{{short description|Indian Blind industrialist (born 1991)}} {{Family name hatnote|Bolla|lang=Telugu}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Srikanth Bolla | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|07|07|df=yes}} | birth_place = Seetharamapuram, Andhra Pradesh, India | alma_mater = Massachusetts Institute of Technology | occupation = Industrialist | known_for = Founder of Bollant Industries Pvt. Ltd. | spouse = {{marriage|Veera Swati Duggirala |2022}} }} '''Srikanth Bolla''' (born 7 July 1991) is an Indian industrialist and the founder of '''Bollant Industries'''. He was the first visually impaired student in Management Science at the Sloan School of Management of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.mit.edu/2010/srikanth-bolla-swim|title=Srikanth Bolla '13 proves that anyone can learn how to swim|publisher=MIT News|access-date=26 August 2019|archive-date=27 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127213141/http://news.mit.edu/2010/srikanth-bolla-swim|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Personal life== Srikanth Bolla was born on 7 July 1991 to a Telugu family in Seetharamapuram, Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. His parents were uneducated.<ref name="forbesindia" /> Born as the first child, he was visually impaired from birth. Bolla's family was mainly dependent on farming.<ref name="thehindubusinessline">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/bollant-industries-now-gets-ratan-tatas-backing/article8241416.ece|title=Bollant Industries now gets Ratan Tata's backing|last=Kumar|first=V Rishi|date=15 February 2016|website=The Hindu Business Line|access-date=8 May 2016|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022112206/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/bollant-industries-now-gets-ratan-tatas-backing/article8241416.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> His childhood was full of struggle; there was no electricity, education was a luxury, and his family's income was less than what was needed to survive. Since he was visually impaired, educational opportunities were also a struggle, as not many accommodated it.
In school, around 11th grade, Bolla wanted to study science but due to his visual impairment, he was not able to do so. Even though he topped his class with a 98% on his X board exams, the school didn't have accommodations for visually impaired pupils. Bolla filed a court case, and after a six-month wait, his perseverance paid off when he won, becoming the first visually impaired student in Andhra Pradesh to study science.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 Jul 2024 |title=Srikanth Bolla: Overcoming Adversity to Lead with Vision |url=https://crossbarriers.org/srikanth-bolla/ |access-date=8 Aug 2024 |website=Cross Barriers}}</ref>
After graduation, Bolla was denied admission to coaching institutes for the Indian Institute of Technology. He decided to pursue engineering because of his blindness.
Since then, he has been an important figure in creating opportunities for visually impaired people. He has been a youth leader since 2005 and went on to become a member of Lead India 2020: The Second National Youth Movement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mensxp.com/social-hits/news/41925-beating-all-odds-this-blind-man-became-the-founder-ceo-of-a-company-worth-crores.html|title=After Being Rejected By IIT, This Blind Man Went On To Become The CEO Of A Company Worth Crores|website=www.mensxp.com|date=14 January 2018|language=en|access-date=25 February 2019|archive-date=10 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110151410/https://www.mensxp.com/social-hits/news/41925-beating-all-odds-this-blind-man-became-the-founder-ceo-of-a-company-worth-crores.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Started by former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Lead India 2020<ref name="Lead India">{{Cite web|url=http://leadindia2020.org/|title=Lead India|website=leadindia2020.org|access-date=25 February 2019|archive-date=5 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105130016/http://leadindia2020.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref> is helping India reach the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2020 by eradicating poverty, illiteracy and unemployment.<ref name="Lead India"/>
In 2012, Bolla set up Bollant Industries with his business partner, Ravi Mantha.
He got married in 2022 to Veera Swathi, after a courtship of almost 10 years. In 2024, the couple had a daughter, whom they named as Nayana, meaning eyes.<ref name="forbesindia">{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/take-one-big-story-of-the-day/srikanth-bolla-first-overseas-blind-student-at-mit-entrepreneur-who-employs-the-disabled-and-subject-of-a-new-bollywood-film/92805/1|title=Srikanth Bolla: First overseas blind student at MIT, entrepreneur who employs the disabled, and subject of a new bollywood film|access-date=1 May 2024|archive-date=1 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501153408/https://www.forbesindia.com/article/take-one-big-story-of-the-day/srikanth-bolla-first-overseas-blind-student-at-mit-entrepreneur-who-employs-the-disabled-and-subject-of-a-new-bollywood-film/92805/1|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Career== Bolla co-founded Samanvai Center for Children with Multiple Disabilities in 2011 in which he started a Braille printing press,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blchangemakers/i-always-had-the-urge-to-do-something-differently/article23275070.ece|title=A catalyst for change|last=Kumar|first=V. Rishi|website=@businessline|date=16 March 2018|language=en|access-date=21 February 2019|archive-date=23 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923151837/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blchangemakers/i-always-had-the-urge-to-do-something-differently/article23275070.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> providing educational, vocational, financial, and rehabilitation services to students with multiple disabilities for an economically independent and self-sustainable life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-world-was-blind-to-see-tech-entrepreneur-srikanth-bolla-s-vision-but-he-had-other-ideas-2645579|title=World was blind to see tech entrepreneur Srikanth Bolla's vision, but he had other ideas|date=4 August 2018|website=dna|language=en|access-date=22 February 2019|archive-date=22 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222153536/https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-world-was-blind-to-see-tech-entrepreneur-srikanth-bolla-s-vision-but-he-had-other-ideas-2645579|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2012, Bolla started Bollant Industries with co-founder Ravi Mantha.