DHEERAJ SHARMA
Co-Founder & CEO
NIT Kozhikode
20+ Years in IT, emids Technologies (Co-Founder)
Previously: Headstrong,
iGate, Cognizant, Aditi
Dheeraj approaches PlayAblo the way he approaches parenting – with a fine mix of patience, assertiveness and unwavering support. After all, PlayAblo is his brain child!
A one-time rock star whose secret desire is to fly a biplane a la Richard Bach, Dheeraj is today on the mission to revolutionize learning through PlayAblo.
“I truly believe in our mission of helping the next generation of children to be young thinking adults as opposed to mere rank chasers,” he says “Rank & meritorious scores should be mere side effects. It is the curiosity that must be kept alive and burning bright. All else and more will follow.”
This Founder and CEO of PlayAblo was a Quality Assurance professional in one of his previous avatars – a fact that is reflected in every aspect of the app. Dheeraj is also the wind beneath the wings for his team, guiding, motivating and leading by example. It is not uncommon to see this go-getter urging his team to push the envelope and think out of the box – and supporting them unflinchingly when they do!
A hands-on parent, a voracious reader, a dependable leader and a man in the pursuit of excellence – that’s Dheeraj Sharma for you!
DHEERAJ SHARMA
Co-Founder & CEO
NIT Kozhikode
20+ Years in IT, emids Technologies (Co-Founder)
Previously: Headstrong,
iGate, Cognizant, Aditi
Dheeraj approaches PlayAblo the way he approaches parenting – with a fine mix of patience, assertiveness and unwavering support. After all, PlayAblo is his brain child!
A one-time rock star whose secret desire is to fly a biplane a la Richard Bach, Dheeraj is today on the mission to revolutionize learning through PlayAblo.
“I truly believe in our mission of helping the next generation of children to be young thinking adults as opposed to mere rank chasers,” he says “Rank & meritorious scores should be mere side effects. It is the curiosity that must be kept alive and burning bright. All else and more will follow.”
This Founder and CEO of PlayAblo was a Quality Assurance professional in one of his previous avatars – a fact that is reflected in every aspect of the app. Dheeraj is also the wind beneath the wings for his team, guiding, motivating and leading by example. It is not uncommon to see this go-getter urging his team to push the envelope and think out of the box – and supporting them unflinchingly when they do!
A hands-on parent, a voracious reader, a dependable leader and a man in the pursuit of excellence – that’s Dheeraj Sharma for you!
ANANTHAKRISHNAN G
Co-Founder & CTO
IIM Kozhikode
20+ Years in Product Development, IT Consulting for
Financial Services & Capital Markets Industry
Previously: Headstrong,
Oracle Financial Services Software,
Mahindra Satyam
Diligent, methodical, tech-savvy, energetic & fun-loving – these are just some of the adjectives colleagues use to describe PlayAblo’s Chief Technology Officer, Ananth!
A self-confessed automobile enthusiast & a movie buff, Ananth has over 19 years of rich IT experience working in the Financial Services & Capital Markets Industry.
His systematic approach to everything he undertakes means that not only is he on top of his game at work, he is also counted among the rare breed of professionals to have a mailbox free of all unread mail – an enviable feat indeed!
Even more impressive however is this travel enthusiast’s ability to solve all the Rubiks Cubes 2x2x2 to 11x11x11! Oh yes! Did we mention he can also speak Japanese?
Ananth, who believes that parenting is about living one’s life through their children, is also a great proponent of using technology to enhance our daily lives. His association with PlayAblo then was a natural partnership as the co-founder: “It helps me fulfill my burning desire to improve the lives of people with technology,” he explains.
ANANTHAKRISHNAN G
Co-Founder & CTO
IIM Kozhikode
20+ Years in Product Development, IT Consulting for
Financial Services & Capital Markets Industry
Previously: Headstrong,
Oracle Financial Services Software,
Mahindra Satyam
Diligent, methodical, tech-savvy, energetic & fun-loving – these are just some of the adjectives colleagues use to describe PlayAblo’s Chief Technology Officer, Ananth!
A self-confessed automobile enthusiast & a movie buff, Ananth has over 19 years of rich IT experience working in the Financial Services & Capital Markets Industry.
His systematic approach to everything he undertakes means that not only is he on top of his game at work, he is also counted among the rare breed of professionals to have a mailbox free of all unread mail – an enviable feat indeed!
Even more impressive however is this travel enthusiast’s ability to solve all the Rubiks Cubes 2x2x2 to 11x11x11! Oh yes! Did we mention he can also speak Japanese?
Ananth, who believes that parenting is about living one’s life through their children, is also a great proponent of using technology to enhance our daily lives. His association with PlayAblo then was a natural partnership as the co-founder: “It helps me fulfill my burning desire to improve the lives of people with technology,” he explains.
SUCHITHRA PREMKUMAR
Co-Founder - Head
Corporate Learning & Customer Success
14 Years in IT Program Management
Previously: BITS Pilani, Headstrong, Steria, Kanbay
They say there is only one degree of commitment – total. Our Program Manager Suchitra Premkumar best exemplifies this. Unreserved commitment, fierce dedication and a laser sharp focus make her the go-to person of choice for problem-solving, firefighting or simply some good advice.
Suchitra believes in giving her all to any task she undertakes and it shows! Her attention to detail might lead her friends to dub her a closet cleanliness freak, but it is this trait that helps her effortlessly manage various aspects of PlayAblo, bringing it all together into a smooth-functioning, cohesive unit.
‘Live and Let Live’ has always been Suchitra’s philosophy. An avid reader, she also loves to cook for friends and family.
A former techie, Suchitra had long nurtured the desire to be in the educational space. “What better than PlayAblo - which is an amalgamation of education and technology! Being a parent, I am happy that a well designed, well thought out app will be going into the hands of our children,” she says.
