My Story

Born and raised in Mumbai, India. Graduated with a Masters in USA.
Quit desk job on Day 1. Took off to Africa.
Worked in a rural hospital, fixed medical devices, trained people.
Unlearnt. Started a company. Still learning.

I am passionate about complex problems and problem solving. My foundation for solving problems roots from my curiosity which I fed with my mathematics and physics for years. For fun, I solve differential equations on Instagram (yeah!) and dream of going to space (I love the antithesis of going to darkness to discover new things, light can be sometimes too distracting).

My Ventures

Ycenter: Global experiential learning, innovation consulting and design organization. Delivering entrepreneurship and sustainability workshops to entrepreneurs. Co-creating new products and services for medium to large companies and government agencies. Launched in 2014. Offices in USA | India | Kenya. Projects in 30+ countries across domains of Solar, Agriculture, Edtech, E-commerce, Digital Transformation.
TradeZiris: An AI based TradeTech platform that brings confidence for international traders to deal with documentation complexities, structuring the transaction and seek trade finance.

Through the Lens of Entrepreneurship: A Gallery of Moments

United Nations HQ, New York City, for HLPF on Sustainable Development Goals, 2019

Queens College, New York City working on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals business plans

Hosting the amazing global thought leader and author Marcus Buckingham in Philadelphia. Marcus is one of the top 10 business thinkers of the world according to Thinkers50 summit (by Forbes and Harvard Business Review).

Philadelphia, "Technologies do not solve problems, people do." - Dhairya Pujara, on discussing Blockchain + Human Centered Design Thinking at the first ever Coinvention

On stage at SXSW 2018 for Education stream. What a brilliant experience!

Side event G77 for Global Open Data on Agriculture and Nutrition. Also interviewed by BBC radio at this event. Kenya, 2017

Speaking at tech symposium for KJ Somaiya for Engineering students, India 2017

Interview for National Television show in regional language in India, 2017

Keynote at ebbf conference, Switzerland, 2017

With Community Health workers, Mozambique, 2014

Experiential learning Farm visit for Agriculture Entrepreneurship program, Kenya, 2017

With Ycenter India Entrepreneurship program participants, India 2016

Ycenter first office, Philadelphia, 2014

Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University campus workshop, 2016

Fordham university talk, New York city, 2016

Friendsgiving event, to fundraise for Ycenter legal expenses, 2013

Maarten Olaya with Cal Woodruff, Dhairya Pujara and Kelly Burkhardt winners of the 2014 Viewers Choice DoGooder Awards in Philadelphia

Some of my Favorite Movies

Some of My Favorite Reads