About Us
Digitalization has taken over every industry by a storm. The world is transitioning their businesses to powerful online experiences by building fast paced, data driven digital ecosystems. In this journey businesses are often challenged with software that is not easily scalable or adaptable to changing customer needs or business objectives. 91Social is stated with the primary objective of helping businesses navigate the complex digital transformation journeys by solving the relentless technology challenges, building customer centric software solutions, plugging organizational talent gaps and managing their technology operations.
Sunil and Gaurav started 91Social as a people first company. They strived hard to create a workplace where people are acknowledged for their work and talent is nurtured in the right way. 91Social focuses on people development rather than people management. The result is a strongly motivated team of 150 engineers that have invested their careers and future with the company.
Meet The Founders
Sunil Guttala
Founder
Sunil Guttala
Even after building a few products, running a few startups, Sunil is still a happy coder at heart. He brings Ray Ozzie’s quote "I love software, because if you can imagine something, you can build it." to life. He is a firm believer in the thinking first and coding next philosophy and is a strong advocate of blending Agile and waterfall development methodologies to achieve the fine balance between agility and predictability.
His primary expertise is in understanding customers, their businesses, and then building technology solutions to meet their targets. His experience spans developing software for large enterprise systems to mobile apps, mainframes in mid 90s to big data technologies, and to building and running product startups.
He encourages team 91Social to actively preempt problems and solve them and not to derive gratification from lines of code. This spirit drives the company forward everyday.
Shivraj Gaurav
Gaurav is 91Social’s go-to man for both sales and delivery execution. He is at an exceptional ease with forging strong relationships, building cohesive teams and bringing out the best in them. Our customers rely on him when teams hit roadblocks or when they need to plug skillset gaps.
He started a few businesses before embarking on a journey of building software solutions together with Sunil and has been instrumental in growing 91Social’s business from its budding days to a strong team of 150 people today.
He is a pure cricket aficionado and would trade a ticket to the moon for a ticket to a test match.
Shivraj Gaurav
Co-Founder
People of 91Social
Team 91Social
Tanisha Tumat
Head Of Finance & People
Hey folks!! This is Tanisha Tumat, Head of Finance and People at 91Social. Tanisha joined us in 2019 and within a month, the management recognized that she can excel in the finance department and was handed over the responsibility. The interesting fact about Tanisha is, that she has a degree of Bachelor’s Engineering in Computer Science and yet, she chose a path that she was interested in. Coming from a technical background and excelling in the finance department so effortlessly is a skill very few people possess, and 91Social recognized Tanisha as one of them. Speaking about her choice of career, she says “I think it is important to understand what we like doing and carve a career out of it. For me, that was the goal. And I am grateful to 91Social for giving me the opportunity.” In less than a year, Tanisha was handling all of the work as a people’s manager. Upon noticing this, our co-founder Gaurav asked her to hire juniors so that she can focus on more important areas. When asked about this, she said “I think that was a transitional phase for me where I became more responsible and enjoyed my role. I am proud of the work my team is doing right now.” About the leadership, Tanisha says “Sunil and Gaurav have guided me through my journey constantly. I learned everything under their wings and it is amazing that this journey has come from being an intern to being Head of Finance in such a short span.”
Daniel Feander
Business Advisor
Daniel has over 20 years of experience growing sales at SaaS companies across many industries, personally responsible for over $20 million of new business to-date. His experience spans building solid sales team, helping them forge powerful customer relationships, building and executing global sales pipeline. Based out of 91Social’s London office, Daniel is responsible for the Go-to-Market strategy for Europe, including building managing the on-the-ground sales team.
Pedro Lopes
Business Advisor
A diligent and approachable Senior Account Executive for the European market. With experience across borders in Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Croatia, Pedro seamlessly navigates diverse international business landscapes with his hardworking nature and easy-going demeanor making him exceptionally easy to talk to. With a proven track record in Logistics and Customer Service within the E-commerce industry, Pedro recognized the immense potential of 91 Social and eagerly joined our team, driven by the shared belief that together, we can make a significant impact and drive positive change.
