Meet Indian, went to US with only Rs 8000, worked in canteen, now Rs 17000 crore net worth, his business is…

Sardana’s journey from living in government housing in Delhi to building a billion-dollar company shows hard work pays off some day.

Raj Sardana was born in 1960 to Punjabi parents who migrated to India during the Partition of 1947, Sardana grew up in government housing in New Delhi. His family lacked basic amenities such as air conditioning, refrigerator, but his parents prioritized education. “Despite our humble beginnings, my parents instilled the values of relentless hard work and found a way to provide quality education to me and my brother,” Sardana said in an interview.

Moving To US With $100

In 1981, Sardana moved to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech. With only $100 in his pocket, he worked in the college cafeteria to support himself through school. After graduating, he secured an H-1 visa (the predecessor to today’s H-1B visa) and began his career at Howmet Aerospace.

A Career Setback 

By 1987, Sardana had a prestigious position at Teledyne CAE, where he worked on Tomahawk missile engines. However, his career faced a significant setback in 1990 when the Cold War ended, and missile production was halted. Sardana lost his job at a time when he had just purchased a house, was raising a six-month-old daughter, and had his parents living with him.

Instead of seeking another job, Sardana took a bold step and decided to start a business.

Founding Innova Solutions

With $25,000 in savings, Sardana started his own business. Over the next decade, his business Innova Solutions,  grew into a global IT services firm. Today, Innova Solutions employs over 50,000 people worldwide, and Sardana’s net worth is estimated at $2 billion.