Mumbai man whose parents sold gold for his US education now funds 8 IIT schools

Rahul Mehta left Mumbai for the United States at age 17, after his parents sold their gold and silver to finance his education abroad. He went on to build and exit four companies entirely without venture capital funding. By 2006, Mehta felt he had accumulated enough wealth and shifted his focus toward philanthropy. Through the Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta Family Foundation, he has since funded schools and academic programmes across eight IITs covering biotechnology, AI, data science, and sustainability. The initiative aims to produce 12,000 graduates by 2031, reflecting his belief that time and talent are as valuable as financial resources.