Shahila Tharwat
Product Manager
Reading, Watching movies
91Social would like to introduce you to our Product Manager, Shahila Tharwat. She joined us in the year 2019 to help us with data parsing operations for one of our prominent Fintech clients. While she was still on this project, Shahila expressed her desire to work on a project with our director, Sunil. Coincidentally, our pdf parsing solution, Datasahi was also in the pipeline at that time and Gaurav asked Shahila to work with Sunil given her keenness. This happened to be one of her most prominent achievements at 91Social as she became one of the chief architects of Datasahi. Sharing her experience, Shahila said “I literally cannot place a better experience of working on any project than working with Sunil. It changed my approach to coding and life in general. I learnt to appreciate well written, well thought out coding solutions and to respect the business value of existing solutions regardless of my opinion of it. Personally, the learning was exponential. I am forever grateful for the opportunity.” Talking about the challenges during the project and her vision for Datasahi, she said “When you are building a product from the ground up, you are bound to face challenges. For us, I think the biggest challenge was acceptance, to convince people that our solution was better than the currently existing one in all aspects, especially performance wise. I would like very much for this product to grow from strength to strength while maintaining high standards of functionality, performance and ease of usage.”
Abdul Quyoom Bhat
Senior Software Engineer
Movies, Talking With People
This is Abdul Quyoom Bhat. He is a senior software engineer at 91Social and has worked on some of our most illustrious projects. Abdul hails from the town of Sopore in Kashmir. Post his education, he worked in a couple of established IT companies before joining 91Social. When he joined us in 2020, Abdul was looking forward to the challenge of working on different projects and improving his technical acumen in the process. His most notable contribution to a project is with one of our Fintech clients where we had to build a Card Mandate Management System for them. Ever since he joined us, Abdul has worked on four different projects. Speaking about this, he says “The best part about 91Social is that you learn something new every day. And as a developer, that is pretty much all you are looking for. To hone your skill and keep improving.” When asked about the work culture at 91Social, Abdul said “I have had a great time working with the people I have worked with. Everyone understands their role very well and goes about it with complete dedication.” About the leadership, Abdul said “Sunil and Gaurav have always given me a free hand. I’ve been allowed to explore and take ownership of my job which is what every individual expects. Gaurav has always been transparent with me and he considers any suggestions and feedback that I can give.”
Rosmi George
Software Engineer
Music, Indoor Games
Rosmi George joined 91Social in the year 2020 and is one of our top-performing software developers. Hailing from Kerala, Rosmi has had an incredible journey in her career. 91Social hired Rosmi as a software developer and she started working alongside one of our leading tech teams on a BBP project. Very soon, we recognized that she has the potential to do more, so we put her on an important project with one of our Fintech clients. When asked about her journey, Rosmi said “91Social allowed me to explore great depths in the development spectrum and I am very thankful to them for giving me this opportunity. I have learned so many new things at 91Social and it is great that I get the opportunity to work with new people on new projects frequently.” Speaking about leadership, she says “Sunil and Gaurav are more like friendly mentors to all of us. They give us the liberty to go to them any time if we face any challenges.” We wish Rosmi the best time here moving forward.
Ghulam Ali Khan
Backend Support Engineer
Cricket, Cooking
Ghulam Ali Khan is our Backend Support Engineer. He joined 91Social in the year 2021 and has been an integral part of a lending operations project with one of our Fintech clients. Ghulam hails from the state of Bihar and worked at a startup in Bangalore before joining 91Social. Recalling his initial days at 91Social, Ghulam states “I was quite skeptical in the beginning because I had worked for a startup the previous two years and was not completely satisfied with the experience. But as time went by, I came to know that 91Social was completely different. Particularly in terms of work culture and flexibility. I was very comfortable and confident working here after realizing all these things.” When asked about the project he is working on and the challenges he has faced, he said “I think it is important that each of us face challenges. I believe it improves our skillset and helps us learn constantly. I have had a mentor in Naveen who has helped me overcome any challenges I have faced in this journey so far. Sneha has been such a good manager. She never micromanages, gives me enough flexibility, and allows me to take ownership of my work.” While Ghulam is satisfied with where he is, he has high aspirations to contribute more to the success of 91Social. “I am looking forward to pushing my limits, working on different projects, and learning more as we move ahead.”
