Shantanu Naidu is an Indian engineer, entrepreneur, social activist and business executive, and the founder of The Goodfellows, On Your Sparks and Motopaws. He is known for his close relationship with former Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata.
Wiki/Biography
Shantanu Vyankatesh Naidu was born in 1993 in Pune, Maharashtra, India (31 years old; as of 2024). He grew up in Pune and completed his education there. From May 2009 to May 2010, he worked as an engineering intern at Tata Technologies. In 2010, he enrolled in Savitribai Phule Pune University (formerly known as the University of Pune) to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering; he graduated with honors in 2014. After graduation, Shantanu began preparing for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT); he took the exam in January 2016 and scored 760. From 2016 to 2018, he studied for a Master of Business Administration in Business Administration and General Management at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University in New York, USA. There, he received the Hemet Entrepreneurship Award and won the Johnson Leadership Case Competition.
Shantanu Naidu pictured after winning Johnson Leadership Case Competition
He was later named Johnson’s social media ambassador. While in college, he founded and served as president of the Cornell Motorcycle Association. He has also written extensively for the Cornell Business Journal. He has since been named president of the Johnson Pet Society. While in college, he served as Vice President of the Finance Department of the South Asian Business Association. In 2018, Ratan Tata attended his graduation ceremony at Cornell University.
Ratan Tata and Shantanu Naidu at Cornell University Commencement
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′10″
Hair color: black
Eye color: dark brown
family
Shantanu Naidu was born in Maharashtra to a Telugu-speaking family.
Parents and siblings
His father Vyankatesh Naidu worked as an engineer in the Tata Group.
wife
Shantanu Naidu is unmarried.
Relationships/Affairs
Shantanu Naidu dated a girl named Mihira in 2015 and worked with him at Motopaws.
Profession
Shantanu Naidu joined Tata Elxsi in September 2014 as a Design Engineer in Pune, Maharashtra, India; he worked there until July 2016. In 2015, he founded Motopaws, a Pune-based company that makes neon collars for dogs. In an interview, Shantanu revealed that he started the company out of sympathy for stray dogs, which often die after being run over by cars at night. So, to save dogs at night, Shantanu designed a glow-in-the-dark collar for stray dogs. Talking about this, he said,
While working the night shift at Tata Elxsi, I was often shocked to see street dogs killed by speeding vehicles at night. So I came up with the idea of creating a special collar that glows in the dark so people from afar can see if the dog is crossing the street or on the road. “
In addition to making collars for dogs, the NGO also works to raise awareness about animal rights and their safety. As of 2023, Motopaws has operations in more than twenty cities in four countries.
Shantanu Naidu (third from right) takes a photo with Motopaws volunteers
After founding Motopaws, Shantanu found it difficult to maintain the business because he had no money. So, in 2015, he wrote a letter to Ratan Tata on his father’s advice. Two months later, Ratan responded to his email, saying he was impressed by Shantanu’s approach and inviting him to meet Ratan. In his book, when talking about his first meeting with Ratan, he said:
I stared at the door of Mr. Tata’s cabin. After a while, someone came in and poured him coffee. As the door slowly closed, I caught a glimpse of him eating a cookie in slow motion. I found myself wondering what kind of biscuits Ratan Tata had to eat. Will they be very different from the ones my mom bought me? After a while he came out to pick us up and we showed him the Motopaws journey. He kept repeating how innovative he thought the idea was. Unable to accept compliments, we continue to smile shyly, with the occasional ‘oh, come on, you’ chuckle. “
In June 2017, Shantanu started working as a business strategy intern at Tata Trusts. In July 2018, he transferred to Mumbai and started working as a deputy managing director at Tata Trusts, while also serving as an advisor to Ratan Tata on business affairs. According to Shantanu, after he returned to India from the United States, Ratan Tata personally offered him a job at Tata Trusts. In May 2020, he founded On Your Sparks, which aims to provide young people with tips and techniques for starting a business. In December 2020, he joined HarperCollins Publishers India in Mumbai and started working as a freelance writer. In May 2022, Shantanu joined the Tata Group RNT office as general manager. In September 2022, he founded The Goodfellows organization, which aims to provide companionship to the elderly and help them fight loneliness. The organization has volunteers from all walks of life.
Shantanu Naidu stands next to a Goodfellows volunteer assigned to an elderly couple
On January 18, 2023, he founded the Advanced Veterinary Care Foundation and serves as its director.
car collection
Shantanu Naidu owns a Tata Nano.
Shantanu Naidu standing next to his Tata Nano
He purchased a Tata Safari in November 2023.
Shantanu Naidu stands next to his Tata Safari
tattoo
Shantanu Naidu has a tattoo dedicated to his dog Winter on his left arm.
Shantanu Naidu left arm tattoo photos
Facts/Trivia
- Shantanu Naidu also serves as social media advisor to Ratan Tata. He taught Ratan how to use emojis, hashtags, etc. to keep up with social media trends.
- Shantanu affectionately calls Ratan the “Millennial Dumbledore,” while Ratan calls Shantanu his “Millennial Friend.”
Shantanu Naidu pictured with Ratan Tata
- In January 2021, Shantanu wrote a book titled “I Came to the Lighthouse: A Brief Memoir of Life with Ratan Tata.”
Photo of Shantanu Naidu holding book
- Shantanu is a fifth-generation employee of the Tata Group. His great-grandfather worked for Tata Power. His grandfather worked for Tata Electric. His father worked for Tata Motors. His cousin works in Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
- Shantanu Naidu is multilingual and fluent in Hindi, English, Telugu and Marathi.
- Shantanu Naidu has been invited to participate in many talk shows including TEDx to deliver motivational speeches.
Photos of Shantanu Naidu during her TEDx talk
- In December 2021, a video went viral on social media in which Shantanu was seen celebrating Ratan Tata’s 84th birthday.
Video clip of Shantanu Naidu celebrating birthday with Ratan Tata
- After Ratan’s death on October 10, 2024, he wrote an emotional post on his social media account while recalling his close relationship with Ratan.
Shantanu’s Instagram post
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education