FLO Bangalore, under the leadership of Chairperson Dekyi Yangtso Chawla, organised a thought-provoking session titled “Build to Inspire” as part of its vertical- Startup and Mentorship Cell and national initiative- Friends of FLO. The session featured both Shashank ND, Co-founder of Practo, and Tushar Vashisht, Co-founder of HealthifyMe, to share their insights on creating successful ventures in India.
Shashank spoke with depth and clarity about the role of trust in healthcare and his evolution from a college founder to a thoughtful leader. He shared how entrepreneurship, for him, has been a path of self-purification, nudging him toward spirituality through its highs and lows. One of the most powerful takeaways was his candid admission about the danger of raising too much capital and how it can derail even the most mission-driven startups. His model of a 15-person advisory board spoke volumes about his belief in collaborative leadership.
Tushar’s story, in contrast, was one of high agency and relentless drive. From getting into UPenn against the odds to a Deloitte internship in just three weeks, his journey is defined by momentum. His pivot came when he left a job in Singapore to join Aadhaar, living on ₹100/day to understand Indian nutrition firsthand, a life experiment that later became the foundation of HealthifyMe. His mantra? Do the Impossible. His team philosophy changes with the phase he’s building for — be it growth, scale, or exploration.
The Fireside Chat, hosted by Chairperson Dekyi, brought a personal and playful edge — filled with sharp questions, spontaneous laughs, and one unforgettable surprise: Tushar singing live on stage, giving us a musical glimpse into his story. It was a session filled with dil se storytelling, reflection, and fire — a perfect way to launch the Inspire Quarter of the Flo Bangalore StartUp Cell.
Key Takeaways
- Purpose must come before profit — especially in health.
- True leadership lies in building trust, teams, and values, not just valuation.
- Be bold enough to pivot, humble enough to listen, and brave enough to experiment.
- AI can enable scale, but real-world insight must come first.
About 180 members had the incredible opportunity to interact with two visionary entrepreneurs. This afternoon of insight and inspiration included women entrepreneurs and professionals who heard about Shashank and Tushar’s journeys and learned different lessons for creating successful businesses in India.