Vanshika Shukla
People Executive
Traveling, Dancing, And Cooking
This is Vanshika Shukla, Human Resources Associate at 91Social. She started with us as an intern in the year 2020 amidst the pandemic. When remote work had just begun across the business industry, Vanshika too found it quite difficult to grasp at the beginning. However, our management saw something special in her which is why they offered her a permanent role in the company. In the space of less than a month in 2021, Vanshika solely managed the onboarding of 50 employees which is a rigorous task any day. She was so focused and responsible during this period that she did not even realize it until our co-founder, Gaurav, told her so. In November 2021, Vanshika faced challenges managing her responsibilities as her post-graduation had come up. This is when the company eased the burden on her by hiring two interns to work with her. Speaking about her journey, Vanshika says “I am someone who has committed several mistakes throughout my career and learned from them. It is what I continue to do even to this day. I would like to credit Tanisha and Gaurav for where I am today as they have supported me in different ways throughout the journey. Handling a team of my own has been great and I want to give them the freedom to explore like I was.” When asked about what highlights her journey, she said “91Social provided me flexibility with my timings which has allowed me to attend college and work simultaneously.”
Sneha Rani
Sr. Software Enginneer
Singing, Dancing
Meet Sneha Rani. She is a Senior Software Engineer at 91Social. Sneha was recruited in 2021 and has been working on one of our prominent projects with a Fintech client. Right from the beginning, Sneha has been a team player and a quick learner which made her a crucial member of this team. Speaking about her experience in the initial few months, she says “The one thing I love about working here is that we are allowed to learn. Before joining 91Social, my knowledge of coding was quite limited. So it would be fair to say that I have enhanced my skill set by many notches in the last year or so. The major highlight of this is learning React while working on this project simultaneously.” When asked about the work culture, Sneha said “I have heard about the excellent work environment everybody experiences at the office. I am looking forward to visiting the office at some point which I have not done yet. I’ve wanted to work remotely and I am thankful 91Social has allowed me to do it.” Talking about the people she has worked with so far, Sneha highlights “These people are everything a team must be. Everyone is highly cooperative, helpful, and always learning from each other. We help each other carry out tasks more productively and overcome any challenges that come before us. In my journey so far, Amlan and Gaurav have been very supportive to me.”
Shailesh Singh
Sr. Software Enginneer
Cricket, History, TV Shows
Shailesh Singh is a senior software engineer at 91Social. He hails from Gwalior and completed his education in the city of Indore. Shailesh joined us in 2019 as an associate software engineer and was almost immediately placed in a project with a Fintech client. He was tasked with handling the front end part of this along with a few others from 91Social. This is where he displayed a great amount of technical prowess. He became a quick learner and started to pick up on exemplary coding skills working with some of 91Social’s best. Recalling one of these experiences, Shailesh says “I’ve spent a lot of time working with Amlan in a few of my earlier projects. I think his guidance has been a crucial aspect in my journey and it helped me a great deal to enhance my skill set.” As time went by, Shailesh started playing an integral part in every project he was a part of. He was a part of the team bringing in new engineers to the company based on client requirements. Speaking about this, he says “91Social is like a home to me. While coding is something I have always enjoyed, taking interviews to bring in the younger engineers to the company is an experience I will always cherish. I am quite happy with where I am but obviously look forward to getting better every day.” When asked about the leadership, Shailesh says “Both Sunil and Gaurav are inspiring leaders who have always allowed each individual to take ownership of his or her work.”
