Sarika Gupta Bhattacharyya — Co-Founder

I build institutions and ecosystems at the intersection of technology, philanthropy, education, and gender equity, working across sectors to turn long-term vision into lasting impact. Over the last 25 years, I’ve navigated roles across investment banking, social entrepreneurship, and institution-building, guided by a simple belief: real change happens when strategy, capital, and community align with courage. I am part of the founding leadership at Plaksha University, where I have helped shape the Office of Advancement with a focus on financial sustainability, long-term partnerships, and building a strong philanthropic community for one of India’s most ambitious technology universities. Along the way, I’ve supported initiatives that reimagine what a modern university can be and helped mobilise over ₹1,500 crore in collective philanthropy. Some of the work I’m most proud of includes contributing to the launch of the School of AI and the Institute for Inventing the Future, shaping centres of excellence across areas such as clean energy and health, and co-founding the DS Brar Centre for Girls and Women in STEM (GWiST). Before Plaksha, I built BeyonDiversity, which grew into a global movement focused on inclusive leadership and systems change. Today, I advise initiatives that bring together academia, industry, founders, and funders to build future-ready institutions and leadership pipelines, particularly in emerging technologies and the change it can unlock. I’m also the author of Bridge the Gap (to be published in 2026), a book that explores how structural barriers shape aspiration, access, and opportunity, and what it truly takes to close those gaps at scale.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in Education and Social Impact sectors with a focus on philanthropy and inclusion.

Location: Gurugram, Haryana, India

Experience: 25 yrs 7 mos

Skills

Entrepreneurship
Strategic Planning
Philanthropy
Partnerships
Mentorship
Governance
Leadership
Inclusion

Career Highlights

Mobilized over ₹1,500 crore in philanthropy.
Founded a global movement for inclusive leadership.
Shaped initiatives for women in STEM.

Work Experience

DS Brar Center for GWiST

Founding Convenor (2 yrs 2 mos)

Lumis Partners

Advisory Board Member (1 yr 10 mos)

Plaksha University

Founding Leader, Global Advancement (6 yrs 2 mos)

BeyonDiversity

Founder (13 yrs 5 mos)

IIFL Wealth

Vice President (1 yr 9 mos)

Merrill Lynch

Vice President (9 yrs 1 mo)

Education

MBA at Management Development Institute, Gurgaon

BSc at St. Xavier's College

Sarika Gupta Bhattacharyya

Co-Founder

Gurugram, Haryana, India25 yrs 7 mos experience

Highly Stable

Key Highlights

Mobilized over ₹1,500 crore in philanthropy.
Founded a global movement for inclusive leadership.
Shaped initiatives for women in STEM.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in Education and Social Impact sectors with a focus on philanthropy and inclusion.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

EntrepreneurshipStrategic PlanningPhilanthropyPartnershipsMentorshipGovernanceLeadershipInclusion

Other Skills

ManagementBusiness DevelopmentLeadership DevelopmentCapital PlanningStrategyCulture ChangeBoard of DirectorsTeam ManagementInvestment Banking

About

Experience

Ds brar center for gwist

Founding Convenor

Jan 2024 – Present · 2 yrs 2 mos · Hybrid

I conceptualised and now lead the DS Brar Centre for Girls & Women in STEM to address the deeper, often invisible gaps that limit women’s participation and leadership in science and technology. The centre is built as a long-term platform, bringing together education, research, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and industry engagement to create pathways that are sustained, not symbolic.
My role spans shaping the centre’s vision, partnerships, and governance, while anchoring initiatives that support women at different stages of their journey in STEM. This work reflects my broader belief that real progress comes not from isolated programs, but from building institutions that change who gets access, voice, and opportunity over time.

Lumis partners

Advisory Board Member

Nov 2022 – Sep 2024 · 1 yr 10 mos · India

Plaksha university

Founding Leader, Global Advancement

Jan 2020 – Present · 6 yrs 2 mos · India

As a founding architect of Plaksha University’s Office of Advancement, I have played a central role in shaping the institution’s long-term strategy, financial sustainability, and global partnerships. My work sits at the intersection of philanthropy, partnerships, governance, and institutional design.
I led the creation and scale-up of one of India’s largest collective giving movements in higher education, mobilising over USD 170 million (INR 1,500+ crore) from 100+ global philanthropists, foundations, and corporations to help build a world-class technology university from the ground up.
My role spans major donor and board relationships, strategic partnerships, and long-term capital planning, with a focus on aligning funding, academic priorities, and research agendas to the university’s mission. I serve on the University Strategy Committee, contributing to decisions on institutional growth, academic direction, and flagship initiatives across education, research, and innovation.

EntrepreneurshipStrategic PlanningManagementBusiness DevelopmentLeadership Development

Beyondiversity

Founder

Jul 2011 – Dec 2024 · 13 yrs 5 mos · India

I founded BeyonDiversity to explore how inclusion, leadership, and systems truly intersect, beyond policies and checklists. What began as a small, intentional effort grew into a global platform working with organisations to rethink leadership, culture, and opportunity through a more human and systemic lens.
Over more than a decade, we partnered with over 100 organisations across geographies and built mentoring and leadership programs that supported more than 10,000 women leaders. The work combined research, dialogue, and practice, helping organisations move from intent to sustained change.
BeyonDiversity shaped my belief that inclusion is not a standalone initiative, but a long-term systems challenge. The insights from this journey continue to inform how I approach institution-building, governance, and leadership today.

EntrepreneurshipManagementStrategyLeadership