‘I Walked Away Impressed…’ Sanjeev Bikhchandani Recalls His Meeting With L&T CMD Subrahmanyan On X

Sanjeev Bikhchandani, the founder of Info Edge, shared a memorable encounter with  SN Subrahmanyan, the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), one of India’s largest and most diversified conglomerates. The meeting, which took place a couple of months ago, left Bikhchandani with a lasting impression of Subrahmanyan’s humility and curiosity about the world of entrepreneurship and venture capital.

Bikhchandani, in a post on X, said he was intrigued when he received an invitation for a one-on-one meeting from the L&T leader. The absence of any formal agenda did not deter him from attending, as it was not every day that the head of such a prominent company took the time to meet with someone from the startup ecosystem.

An Hour of Curiosity and Conversation

During the meeting, Subrahmanyan spent an hour asking Bikhchandani about his entrepreneurial journey and his experiences in startup investments.

“He was curious about my story, entrepreneurship, investing in startups, all things digital,” Bikhchandani wrote in his post. The conversation also delved into Subrahmanyan’s own career and family life, creating a personal and open exchange between the two.

A Bold Suggestion for L&T’s Cash Reserves

After their discussion, Bikhchandani asked Subrahmanyan about L&T’s financial situation. In response, Subrahmanyan revealed that the company had a staggering cash reserve of around Rs. 50,000 crore. Taking this opportunity, Bikhchandani suggested that L&T consider deploying some of this capital into venture capital, particularly into India’s growing startup ecosystem.

“I advised him to deploy some of it judiciously in startups. India needs domestic Venture Capital, and a company with a balance sheet like L&T could take the lead,” Bikhchandani explained. He further emphasised the potential returns, citing the success of Info Edge’s investments in companies like Zomato and Policybazaar, which have yielded impressive returns.

A Follow-Up Meeting and Mutual Respect

Bikhchandani and Subrahmanyan agreed to meet again to continue their discussion on potential ideas for collaboration and investment in the startup sector. The meeting ended with Subramanyan walking Bikhchandani to his car, a gesture that Bikhchandani appreciated as a sign of Subramanyan’s humility and respect.

Bikhchandani described the encounter as both enlightening and inspiring, and said, “I walked away impressed,” Bikhchandani concluded in his post.