In his fourth year, Abhiraj received a scholarship from the college management, allowing him
to work and contribute directly to the university’s head office. He built websites and web
applications to streamline their processes and automate administrative tasks, a stepping stone
that solidified his interest in building scalable technology solutions.
Upon graduation in 2008, he secured a campus placement at Infosys. Over the next 1.5 years,
he learned invaluable skills in team building, management, written communication, and
large-scale application development across diverse geographies. However, his entrepreneurial
spirit led him back to Chitkara University’s incubation program in 2011, an initiative
supporting alumni with funding opportunities to launch their startups.
This incubator became the foundation for SchoolPad—a project aimed at automating school
management processes, enabling teachers and administrators to focus more on academics
rather than administrative burdens. With the support of the incubator, SchoolPad transitioned
from a project into a full-fledged company in 2013, starting with just two schools.
Since then, SchoolPad has grown exponentially. Today, it serves over 300 schools across 16
states in India, impacting more than 5 lakh parents, students, and teachers who rely on the
software daily. His journey has been recognized by various platforms, including YourStory,
and he has been honored as one of the Google SME Heroes by Google India. Additionally,
SchoolPad received the Times Achievers Award for the Best School ERP Company in
Punjab, among other accolades.
This journey has been a collective effort—fueled by the support of mentors, colleagues, and
the trust of customers. SchoolPad stands today as one of India’s most trusted school
management software companies, a testament to the power of collaboration and
perseverance.
Key Learnings from the Journey
Throughout his journey, Abhiraj has come to realize that three fundamental principles form
the framework for success:
- Intention: The 'why' behind what you do is paramount. Money should never be the
primary motivator—it is merely an outcome. A deep-seated passion for solving a
meaningful problem is what truly matters.
- Focus: Success is not just about choosing what to do but also about knowing what
to say no to. The entrepreneurial path will present numerous opportunities, advice,
and competition. Staying focused on the core mission will help navigate through
the noise and build something of real value.
- Perseverance: Great things aren’t built overnight. It takes years—sometimes an
entire lifetime—to create something impactful. Starting a tech business is easy;
sustaining it and consistently delivering value to customers over time is the real
challenge. The key lies in persistent effort and unwavering commitment to long-
term goals.
As he continues this journey, Abhiraj's mission remains the same: to support schools in
embracing digital transformation to streamline their workflows and advance toward creating
exemplary educational institutions for all stakeholders.
