Venkat Krishnan N. graduated from IIM-Ahmedabad in 1993 and started his career with the media, working first at The Times of India in various corporate and brand management functions. He then helped set up Sony Entertainment Television in India as part of the core management team. In 1996, he set up and ran the Eklavya School which used innovative pedagogical approaches to help children learn rather than be taught. In 2001, he co-founded Educational Initiatives Pvt. Ltd, a company that works on improving quality of school education in India. Venkat set up GiveIndia in 2000, to create a "giving culture" in India and transitioned out in 2008. In 2009, he, along with several other volunteers, conceptualised and launched DaanUtsav, a festival that aims to bring India together to celebrate giving. Held from October 2-8 every year, DaanUtsav is a platform that allows everyone from India's poor to its wealthiest to give back to society.