Ravichandra Balegar
Backend Support Enginneer
Reading, Watching movies
91Social introduces you to one of our most experienced backend developers, Ravichandra Balegar. Ravi hails from the town of Shimoga in Karnataka and worked for another IT company before 91Social found him in 2018. He is one of our most experienced employees. When Ravi joined us, he was looking for a place where he could grow skill-wise which he had lacked in his short career up to this point. He believed in developing simple and effective code structures instead of lengthy ones. His first experience of working on a project was perhaps one of his best as he got to work closely with Sunil. Speaking about that experience, Ravi said “Sunil has a dynamic problem-solving method. If you are stuck with a code, he never tells you the solution directly but instead guides you through it which means you can learn what is to be done in such situations.” After working on this project for nearly a year, Ravi worked on the Mesh Dynamics project for another year. Ever since then, he has been handling various projects for a leading fintech client. Speaking about his journey overall, he says “I have always drawn inspiration from Sunil. He is our leader but when you are working with him, he is purely a developer. He is a down-to-earth individual and is very humble about his achievements which is also what I want for me moving forward.”
Saurabh Thakur
Business Development Manager
Cricket, Badminton, and Travelling
This is 91Social’s Senior Business Development Manager, Saurabh Thakur. He is an integral part of our office culture and can be considered the engine room of our sales department. Saurabh joined us in 2020 after he worked as a Digital Marketing Executive in his previous company. Interestingly, Saurabh was placed in his previous company by 91Social as part of our staff augmentation services. Prior to this, Saurabh went through several starts and stops in his career which he considers a major learning. When asked about why he shifted to a new role at 91Social, Saurabh said “I think I have always wanted to do sales. Yes, I achieved great success and immense learning in digital marketing. But doing sales has always been my forte. I love talking to people, I love convincing them. This is why when 91Social offered me this role, I was sure I wanted to come here.” After facing a few challenges on the strategic part initially, Saurabh finally cracked the code and started to bring in customers in abundance. About his journey so far at 91Social, he says “There have been ups and downs, but it has been an incredible experience. I have been given a free hand to explore my strategies and gauge what business is good for us. This freedom is something every individual in the industry looks for.” Talking about leadership, he says, “I have always been supported by the leaders. Hubert’s knowledge of sales is exemplary and I know I can go to him with anything at any time and he will help out. Gaurav and Sunil, have been the two pillars of support in my journey here. There have been phases where I could not bring any customers. But they always backed me due to which I bounced back. I am looking to achieve so much more here and become an evolved version of Saurabh Thakur.”
Naveen
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Support Enginneer
Playing Cricket,Travelling, & Indoor Games
Naveen is one of our most experienced backend developers. He joined 91Social in 2019 after having worked at another company for a brief period. When Naveen first came in, he was quite skeptical of how it would be for him because 91Social was still finding ground in terms of the number of employees. Naveen’s first stint here was working as a backend developer for one of our earlier projects with OPDLift. His technical skill was so impeccable that our management would place him on new projects with complete faith. Shortly after working on a couple more projects, he was put into a four-member team in a project with a fintech client where he had to look into the technical part of lending operations. Today, our team there has grown to the strength of 33 members and Naveen is the senior-most member in terms of experience. He has been part of all our projects with this client and now knows the process better than anybody else. Speaking about his journey, Naveen says “When I first came in, I asked Gaurav if this would work for me. And he was like if you want to learn and grow, pack up and come here. And I am so thankful to 91Social because it has turned out exactly this way. I am very satisfied with the journey so far and would like to give the credit to Sunil who was such a pillar of support at the beginning of my journey here.”
Piravin
Backend Support Enginneer
Carrom Board, Traveling
Piravin is a Backend Support Engineer at 91Social. He hails from Tamil Nadu and joined us in 2021 after working at another firm for a brief period. Ever since he joined 91Social, Piravin felt quite comfortable and had a feel-good factor regarding his growth here. He was placed in a lending operations project with one of our Fintech clients where he took care of backend support. Speaking about his initial experience, Piravin says “I think, first of all, the fact that I was allowed remote work was very important considering the fact that I come from a different state. Initially, it took me some time to understand the process and Naveen was extremely helpful in getting me where I am. He has plenty of experience and learning from him has been a highlight of my time here.” Speaking about the work culture and flexibility provided by the leaders, Piravin spoke with a lot of gratitude “Neither have I seen nor heard about any company doing this. Right at the beginning, I could not start working on my joining date due to personal reasons. Gaurav allowed me to take this time off and come to work after my issues were sorted. I am extremely thankful to him for that.” When asked about his work on the project, Piravin stated “Sneha is an excellent manager. She provides not only me but everyone with the flexibility and freedom to go about their work. And I think such leadership is important for us to achieve productivity.”
