Ashish Agarwal has been guided by the belief, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” After graduating from MIT, Pune in 2010 and briefly joining the Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai, he moved to Bangalore and worked as a Senior Business Analyst at Mu Sigma. Driven by a deeper intent to serve society, he pursued Rural Management at the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), where his journey in social entrepreneurship began. Post IRMA, he established Paryavaran Mitra at Gandhi Ashram — a social enterprise empowering rag-picking communities through solid waste management. Over the past decade, it has evolved into a self-sustainable model supporting hundreds of waste-pickers daily, with workshops conducted in India, the UK, and the USA.

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Recognising the growing imbalance in the lives of urban youth, he has since 2021 focused on advocating Mindful Consumption as a pathway to inner and societal wellbeing. This initiative is grounded in over 2,500 hours of research and engagement with stakeholders across 95+ institutions, spanning 7 domains and 10 countries. The work aligns with India’s LiFE mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to foster balance, purpose, and long-term societal transformation.

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Education: Graduate from MIT, Pune; Postgraduate in Rural Management from the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA).