Srikanth Bolla is a blind CEO from India who founded Bollant Industries, which employs differently-abled people. He was born visually impaired and faced discrimination trying to get an education, but was admitted to MIT. After graduating, he returned to India to start Bollant Industries manufacturing recycled paper products. The company has experienced rapid growth, with a turnover of 150 crore rupees in 2018. Srikanth also founded the Surge Impact Foundation and has received several awards for his work empowering the differently-abled.
2. ▪ Srikanth is the first international blind
student in Brain and Cognitive Science and
Business.
▪ He was born visually impaired in
Seetharamapuram of Machillipatnam,
Andhra Pradesh in 1992.
3. ▪ Neighbours in the village suggested his
parents to smother him as according to them
this pain was better than the life time pain.
▪ His parents decided to upbring him with all
the love, affection and care. When he started
going to school, various schools didn’t allow
him because of being disabled child.
4. ▪ Luckily his parents found a school for
differently-abled children. He got a chance to
learn and grow and this is what he needed.
▪ He was studious child and used to be among
toppers always.
▪ Once again difficulties were waiting for him
at the doorstep of his college life.
5. ▪ He was not getting admission in any school as
they were concerned how srikanth was going
to handle all of it.
▪ Srikanth decided to fight against it and filed a
case against the government and he got a go
ahead to choose his stream for higher
studies.
6. ▪ He was willing to study further and hence
decided to apply to the colleges abroad. He
got admission in one of the prestigious
colleges, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT).
▪ The college wanted him to be part of it. They
proudly recognized him as the first-ever
international blind student.
7. ▪ He completed his graduation in 2012, and
now he wanted to do something for people
like him.
▪ He came back to India and started his venture
named “Bollant Industries”. His idea was to
give employment to differently-abled people.
8. ▪ He gave hope to many people out there who
had missed so much in the life.
▪ His company of manufacturing Areca based
products, producing eco-friendly recycled
Kraft Paper from municipal waste or soiled
paper.
9. ▪ Bollant Industries has
shown exceptional
growth averaging 20% a
month since inception
and a turnover of ₹ 150 cr
in 2018.
▪ 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.
10. ▪ Srikanth is the director of Surge Impact
Foundation, founded in September 2016.
This organization aims to achieve the
Sustainable development goals by 2030.
▪ He was a youth leader since 2005 and went
onto become a member of Lead India 2020:
The Second National Youth Movement.
11. ▪ He has received many awards, Youth
Excellence Award by Telugu Fine Arts
Society, Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015 and
2016.
▪ He inspires others by his story who want to
accomplish something, because nothing can
hold you back if you are determined to
succeed.
