Ratan Tata once said, “Don’t educate your children to be rich; educate them to be happy. So, when they grow up, they will know the value of things and not the price.” While India’s education sector continues to expand, few truly embody this ethos in both thought and action. Ajay Gupta is one such leader. Drawing from a broader spectrum of inspiration, he redefined edupreneurship through the innovative FOFO (Franchise Owned, Franchise Operated) model.
His ventures have generated employment for over 10,000 families, provided quality education to 1.5 million students, and reached nearly 20 million individuals through a conscious digital presence. Today, his enterprises are valued at ₹100 crore, an achievement all the more significant given that he began at a time when entrepreneurship was undervalued, the franchise model mistrusted, and education resistant to innovation.
Living with an 80% locomotor disability, Ajay often says, “Disability is not a condition or a disease; it is, more often, a mindset.” True to this spirit, he also mentors and invests in startups that aim to make a difference.
HOW AJAY GUPTA’S JOURNEY TOOK SHAPE
Ajay Gupta was born into an affectionate joint family in Delhi. At just nine months old, he contracted polio, a condition that left him with a lifelong locomotor disability. His schooling began late, at age six, due to family concerns about how a child with such visible challenges could attend school. While his siblings went to private school, Ajay Gupta was enrolled in a government school, encouraged by a headmaster who saw him helping at the family’s sweets shop.
Without callipers or crutches then, he relied entirely on a household helper to reach school and even to use the washroom. On days the helper was late, Ajay waited alone, sometimes harassed by stray dogs. He completed school, but the inaccessible college infrastructure eventually forced him to drop out.
Although his family assured him of care and financial security and discouraged any business ventures, Ajay Gupta was determined to strike out on his own. He pursued ventures in chit funds, hardware, and exports, learning resilience from each setback. Then the day came when he found his calling in education while searching for a preschool for his daughter. Recognising the lack of structured curriculum and proper infrastructure, he saw an urgent need to nurture early childhood development for the greater good of the nation.
Driven by fatherly passion and a vision beyond personal ambition, Ajay Gupta founded Bachpan Play School in 2004. He persevered through harsh travel conditions and physical challenges to expand the franchise nationwide.
BREAKING BOUNDARIES WITH PASSION PROJECTS
Ajay Gupta is the Founder and CEO of Bachpan Play School and Academic Heights Public School (AHPS), two prominent franchise-based education networks in India, with 1200+ and 120+ branches respectively. Badminton star Saina Nehwal serves as the Brand Ambassador for both.
In 2013, Ajay partnered with Prismart Productions to pioneer tech-driven learning tools ahead of their time. In 2015, he co-founded Rishihood University, India’s first fully accessible university, focused on social impact.
In 2018, he launched the Hum Honge Kamyab (HHK) Foundation to raise disability awareness and foster inclusion.
In 2023, Bachpan became the Official School Education Partner of an IPL team, bringing early education to the national spotlight. Offering one of the market’s most robust curricula aligned with NEP 2020, Ajay Gupta’s work continues to blend innovation, inclusivity, and impact, reshaping the educational landscape across India.
LAURELS AND LEAPS FORWARD
Ajay Gupta also hosts the talk show “Saksham Yatra”, where he highlights stories of strength and social change to empower individuals and communities. His debut book, “Decoding Business Minds”, written for budding entrepreneurs and SMEs, quickly became an Amazon bestseller in 2022.
He has received several prestigious awards for his impact across education and social innovation, including the “Sewa Bhushan” (Sewa Samman Awards 2024), “Most Outstanding Educational Leader” (Jagran Josh Education Awards 2024), “Role Model Entrepreneur With Disabilities” (Helen Keller Awards 2023), “Edupreneur of the Year” (Global Choice Awards 2021), and the “Kailashpat Singhania Award” (2019).
Ajay Gupta is now taking his passion projects and enterprises global. He is also a TEDx speaker.
