For many engineering students, getting a job at Google is a dream. MBA from IIM Lucknow is another important factor. A career at McKinsey & Company often culminates in what many would call a wonderful journey.But for Rohit Chennamaneni, these victories were not the last.Instead of wasting his career climbing the corporate ladder, the VIT Vellore graduate jumped into entrepreneurship with three friends. He started with a small office, lots of chairs and only 11 employees. Today, this startup – Darwinbox – is valued at over Rs 9,500 crore, making it Hyderabad’s first unicorn and one of the largest global HR technology companies in India.Her journey provides an important lesson for students: academic success can open doors, but courage is often what changes lives.
VIT graduates who have excelled in academics
Rohit Chennamaneni completed his B.Tech from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, where he was not known only by students.He graduated as a University Second Ranker, but his accomplishments continued beyond school. He worked as Publicity Lead for Riviera, VIT’s flagship music festival, organized international technical talks and represented the university in tennis, then became the Vice-Captain of the university tennis team and won the inter-college championship.His former classmates often describe him as someone who was never seen in textbooks, but was always among the best academically as he participated in sports, quizzes, school leadership and counseling.Those qualities would later become the foundation of his business journey.
From Google to IIM Lucknow and McKinsey
While pursuing engineering, Rohit worked as a Search Quality Analyst at Google, earning an opportunity at one of the world’s leading companies.After graduation, he joined the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, where he completed his MBA and secured a place on the Merit List.His corporate career continued to grow.He received an internship from Procter & Gamble after studying in Singapore before joining McKinsey & Company, one of the world’s leading management consulting firms.Over the next several years, he worked with large organizations, solving complex business problems and building relationships in industries.From the outside, it seemed like a good career path.
The decision that changed everything
In 2015, Rohit made a decision that surprised many.Along with friends Jayant Paleti, Chaitanya Peddi and Vineet, he quit his high-paying job to create a startup.The odds were not good.The market for corporate HR software was once dominated by global giants such as SAP and Oracle. Gaining the trust of big business as a young startup in India seemed impossible.The founders started their journey from a small house that they say had one bed, four chairs and a crew of only 11 people.Instead of competing for growth, they focused on solving the real problems that thousands of labor management organizations face.
Building Hyderabad’s first unicorn
The result was Darwinbox, a cloud-based AI platform for Human Resource Management System (HRMS).The company gradually began to attract large enterprises by providing modern, innovative HR solutions that support recruitment, payroll, employee engagement and performance management.His early experience at firms such as McKinsey and EY also helped him understand business clients and build valuable business relationships.Over time, Darwinbox expanded rapidly in India and international markets.Today, the company serves several major institutions, including HDFC Bank, YES BANK, Kotak Life, BigBasket, TVS, National Stock Exchange (NSE), Vedantu and OYO, among many others.The startup has become Hyderabad’s first unicorn, and its valuation is expected to exceed Rs 9,500 crore.
An entrepreneur who believes in taking calculated risks
People who studied and worked with Rohit often described him as a person who remained calm under pressure, liked to solve difficult problems and encouraged those around him.His former classmates remember his ability to combine analytical thinking with creative skills, while his peers praised his mentoring and collaborative leadership skills.These qualities became very important when building a company in one of the most competitive companies in the world.Instead of avoiding the uncertainty, Rohit accepted it.
What students can learn from Rohit’s journey
Rohit Chennamaneni’s story reminds students that success is rarely defined by a single exam, degree or job.Excellent academic performance helped him get offers at Google, IIM Lucknow and McKinsey. However, his willingness to quit a good job and pursue a challenging business dream eventually changed his journey.For engineering students and managers planning their own careers, his essay offers several lessons:• Build a strong educational foundation, but don’t just stay in school.• Participation in sports, leadership and school organizations.• Learn from any workplace before thinking about business.• Don’t be afraid to compete with global giants if you have a good solution.• Sometimes, the greatest opportunity is to go beyond the safest way to work.Today, Darwinbox is one of the world’s largest HR technology news in India – proof that a small, determined team can challenge industry leaders and create something amazing.Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information, professional profiles, company announcements, interviews and other publicly available sources. Company valuations, operating information and business conditions may change over time. This article is for informational and motivational purposes only.