Meet the Judges of Shark Tank India Season 3: Backgrounds and Net Worth

As Shark Tank India Season 3 debuts, it introduces a new shark, Ritesh Agarwal of OYO Rooms, one of India’s youngest billionaires who founded a leading affordable hotel chain spanning India and other countries.

Shark Tank India, an adaptation of the renowned US reality show airing on SET India, has become one of the most beloved and watched reality TV shows in the country, boasting a massive fan base.

This show provides a significant platform for aspiring entrepreneurs in India to propel their ventures to new heights. Contestants, often referred to as ‘Pitchers,’ dive into the shark-infested waters, bringing their innovative ideas to life.

These ‘Pitchers’ are brilliant entrepreneurs with a singular goal – to elevate their ventures to new heights. The sharks, on the other hand, are highly successful business personalities in India, including Aman Gupta, co-founder and CMO of boAt, Peyush Bansal, co-founder and CEO of Lenskart, Ritesh Agarwal, founder and CEO of OYO, and many more. These sharks are venture capitalists, ready to invest in companies with growth potential in exchange for equity.

Following two incredibly successful seasons, the cast of Shark Tank India Season 3 is back in full swing!

Shark Tank India Season 3 Launch Date & Timings

The eagerly awaited Shark Tank India Season 3 has already begun shooting, although an official launch date is yet to be announced. Nonetheless, fans can expect the new season to air in late December or January 2024, either on Sony Entertainment Channel or the OTT platform SonyLIV.

Shark Tank India Season 3 Judges & Sharks

The cast of Shark Tank India consistently features some of the most prominent Indian business personalities as judges or sharks, investing in emerging Indian startup companies with potential. The prior seasons witnessed the participation of significant business figures, including Ashneer Grover, former co-founder and CEO of BharatPe, Aman Gupta, co-founder and CMO of boAt, and Peyush Bansal, co-founder and CEO of Lenskart, among others.

Now, let’s take a closer look at what you can expect to see in the upcoming Shark Tank India cast. Brace yourselves for the arrival of three new, incredibly successful young sharks!

Aman Gupta

Hailing from Delhi, India, Aman Gupta, born on 4th March 1982, is the co-founder and CMO of boAt, an India-based consumer electronics brand specializing in earwear audio-tech. The unicorn startup, established in 2016, is valued at an estimated $1.32 billion as of December 2022. Aman Gupta secured the title of the most active shark in the first season, finalizing an impressive 70 deals with an investment totaling INR 246 million.

Aman Gupta’s academic journey took him from a BCom degree at the University of Delhi to clearing the CA entrance exam and attending the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He worked at Citi Bank for two years and founded the startup Advanced Telemedia Pvt. Ltd, and later worked as a senior management consultant in KPMG’s Strategy Services Group. 

Aman Gupta also earned an MBA degree from the Kellogg School Of Management and served as the director of sales at Harman International. Five years after this role, Aman Gupta, alongside co-founder Sameer Mehta, established boAt. As an angel investor in various companies, including Shiprocket, Anveshan, and others, and as the CMO of boAt, Aman Gupta’s current net worth is estimated at INR 700 crore.

Amit Jain

Amit Jain, born on 12th November 1976, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, is the co-founder and CEO of CarDekho. CarDekho, founded in 2008, is a platform that helps users make informed decisions when purchasing vehicles. This unicorn startup digitizes the auto ecosystem by providing a car search platform and is valued at an estimated $1.2 billion. Amit Jain, the richest shark on the list of judges of Shark Tank India, co-founded CarDekho with his younger brother Anurag Jain, who serves as the COO of the company. 

Amit Jain acquired a bachelor’s degree in technology from the Institute of Technology, Delhi, and began his career as a software engineer at Tata Consultancy Services. Later, he joined a Texas-based company, Trilogy, in various roles. After seven years, Amit Jain, along with his brother, founded GirnarSoft, a software company that retails eyewear in the USA. Subsequently, they established the CarDekho portal and expanded their business with other platforms such as CollegeDekho, InsuranceDekho, and BikeDekho. 

CarDekho has acquired multiple companies, and Amit Jain’s net worth is estimated at INR 2,980 crore.

Anupam Mittal

Anupam Mittal, born on 23rd December, 1971, in Mumbai, India, is the founder of Shaadi.com, Makaan.com, Mauj mobile, and CEO of People Group, the parent company. Shaadi.com, established in 1996, is the world’s largest matrimony and matchmaking social networking platform.

Anupam Mittal pursued an MBA in Operations and Statistic Management from Boston University in Massachusetts. Following his graduation, he worked as a product manager at the software company MicroStrategy in Washington DC. He later founded Shaadi.com and established People Group, which includes platforms like Makaan.com and Mauj. 

Anupam Mittal is also the founder and co-president of H2 India and a founder member and former president of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). He is involved with companies like Grip, ShaadiSaga, and Kae Capital as an advisor and serves on the Regional Advisory board of the Fuqua School of Business. With investments in over 200 startups, Anupam Mittal’s net worth is estimated at INR 185 crore.

Azhar Iqubal

Azhar Iqubal, born on 7th October 1992, in Aligarh, India, is the CEO and co-founder of InShorts and Public App. InShorts, established in 2013, is a news application that condenses news articles into 60-word summaries, making news more accessible and less time-consuming. 

InShorts is valued at approximately $550 million as of 2021. Azhar Iqubal is one of the newest and highly successful additions to the judges of Shark Tank India cast, promising to make the show even more captivating for viewers.

Azhar Iqubal initially joined the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, to study Mathematics and Computer Engineering. However, he dropped out of IIT to pursue his entrepreneurial career. With his IIT peers, Anunay Pandey and Deepit Purkayastha, he founded InShorts, which turned profitable within five years. 

