He is renowned for his command over the entire corpus of wisdom literature from all times - ancient till modern, and all places - East to West. In India, he is revered specifically for his scholarship on Vedanta philosophy. His work on 17 Gita Adhyays and 60 Upanishads bear testimony to his authority, as do his 160 books on philosophy, spirituality, and all aspects of life, including many national bestsellers. He champions awareness on Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss - PETA awarded him the "Most Influential Vegan of India" in 2022. Entrepreneur India seeks to find out more about the man and his mystique.
On being asked how despite his IIT-IIM background he veered towards spirituality, Acharya denies having a standout significant moment that nudged him. Instead, he has always been a keen observer ever since he was a child. What he observed behind the niceties of life was ignorance, discord, and sufferings that plague normal human life.
"As a kid, all these sights were being registered and questioned by me. The ugliness was being disliked. There was a constant urge to change the shape of things," he says.
THE DAWN
The early years were significant for young Prashant. He was quite the reader, played a lot, was also known to have plenty of mischief, and this while being an introvert. Being good at studies seemed like a natural ability - he topped the ICSE exams and was also an NTSE scholar. What distinguished his childhood was his proclivity to read books of all types beyond his syllabus.
"Reading wasn't confined to one particular genre. I was hungry and sucked in whatever came my way. From comics to somebody's PhD thesis, even if I couldn't make much of it," he recalls.
Acharya feels that this is what made him mentally branch out erratically in all directions with no particular plan or pattern. He thinks that this aided him to grow organically, without a blueprint.
This story is from the MAY 2024 edition of Entrepreneur magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the MAY 2024 edition of Entrepreneur magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How To Ask Family For Money
Your friends-and-family fundraising round doesn't have to be scary and awkward. Here's advice from one of the world's leading investors.
Data Breach Drama: When Trust Turns Costly In A Digital Age
Amid data breaches surges, Indian businesses are prone to financial and reputational fallout. Can cyber insurance emerge as a safeguard?
THE TERRAIN TAMER
Spearheading a California-based, Series D SaaS company is no easy feat. It requires a blend of ownership, innovation, and the ability to handle stress. But Anand Jain, co-founder and chief product officer of Clever Tap, finds his calm by escaping to rough terrain whenever he gets the chance-be it India or Colombia.
THE INTELLIGENT READS
Hardika Shah founded Kinara Capital in 2011 with the mission to address the acute credit gap in the micro-small-medium-enterprises (MSME) sector in India, by providing fast and flexible business capital to small business entrepreneurs. Despite operating in highly competitive and tough market of collateral free loans, Kinara Capital has been steadily growing in Hardika's leadership. In conversation with Entrepreneur, Hardika shares insights on her favourite books.
THE CURSE OF GROWING TOO FAST
FAIRE is a platform for small businesses, but it grew big the wrong way-almost becoming a $12 billion wreck. Here's how it fixed the problem, and why you should think twice before skyrocketing.
There's No Perfect Answer
I worked the same job for 19 years. I hated it, but it paid the bills. Then, in 2017, I entertained an exciting but terrifying question: Could I be an entrepreneur? I wasn't sure, so I needed something that felt like a guarantee. I searched for signs that would feel like a big, clear \"yes!\"
Give Yourself the Gift of Time
Happy holidays! Emmy Award-winning tech expert Mario Armstrong has five recs to get more hours in the day.
How to Become a Main Street Millionaire
It started when I bought one little laundromat. Now I have a whole portfolio of small local businesses that bring in tens of millions in revenue a year. Here's why following my playbook could be your ticket to financial freedom-and saving America's local small businesses.
Want to Better Serve Your Clients? Become Them.
As a designer for brands, starting my own product company gave me a dose of humility-and it changed the way I relate to clients.
How to Succeed With Gen Z Workers
People often say that younger employees are different. But are they? We asked six business leaders what they've learned, and how their teams thrive.
