India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and it comes as no surprise that it is home to a business that have been consistently included in the Top 500 Fastest Growing Companies in Asia over the past 3 years.
The founder of this IT business is 28-year-old Divyank Turakhia of Bombay, who began Internet consulting at the ripe old age of 14. Borrowing $600 from his parents, Divyank set up his own company Directi in 1998, tuning into the Internet marketing gold rush, whereby they supplied the IT tools for those wanting to make money by setting up their own online businesses.
By the time Mr. Turakhia was 18, Directi already had a net worth of $1 million, as they were hosting clients for some of the biggest players in the Indian market. Today, Directi is estimated to be worth upwards of $300 million.
It is obvious from his rapid rise from talented adolescent to CEO of one of India’s fastest growing companies that Divyank is special. He became interested in computers at a very young age and gathered an astonishing degree of technical expertise by the time he was 13, allowing him to earn money by completing his classmate’s computer projects and always obtaining A grades for them.
Whilst the other kids in his class were outside enjoying the sun and sporting activities, Divyank would spend every waking hour with his head buried in computer books. His dedication paid dividends and also provided some staggering achievements, the highlight being his creation of the ultimate business simulation game.
The object of the game was to start from scratch, create a successful business and get 100% of the market share, something that would ironically mirror his entrepreneurial career. His expertise in IT was unheard of in someone so young, and he was soon doing freelance consultancy work for the large Indian corporate companies. Now an experienced serial entrepreneur, Directi has expanded to such an extent that the business was relocated to a new and modern $45 million facility in 2008, housing some really amazing amenities including on sight movie and games rooms that his 500 employees can enjoy.
Written by Henry Colburn
