man Behind The Next Big Thing,” October 2014: Brief profile in which Tewari is referred to as a visionary and a force of nature who has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to anticipate change and capitalize on it early in his career. The Economic Times: “100 Young Indians to Watch,” September 2014: Profile including photos and link to the original article, “100 Young Indians to Watch,” by Sandeep Goyal.
Business Standard: “Meet India’s Youngest Billionaires,” June 5, 2010: Profiles of the top ten billionaires in India under the age of 40, including Naveen Tewari. By Quentin Coldwater.
Linkedin Top 10 Movers and Shakers in 2013 (India), by LinkedIn.com, 2013: Biography prepared by LinkedIn.com that describes Dr. Tewari’s career, accomplishments, and honors received for his business successes.