The 'Builder-Investor' Playbook: Sanjeev Bikhchandani on Scaling Info Edge and Shaping India's Internet.

Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s story travels back to a small room where he first dreamed of creating something for the early internet in India, long before it became a part of daily life. His idea slowly shaped itself into Info Edge, the parent company behind Naukri, Jeevansathi and later a portfolio that backed several rising founders. What makes his journey stand out is the mix of patience, curiosity and a clear belief that India would one day search for jobs and services online even when very few people shared that belief.

Naukri began as a simple job listings service that relied on classifieds and cold calls. The early team kept pushing through slow adoption, and many days went by when the business barely moved. Yet Sanjeev held on because he felt that the country needed a digital job board that spoke directly to the growing middle class. As internet use expanded, employers and job seekers slowly gravitated toward the platform, which gave Info Edge steady ground to build on.

Many young founders today look at him as someone who understood India’s startup energy long before it turned fashionable. His willingness to back early stage ideas surprised many industry watchers. Info Edge invested in companies that later shaped online shopping, food delivery and many other parts of the economy. Sanjeev often shared in interviews that he backed founders more than business plans, because people drive growth through their own conviction.

His leadership style also gained attention. Colleagues say that he focused on clarity and long term thinking instead of rushing for short term spikes. He encouraged teams to take time, listen to users and build products that solved real needs in Indian homes and workplaces. This people first mindset helped Info Edge build trust across its businesses and also helped several younger entrepreneurs learn how to read the pulse of digital India.

Info Edge continued to expand its presence in the internet space with a mix of operating businesses and strategic investments. The company grew as India’s digital wave expanded across cities and small towns. More people began looking for jobs online, searching for partners online and exploring new digital services. Info Edge benefited from this growing comfort with online platforms, and the company also helped shape that comfort through its early presence.

Sanjeev’s story now appears in business schools, startup events and founder circles as one of the earliest examples of long haul entrepreneurship in India. He continues to mentor founders and speak openly about the ups and downs of building a company from scratch. His career shows that an idea born in a small room can grow into an internet group that touches millions, and that patient building mixed with sharp awareness of customer behavior can change the path of an entire sector in India.