Seasoned entrepreneur Dr. Somdutta Singh has been bestowed the prestigious “Champions of Change Award (Karnataka)” by the Interactive Forum on Indian Economy (IFIE), for her exemplary work in entrepreneurship, innovation, and social development. The award was presented to her in the form of a Gold Medal and a Citation by the Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thawad Chand Gehlot.
Seasoned Entreprenuer Dr. Somdutta
The selection of the awardees was done by Constitutional Jury members headed by Justice K G Balakrishnan, Former Chief Justice of India and Former Chairman, NHRC. The award was bestowed on eminent personalities for their work in areas like social development, community services, and acts of courage.
Dr. Singh was awarded alongside several other eminent personalities including, Bharat Ratna C N R Rao (Indian Chemist, Former Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister), Padma Vibhushan S M Krishna (27th External Affairs Minister, 18th Governor of Maharashtra & 10th Chief Minister of Karnataka), Padma Vibhushan Dr. D Veerendra Heggade (Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha), Padma Shri Tulsi Gowda (Indian Environmentalist), Padma Shri Manjamma Jogathi (Transgender, Folk Artist), Shri Venkatesh Prasad (Indian Former Cricketer and Coach), Shri Vishnuvardhan (Posthumous, Indian Kannada Actor), Dr. V Ravichandran (Indian Kannada Actor & Director), Ms. Khusboo Yadav (CEO, Jio Entertainment Services), Shri Prithvi Raj Singh (Founder, Gameskraft Technologies Pvt. Ltd.), Shri Anand Sankeshwar (Md, VRL Logistics), Upendra Rao (Indian actor and filmmaker), and Bipin Dayal (Managing Director, CData Software India).
The ceremony was graced by many distinguished guests and dignitaries including the Chairperson of the Award Selection Committee, Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Vice-Chairperson of the Award Selection Committee and former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra, President of the Interactive Forum on Indian Economy, Advocate Mr. Nandan Jha, Mr. Shyam Jaju (Former National Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Party) and Dayakar Ratakonda (Former Indian Ambassador).
Dr. Somdutta’s multifaceted achievements as a first-generation serial entrepreneur, angel investor, bestselling author, and philanthropist reflect her unwavering commitment to fostering change and empowering communities. She brings a depth of experience, an innovative perspective, and an unshakable commitment to revolutionising the entrepreneurial environment as CEO and Founder of Assiduus Global Inc.
An MIT alumni and a former Columbia University Presidents Program apprentice, she started her entrepreneurial career at 25 as an angel investor, completing two multimillion-dollar exits by age 26. She has invested in more than 50 international national and international brands.
Speaking on receiving the prestigious Award, Dr. Singh notes, “It is truly an honour to be here and get recognised for your work among such eminent personalities. I am glad that I represent female-led businesses here today, and I hope to inspire other women like me who are passionate about business and entrepreneurship.”
Assiduus Global Inc., her third and most recent business endeavour, is notable for being a patent-pending middleware for supply chain management and cross-border e-commerce distribution. Assiduus has helped Fortune 500 firms and SMEs in more than 20 countries, making over $350 million in sales in 2022 alone. The firm has received several accolades, including a listing on the ‘Select 200 Companies with Global Business Potential‘ at the prestigious Forbes DGEMS list, Inc. 5000 list in 2021 and an eighth rank in the Deloitte India Technology Fast 50 Award in 2022.
Dr. Singh aspires to turn Assiduus Global into a billion-dollar business by 2025 and become the first Asian American woman to list her company as an initial public offering (IPO) on a worldwide stock exchange. She has received over forty accolades and awards for her astute leadership, including the ET Inspiring Women Leaders Award in 2023, the Business Worlds 100 Most Influential Women Innovators Award in 2023, and a feature in Fortune Indias 50 Most Powerful Business Women edition.
Dr. Singh has also been the youngest and sole female vice-chairperson of the NASSCOM Product Council, instrumental in formulating strategies and policies. Her work with NITI Aayog steered the creation of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), an innovative program that assists bold women in pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams. She anchored the talk show “Breaking Barriers” during the challenging COVID-19 times, another example of her dedication to thought leadership.
Besides her commercial endeavours, Dr. Singh is a strong proponent of giving back to society. Her non-profit, Bhavi, supports youth education and skill development, emphasising helping women-led businesses in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India. She is also the celebrated author of two bestsellers, “Decoding Digital: Unlocking Digital Barriers” and “Stories from New India: Policies, Hope And Change“.
Dr. Somdutta Singh is a world-renowned figure with a marked presence in esteemed events like the GEC Global Entrepreneurship Congress, the DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival, and the World Economic Forum Davos. She spoke at the G20 and B20 Summits in 2023, lending her knowledge to conversations about international business and economic issues. She continuously engages with prestigious universities like IIT Mumbai and NIT Kanpur to interact with teachers and students through conferences and TED Talks.
In addition to her business pursuits, Dr. Somdutta Singh is a skilled Indian classical vocalist, a neophyte golfer, and a combat and kickboxing enthusiast. Her journey is the perfect example of how innovation, corporate excellence, and social responsibility meet to shatter stereotypes.
About Champions of Change Award
The Champions of Change Award, organized by the Interactive Forum on Indian Economy (IFIE), recognizes individuals committed to driving positive transformations within Indian communities, emphasizing Gandhian values, social development, and community service.
