A Desi Woman with Soniya Gokhale

M.R. Rangaswami joins us to discuss his incredible life's journey from Chennai, India to Silicon Valley investment pioneer and Philanthropist. M.R. Rangaswami is a globally recognized speaker, an entrepreneur, investor, corporate eco-strategy expert, community builder and philanthropist. Recognized as a software business expert, he participated in the rapid expansion of the Silicon Valley software industry during his tenure as an executive at both large and small software companies. In 1997, he co-founded Sand Hill Group, one of the earliest “angel” investment firms, and was profiled on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. He was named to the Forbes "Midas" list of investors and also recognized by CRN as one of the Top 25 Technology Executives. He also hosts the Enterprise Retreat for the top 100 leaders in technology. In 2007, M.R. founded the Corporate Eco Forum(CEF), an invitation-only membership organization for Global 500 companies that demonstrate a serious commitment to the environment as a business strategy. In 2012 M.R. founded Indiaspora (a non-profit) to unite the Indian Diaspora and to transform their success into meaningful impact in India and on the global stage. By sharing insights, hosting events and connecting people, Indiaspora unites the professionally, geographically and religiously diverse Indian community toward collective action. Indiaspora events include its annual Leadership Forum, Philanthropy Summit and the Global Connect program. Indiaspora also engages in community issues such as the initiative to get the USPS to issue a Diwali stamp in 2016. M.R. is a board member of the Kaliash Satyarthi Children's Foundation, The Nudge Foundation and the WISH Foundation. M.R is the recipient of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) "Influential Leaders" award in 2015 and the US-China Educational Trust (US-CET) inaugural “Asians in America" award in 2016. In 2020 he was the recipient of the “Global service” award from the Canada-India Business Council. Rangaswami is also profiled in 2 books - "Those Immigrants by Scott Haas and "The $8 Man" by Brenda Christensen. He has also written the chapter on Silicon Valley in the book “Kamala Harris and the Rise of Indian Americans”.