Saleel Pulekar

Baba... His greatgrandfather was a saint ; his grandfather was one of the most success ful businessmen of his taluka; his father was a bhajan singer and a harmonium player... and Baba, thats how we (my two brothers and me) address him, our father, has been an inspiration for me in several ways, and am sure for my brothers too. Born and brought up in Murud Janj ira a taluka in Raigad district, now famous as a tourist attraction, he fought in the Hindu-Muslim riots when in school and topped the entire ta luka in Matriculation (now SSC, earlier it was 11th std). Scored 97/100 in Maths. Mr. Dattatraya Balkrishna Pulekar wanted to be a mathematician. But the village kid didnt even know that somethin g like IIT e xists. He had to take up an early job to help clear the debt and losses his father had incurred. H e worked himself and sponsored the higher education of his two younger brothers and a sister. He wanted to get into politics and devot e his life for spirituality. But finally ende...

A crorepati who lives in a hut! His story is an inspiration for millions. A self-made entrepreneur, his mission is to help the poor through job creation. My inspiration: My mother, who sold idlis and worked as an ayah in aanganwadis to educate me . (-: My dream: To buy a house and car for my mother. :-) My source of energy: The hut where I still live!!! E Sarathababu hit the headlines after he rejected several high profile job offers from various MNCs after he passed out of IIM, Ahmedabad two years ago. He instead started a catering business of his own, inspired by his mother who once sold idlis on the pavements of Chennai, worked as an ayah in an Anganvadi to educate him and his siblings. As a child, he also sold idlis in the slum where he lived. "We talk about India shining and India growing, but we should ensure that people do not die of hunger. We can be a developed country but we should not leave the poor people behind. I am worried for them because I know what hung...