Azhar Iqubal has received numerous awards and honors, including Forbes’ 30 Under 30 List of India, 40 Under 40 List by Forbes, Entrepreneur Of the Year Award (2022), and Aegis Graham Bell Award for Innovative Mobile App (2022). His net worth is estimated to be slightly over INR 500 crore.

Deepinder Goyal

Deepinder Goyal, born on 26th January 1983, in Muktsar, Punjab, is the co-founder and CEO of Zomato, an online food delivery and restaurant guide platform that enables users to order food for delivery. Zomato, founded in 2008, is valued at an estimated $8.59 billion as of 2021. Deepinder Goyal is one of the newest additions to the judges of Shark Tank India cast, bringing his entrepreneurial expertise to the show.

Deepinder Goyal faced challenges during his school years but managed to crack the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) on his first attempt after pursuing engineering at IIT. 

He launched his first delivery startup, Foodlet, followed by a stint as an Associate Consultant at Bain and Company. Later, with his brother Anurag Jain, he established the software company GirnarSoft, which laid the foundation for CarDekho. Afterward, he founded Zomato, previously known as Foodiebay, with Pankaj Chaddah. Zomato has acquired 15 organizations, and Deepinder Goyal’s net worth is estimated at INR 2,030 crore.

Namita Thapar

Namita Thapar, born on 21st March 1977, in Pune, Maharashtra, is the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, a multinational Indian pharmaceutical company valued at approximately $368 million as of 2006. Namita Thapar emerged as the shark who invested the most money in Shark Tank India Season 2, with an investment totaling INR 19.04 crore.

Namita Thapar pursued BCom from Savitribai Phule Pune University, qualified as a Chartered Accountant, and later pursued an MBA from Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, Durham. She worked at GlaxoSmithKline and Guidant Corporation, followed by her appointment as CFO at Emcure Pharmaceuticals. In 2017, she founded the educational company ‘Incredible Ventured Ltd.’ 

Namita is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization and a trustee on the TiE Mumbai Board of Trustees. She is also involved in government programs like ‘Champions of Change,’ ‘The Woman Entrepreneurship Platform,’ and ‘Digital Health Task Force’ by Niti Aayog. Additionally, Namita is an author, with the book ‘The Dolphin and the Shark’ under her name, published by Penguin Random House India. Her net worth is estimated at INR 600 crore.

Peyush Bansal

Peyush Bansal, born on 26th April 1985, in New Delhi, is the co-founder and CEO of Lenskart, an online optical platform retailing prescription and non-prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and accessories. Lenskart, established in 2010, is valued at an estimated $4.5 billion. Peyush Bansal’s net worth is estimated at INR 600 crore.

Peyush Bansal pursued a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from McGill University, Canada, followed by a post-graduation in entrepreneurship from IIM Bangalore. He worked as a program manager at Microsoft and launched a campus classified portal, ‘searchmycampus.com.’ 

Later, he founded Valyoo Technologies, retailing eyewear in the USA. Subsequently, Peyush Bansal, along with Amit Chaudhary and Sumeet Kapahi, launched Lenskart in 2010. Peyush Bansal has been recognized with various awards, including the Red Herring Top 100 Asia Award in 2012.

Ritesh Agarwal

Ritesh Agarwal, born on 16th November 1993, in Cuttack, Odisha, is the founder and CEO of OYO, a hotel booking platform focused on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs. OYO is valued at an estimated $2.7 billion as of 2022. Ritesh Agarwal is one of the latest additions to Shark Tank India Season 3, bringing his youth and success to the show. 

Ritesh Agarwal is a college dropout from the Indian School of Business and Finance. He attended the University of London’s International Programme but decided to pursue entrepreneurship instead. In 2013, he launched OYO and became the first Asian to receive a ‘Thiel Fellowship,’ a two-year program led by PayPal founder Peter Thiel. 

His net worth is estimated at INR 16,462 crore, making him the second youngest self-made billionaire in the world and the richest self-made Indian under 40.

Vineeta Singh

Vineeta Singh, born in Anand, Gujarat, in 1983, hails from Delhi, India. She is the co-founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics, a cruelty-free makeup brand. Sugar Cosmetics is valued at approximately $100 million as of 2021. Vineeta Singh’s net worth is estimated at INR 300 crore.

Vineeta Singh pursued engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, followed by an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. During her MBA, she interned at Deutsche Bank in London and New York and completed another internship at ITC Limited in Kolkata. After completing her MBA, Vineeta had a job offer with a stipend of INR 1 crore per annum but turned it down to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. She worked for a monthly salary of INR 10,000 while laying the foundation for her business. She later became the Director at Quetzal Online Pvt. Ltd. and launched her beauty product supply company, FAB BAG. 

In 2015, Vineeta Singh launched Sugar Cosmetics. She also acquired the rights to launch her own range of sugar cosmetics, ‘SUGAR X WONDER WOMAN,’ in 2021.

Shark Tank India Season 3 Host

Rahul Dua, who hosted Shark Tank India Season 2, is making a return as the host for Season 3. Rahul Dua, born in Ludhiana, Punjab, in 1992, is an investment banker turned standup comedian, actor, and content creator. He holds a BTech degree in Electronics and Communications from Thapar University, Patiala, and an MBA in finance and marketing from the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi. 

Rahul Dua is also the runner-up of Comicstaan Season 1. His wit and humor will undoubtedly captivate both the sharks and the audience in the upcoming Shark Tank India Season 3.

Shark Tank India Season 3 Registration

The registration process for Shark Tank India Season 3 began on June 3, 2023, exclusively on the SonyLIV app and the SonyLIV website. Aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to register their startups, although the process is known for its rigor and thoroughness.