SUCHITHRA PREMKUMAR
Co-Founder - Head
Corporate Learning & Customer Success
14 Years in IT Program Management
Previously: BITS Pilani, Headstrong, Steria, Kanbay
They say there is only one degree of commitment – total. Our Program Manager Suchitra Premkumar best exemplifies this. Unreserved commitment, fierce dedication and a laser sharp focus make her the go-to person of choice for problem-solving, firefighting or simply some good advice.
Suchitra believes in giving her all to any task she undertakes and it shows! Her attention to detail might lead her friends to dub her a closet cleanliness freak, but it is this trait that helps her effortlessly manage various aspects of PlayAblo, bringing it all together into a smooth-functioning, cohesive unit.
‘Live and Let Live’ has always been Suchitra’s philosophy. An avid reader, she also loves to cook for friends and family.
A former techie, Suchitra had long nurtured the desire to be in the educational space. “What better than PlayAblo - which is an amalgamation of education and technology! Being a parent, I am happy that a well designed, well thought out app will be going into the hands of our children,” she says.
Vijayalakshmi
Senior Manager, Instructional Design
MSc Hearing, Language & Speech, Osmania University
20+ years experience
Previous companies: Gyanmite Edtech,
Bankedge, Aditya Birla Financial Services,
Aptara, Global Talent Track
Vijayalakshmi or Viji as we know her, comes with extensive experience in the field of education and L&D. She has lived and worked in many cities and her work spans special education in schools in California and Training & e-learning for corporates in the USA and India. She has also headed content strategy and development for India's first vernacular language-based skilling platform.
Viji strongly believes that she can make a positive impact on education by using her expertise in learning design to build useful knowledge systems. Right knowledge made accessible to all by technology is the key to unlock any challenge. This is what keeps her hooked to Edtech.
As a parent Vijayalakshmi pursues an eclectic mix of interests and activities-- learning card tricks, karate, and gardening - to name a few that she indulges in while enjoying learning and playing with her kids. And when she isn't doing any of these, she loves to ponder about human behavior patterns and technology and how one influences the other.
Vijayalakshmi
Senior Manager, Instructional Design
MSc Hearing, Language & Speech, Osmania University
20+ years experience
Previous companies: Gyanmite Edtech,
Bankedge, Aditya Birla Financial Services,
Aptara, Global Talent Track
Vijayalakshmi or Viji as we know her, comes with extensive experience in the field of education and L&D. She has lived and worked in many cities and her work spans special education in schools in California and Training & e-learning for corporates in the USA and India. She has also headed content strategy and development for India's first vernacular language-based skilling platform.
Viji strongly believes that she can make a positive impact on education by using her expertise in learning design to build useful knowledge systems. Right knowledge made accessible to all by technology is the key to unlock any challenge. This is what keeps her hooked to Edtech.
As a parent Vijayalakshmi pursues an eclectic mix of interests and activities-- learning card tricks, karate, and gardening - to name a few that she indulges in while enjoying learning and playing with her kids. And when she isn't doing any of these, she loves to ponder about human behavior patterns and technology and how one influences the other.
Risha Capoor
Senior Manager, Finance & HR
MBA, Institute of Business Management & Research, Indore
9+ years in edtech, finance
Previously: ICICI Bank, MPJ International - Curacao
With more than 9 years of experience under her belt, Risha has had her career-defining moment here in PlayAblo. This is where she has learnt to start from scratch and pick-up steam again.
She believes that challenges are mere opportunities to shine and learn, out of which crops up that 'eureka' moment that one has long been waiting for. Risha opines that it is far more interesting and insightful to learn how a system is built compared to working with well-established, well-structured companies. The latter provides a minuscule scope of being creative and imaginative; the former ample opportunities to learn, unlearn and relearn.
As a finance professional, Risha has a well-rounded skill set in finance which includes keen attention to details and accuracy. Multitasking with efficiency is what defines her! Being a people person, Risha is warm, outgoing and an excellent listener. Proactive and self-propelled, she is ever committed to accomplishing any goal that is set for her.
Being a mother of a school-going child, Risha has, over time, accrued enormous levels of patience. She ardently believes that a child learns best when he/she is encouraged not to 'learn', but to observe, acquire and assimilate.
Risha has always held onto her passion for dance and continues to be a student of the art form. Music, to her, is uplifting - 'something that always keeps me going', she says.
Risha Capoor
Senior Manager, Finance & HR
MBA, Institute of Business Management & Research, Indore
9+ years in edtech, finance
Previously: ICICI Bank, MPJ International - Curacao
With more than 9 years of experience under her belt, Risha has had her career-defining moment here in PlayAblo. This is where she has learnt to start from scratch and pick-up steam again.
She believes that challenges are mere opportunities to shine and learn, out of which crops up that 'eureka' moment that one has long been waiting for. Risha opines that it is far more interesting and insightful to learn how a system is built compared to working with well-established, well-structured companies. The latter provides a minuscule scope of being creative and imaginative; the former ample opportunities to learn, unlearn and relearn.
As a finance professional, Risha has a well-rounded skill set in finance which includes keen attention to details and accuracy. Multitasking with efficiency is what defines her! Being a people person, Risha is warm, outgoing and an excellent listener. Proactive and self-propelled, she is ever committed to accomplishing any goal that is set for her.
Being a mother of a school-going child, Risha has, over time, accrued enormous levels of patience. She ardently believes that a child learns best when he/she is encouraged not to 'learn', but to observe, acquire and assimilate.
Risha has always held onto her passion for dance and continues to be a student of the art form. Music, to her, is uplifting - 'something that always keeps me going', she says.