Mohan Raj
UI/UX Designer
Bike Riding, and Gaming
Meet Mohan Raj. He is the UI/UX creative designer at 91Social. Mohan joined us in 2020 as an intern and after proving to be excellent at what he does, was hired as a permanent employee after a month. Passionate about graphics and design, Mohan enjoyed his role right from the outset and soon started playing an integral role in revamping our website, creating designs for social media, promotions, and more. Talking about his early experience, Mohan said “91Social is my first experience working with an organization. I was not too familiar with technologies and the kind of designs we needed to create for audience engagement. But the people here are so welcoming and supportive that I could pick up things quickly.” In his journey here so far, Mohan has contributed to the revamping of the 91Social website twice. Recalling this, he says “I think no one can ever forget their first experience obviously. But for me, I think it was a major learning curve when we revamped the website just recently. I was part of a more elaborate team which had people coming up with so many brilliant ideas. It has been my best experience so far.” Talking about the culture, Mohan said “I cannot complain about anything. I have been given the flexibility to work remotely when I want which also helps me explore my passion of bike riding. And more or less, it’s the team that makes a good culture. I love working under the wings of an experienced individual like Rakesh. I have learned so much from him. Also, Hubert and team have played a crucial role in helping me reach where I am.”
Pulkit
Welcome to 91social, where we are proud to introduce you to our first employee story of Pulkit Sharma, a passionate individual from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, who brings a stellar combination of dedication, personal growth, and a customer-focused mindset to our team. Pulkit's life journey has been filled with valuable life lessons. His passion for staying fit, exploring spirituality's connection with modern science, and his commitment to self-improvement have shaped him into the person he is today. Through his experiences, he has gained a deeper understanding of both his strengths and weaknesses, allowing him to approach challenges from a different perspective. Pulkit highlights that one of his significant achievements was his involvement with the Service Selection Board and interviews for the Indian Defense forces, including the Army, Navy, Airforce, and Coastguard. The demanding selection process helped him evolve as an individual and analyze himself at an atomic level. By reflecting on his own psychology, deciphering his mental abilities, mastering effective communication, and reassessing his physical capabilities, it has developed for him a professional experience spanning over 7 years. The process of meeting new people, enduring rigorous assessments, and embracing the Indian Army's motto of "service before self" has nurtured his customer-centric approach to problem-solving. This approach equips him to tackle all problem statements and user stories with a focus on meeting the needs of the users. Beyond the financial stability that 91social provides, it also offered Pulkit a platform to explore new business opportunities, connect with people, plan for the future, and embark on new adventures in life. He cherishes the chance to continuously learn, grow, and take on new challenges.
Nipun Roy
91social is built on the “people first” mission and the second person with us on our journey is Nipun, an individual with a deep passion for travel, business exploration, and spirituality. Nipun's journey began in a small city in Bihar and led him to the garden city, Bangalore. Nipun recalls embarking on a path of Computer Science Engineering. However, driven by his curiosity and ambition, he decided to venture into marketing and sales while pursuing studies part-time. This bold move allowed him to gain practical experience and a deeper understanding of the business world. Along the way, he had the privilege of traveling to different states in India and various cities in the Middle East, immersing himself in diverse cultures and learning about different business mindsets. Nipun's journey also involved developing strong public speaking skills. He honed his ability to present business plans to individuals and large gatherings, ranging from 500 to 1000 people which not only expanded his communication skills but also instilled in him the confidence to connect with diverse audiences. However, like most of the world, Nipun faced a significant setback when the first wave of COVID-19 struck. The business he was involved in took a downturn, prompting him to reassess his career path. Despite the challenges he encountered, Nipun drew invaluable life lessons from these difficult times. He highlights that it taught him resilience and the importance of finding ways to simplify life amidst adversity. Nipun's motivation in life revolves around the pursuit of financial prosperity and recognition. He believes that with money and fame, he can make a positive impact on the lives of others. This altruistic mindset underscores his desire to help and uplift those around him.