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Srikanth Bolla: First Overseas Blind Student At MIT, Entrepreneur Who Employs The Disabled, And Subject Of A New Bollywood Film |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/take-one-big-story-of-the-day/srikanth-bolla-first-overseas-blind-student-at-mit-entrepreneur-who-employs-the-disabled-and-subject-of-a-new-bollywood-film/92805/1 |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=Forbes India |language=en}}</ref> Bollant Industries manufactures areca-based products and provides employment to several hundred people with disabilities, with funding from Ratan Tata.<ref name="thehindubusinessline" /> Addressing a combination of issues – employment, economics and environment – Bollant produces eco-friendly recycled Kraft paper from municipal waste or soiled paper, packaging products from recycled paper, disposable products from natural leaf and recycled paper and recycles waste plastic into usable products.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/51264/ceo-fifty-crore-blind-srikanth-bolla-bollant-industries/|title=Refused by IIT, This Blind Man Went on to Become an MIT Grad and CEO of a Rs 50 Crore Company|date=8 April 2016|website=The Better India|language=en-US|access-date=25 February 2019}}</ref> Bollant has shown exceptional growth, averaging 20% a month since inception and a turnover of ₹150 crores in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/he-winked-at-the-world-when-it-failed-to-see-his-vision/articleshow/65264154.cms|title=He winked at the world when it failed to see his vision - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=4 August 2018|access-date=22 February 2019|archive-date=25 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425015024/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/he-winked-at-the-world-when-it-failed-to-see-his-vision/articleshow/65264154.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>
Srikanth is the director of Surge Impact Foundation, founded in September 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.surgeimpact.org/about-us/|title=Surge Impact I About us|website=Surge Impact|language=en-US|access-date=26 February 2019|archive-date=26 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226235542/http://www.surgeimpact.org/about-us/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The organisation aims to enable individuals and institutions in India to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.surgeimpact.org/|title=Surge Impact - Accelerating social impact in India|website=Surge Impact|language=en-US|access-date=26 February 2019|archive-date=11 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111102813/https://www.surgeimpact.org/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In April 2017, Bolla was named by Forbes magazine in its list of 30 under 30 across all of Asia, one of only three Indians on that list.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/srikanth-bolla-1/?list=30under30-asia-industry-manufacturing-energy|title=Srikanth Bolla|work=Forbes|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en|archive-date=27 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327145035/https://www.forbes.com/profile/srikanth-bolla-1/?list=30under30-asia-industry-manufacturing-energy|url-status=live}}</ref>
== In popular culture == In 2024, a biopic film ''Srikanth'', featuring actor Rajkummar Rao in the lead role of Srikanth Bolla was announced.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Production begins for Rajkummar Rao's next film 'Sri', a biopic on Srikanth Bolla |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/production-begins-for-rajkummar-raos-next-film-sri-a-biopic-on-srikanth-bolla/articleshow/95659426.cms |access-date=2022-11-21 |archive-date=8 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508095744/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/production-begins-for-rajkummar-raos-next-film-sri-a-biopic-on-srikanth-bolla/articleshow/95659426.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> The trailer was released on 9 April 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |title='Srikanth' trailer: Patralekhaa lauds hubby Rajkummar Rao's hard work and talks about his journey for the movie|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/srikanth-trailer-patralekhaa-praises-rajkummar-raos-hard-work/articleshow/109177581.cms}}</ref> During trailer launch, Srikanth who was also present remembered how the T-Series cassettes helped him complete his education from class 5 to class 10.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Srikanth Trailer Launch: Srikanth Bolla gets emotional as he recalls how late Gulshan Kumar helped him in completing his education |work= The Economic Times |url= https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/srikanth-trailer-launch-srikanth-bolla-gets-emotional-recalls-late-gulshan-kumar-helped-completing-education/ |access-date= 1 May 2024 |archive-date= 23 April 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240423232929/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/srikanth-trailer-launch-srikanth-bolla-gets-emotional-recalls-late-gulshan-kumar-helped-completing-education/ |url-status= live }}</ref> The film was released on May 10, 2024, on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.
== Legal disputes == Srikanth owns two flats in the Babukhan Millennium Centre apartment complex in Somajiguda, stopped paying maintenance charges to the association amid disputes over parking space and other issues.In response, apartment association has cut essential services as per Section 21 of the Telangana Apartments (Promotion of Construction and Ownership) Act, 1987. Srikanth moved High Court and High Court ruled in favor of apartment association.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Express News |date=2024-02-28 |title=Apartment bodies can cut water, power to defaulters of maintenance charges: Telangana HC |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2024/Feb/28/apartment-bodies-can-cut-water-power-to-defaulters-of-maintenance-charges-telangana-hc |access-date=2025-11-08 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bolli, Srikanth}} Category:Indian industrialists Category:Living people Category:Telugu people Category:1991 births Category:Indian chief executives Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni Category:21st-century Indian engineers Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:American people of Telugu descent Category:American businesspeople in the computer industry Category:Chief executives in technology Category:People from Andhra Pradesh Category:Businesspeople from Hyderabad, India Category:Indian emigrants to the United States