THE JOURNEY

An MBA from Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad opened the doors to his professional world. His first job became the foundation of his work ethic. He joined Onida, then among the top television brands in India, as the Executive Assistant of the Managing Director, Sonu Mirchandani. Arun fondly calls this “one of the best times” of his career. He thrived in the ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking environment and rose quickly to become Regional Manager for Eastern India, a role that would eventually change his life. It was in Calcutta (now Kolkata), that he met Anu, who would later become his wife and his life’s greatest influence. Anu left for her studies in the US, and Arun followed her to do his Master’s at Southern New Hampshire University in Boston. He was offered a job in Texas, which he accepted only after getting his first boss’s permission, honouring his promise to return—because honesty, for him, was non-negotiable.

Texas was supposed to be temporary. But then came the Green Card sponsorship, and the short-term gig turned into a permanent one. Arun worked with a consulting firm and then with MBNA America Bank, the first to pioneer FNAT marketing, where he was part of the core team.

Arun and Anu’s entrepreneurial chapter began in the small garage of their home. Their first venture, ‘Send A Smile’ helped NRIs send gifts to their families back home. Created when there was no internet, it did well and soon evolved into SAS Living, a home decor wholesale company, followed by S2 Resources, a sourcing and logistics firm.

In 2008, Arun founded NEXTT, now a global powerhouse in textiles and consumer goods, supplying major retailers including Walmart. NEXTT later ventured into technology solutions, especially in clean energy, adopting innovations that helped coal burning power plants reduce emissions and coal usage, a rare combination of industry and environmental responsibility. Today, many power plants adopt and use NEXTT AI across the globe. Despite achieving the pinnacle of success, Arun remains grounded. “I planned none of this. I just stepped into what felt right and worked hard,” he says. A respected entrepreneur, he is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Texas Economic Development Corporation in Austin.