Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Entrepreneur, Politician

Indian Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Quick Info

ProfessionEntrepreneur, Politician
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth31/05/1964
Age61 years
BirthplaceAhmedabad, Gujarat, India

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Bio/Wiki

Full NameRajeev Chandrasekhar Menon

Physical Stats & More

Height5' 10" (178 cm)
Eye ColourLight Brown
Hair ColourSalt and Pepper

Educational Qualification(s)

Degrees
  • Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology
  • Master's degree in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology
  • Corporate Financial Management Program from Harvard University
  • Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from Visvesvaraya Technology University

Personal Life

ReligionHinduism
CasteNair
AddressTC 23/1081/63, 14A, SFS Retreat, Opp Golf Course, Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram -695003

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
Marriage Date1991

Family

Wife/SpouseAnju Chandrasekhar
Children
  • Ved Chandrasekhar
  • Devika Chandrasekhar
Parents
FatherM. K. Chandrasekhar (deceased)
MotherAnandavalli Chandrasekhar
Other Relative
Father-in-lawT. P. G. Nambiar (deceased)

Career

Political PartyBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Political Journey
  • Joined politics in 2005
  • Elected as an independent Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament representing Karnataka from 2006 to 2018
  • Joined BJP in 2018 and appointed as national spokesperson
  • Appointed as Minister of State for various ministries in 2021
  • Ran unsuccessfully as the BJP candidate from the Trivandrum constituency in 2024
  • Started professional career with Intel, California in 1985
  • Founded BPL Mobile in 1994, one of India's earliest and largest mobile cellular networks
  • Sold 64% stake in BPL Communications to Essar Group for USD 1.1 billion in July 2005
  • Founded Jupiter Capital in 2005 with initial investment of USD 100 million
  • Re-elected as independent Rajya Sabha Member in 2012 with cross-party support
  • Appointed as Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti in July 2021
  • Served as Minister until June 2024
Entrepreneurial Ventures
  • BPL Mobile (1994-2005): Built India's then largest cellular network, first to simultaneously deliver technology to Mumbai, Kerala, Puducherry, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra
  • Jupiter Capital (2005-2014): Private equity investor with investments and managed assets exceeding USD 800 million in technology, media, hospitality, and entertainment sectors
Notable Contributions
  • Significant contributor to creation of independent regulator TRAI and New Telecom Policy NTP'99
  • Remained uninvolved in telecom sector scams and corruption
  • Conceived and executed 'Aasare' public-private initiative with Government of Karnataka in 2009 to rebuild homes and villages affected by floods, roping over 50 corporates to build 80,000 houses
  • Vice Chairman, Center for Economic Studies at Vivekananda International Foundation (2019-present)
  • Advocate for governance reforms, Internet freedom, national security, and Armed Forces welfare
  • Champion of urban governance, economic reforms, and veteran issues

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Born to Malayali Nair parents in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
2. His father was an Air Commodore in the Indian Air Force.
3. He started his professional career with Intel, California in 1985.
4. Founded India's first mobile network company, Loop Mobile India Ltd, in 1994.
5. Founded an investment firm, Jupiter Capital, in 2005.
6. Served as the youngest president of FICCI from 2008 to 2009.
7. He is actively involved in various non-profit organizations.
8. Recognized as one of the leading political minds in Tech, Innovation and Governance policy making including Data privacy and AI.
9. Has over three decades of experience in technology sector.
10. Exited BPL Mobile in 2006 when he saw the advent of Raja Raj in the telecom sector.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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