Dhaanish Bits & Bites

This 19-year-old kid had more clarity on his life than most people in their 30s 🤯 I was blown away.

So, a few weeks ago, Dakshin S P Lakshman came to visit me at my house in Chennai, India. Three of our mutual friends had told him that he should meet me - and vice versa! We spent two hours walking and talking.

At some point, he told me: “I’m starting my bachelor’s in Germany soon.” I said, “Oh cool! Which university?” “University of Europe for Applied Sciences.” “Oh…”

Internally, I thought, “Well, I’ve never ever heard of that university. Why didn’t he apply for an MIT or Stanford? He’s clearly qualified!” Outwardly, I asked him, “Why this university?”

Then he walked me through his incredible reasoning:

• University of Europe for Applied Sciences has no exams. They evaluate only based on projects and prototypes built.
• Campus is literally housed within a coworking space full of active startups.
• There’s an SAP Innovation Lab right next door.
• There’s a Tesla Gigafactory nearby.
• Potsdam (the city where it’s at) has one of the highest per capita millionaires in Germany.
• Oh, also, he got a 50% scholarship!

Dakshin wasn’t just going there to get a degree. He knew he wanted to build a digital marketing agency and chose a degree, university, and location that was best suited for that. (He’s already built 3 startups!)

I realized I was STILL stuck in the "higher ranking = better life" trap. He wasn’t.

The "best" university isn't the one that looks best on paper. It's the one that puts you in the exact room where YOUR opportunities live.

I addressed the students at E-21 in Indian Institute of Technology, Madras! I haven’t addressed people or given a talk for a while now as I have been really tied up. It’s been more than 6 months. This is my first talk in a long time and this year :)

This is proclaimed as India’s biggest school entrepreneurship program, the students come from all over India. Seeing so many students ranging from grade 6 to 12 is truly a surprise. I really hope that this event added some value to their journey going forward!

Building a Global Brand

Here’s a short, student-focused motivational gist

At just 16 years old, she stands as the Founder & Chief Baking Officer of Four Seasons Pastry, redefining what age, ambition, and entrepreneurship truly mean. Chosen to present at the prestigious E-21 Entrepreneurship Summit at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, her journey is a testament to passion backed by perseverance.

Her code word — “Building a Global Brand” — is not merely a phrase, but a vision in action. With courage to dream beyond boundaries and discipline to execute with excellence, she inspires young minds to believe that innovation has no age limit and global impact can begin from a single bold idea.

Refresh yourself with a cup of coffee or tea at your convenience.

Coffee chains abound these days. But do they always have to be from a brick-and-mortar establishment? (A brick-and-mortar establishment is a traditional business that operates from a building or store, not just online.) If you just want the drink, does it matter?

The other side of this is about entrepreneurial spirit and imagination. The ultra determined mobile barista making that special coffee for you. Check out how he produces your morning drink. It’s really a work to be respected!

An electric walking bike that replaces pedals with a treadmill. Walk forward, power the bike, and let technology do the rest.

AI, Tech & Education

Train your mind to see good in everything. Positivity is a choice. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

This captures something many leaders underestimate. Two people can face the same pressure, the same workload, the same challenge, and experience it completely differently. The difference is not the situation. It is the lens they use to interpret it.

Mindset is not about ignoring reality or pretending problems do not exist. It is about choosing how you respond to them. A mind trained to look for growth sees lessons where others see failure. A mind stuck in negativity sees threats where others see opportunity. Over time, these patterns shape confidence, energy, and leadership presence.

As leaders, our thinking habits matter more than we realize. Teams pick up on tone, reactions, and emotional cues. When leaders lead with clarity and grounded optimism, teams feel safer, more creative, and more engaged.

Positivity does not mean constant happiness. It means resilience. Perspective. The ability to pause and choose a response instead of reacting on impulse. This is a daily practice. One thought at a time. One reframed moment at a time.

Ask yourself this

• What story am I telling myself about this situation?
• Is it helping me grow, or keeping me stuck?

The youngest keynote speaker at India’s biggest AI summit last week wasn’t a founder. It was an 8-year-old boy. Meet Ranvir Sachdeva.

Ranvir was born in 2017. By the age most kids are learning to tie their shoelaces, he was learning to code.

• By 3, he started his exploration in technology.
• By 4, his summer project on a Mars mission was featured on NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab website.
• By 5, he became the world’s youngest Apple Swift Programmer and met Tim Cook at the Worldwide Developers Conference — Tim Cook personally invited him!
• By 6, he became the youngest TEDx speaker in Asia and wrote his first book, “Are you born with AI?”
• By 7, he was invited by the Government of India to speak on innovation in the age of AI, and was a keynote speaker at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva.
• By 8, he became the youngest keynote speaker at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

At the summit he talked about ancient Indian philosophy and how it could be the ethical backbone for how AI is built. He also met Sam Altman, Sundar Pichai and Dario Amodei.

What is going on???