Aishwarya Lakshmi Singh

Aishwarya is a 32-year-old entrepreneur based in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, where she has been running a Honda two-wheeler dealership for the past six years. Having built the business from the ground up, her entrepreneurial journey has given her a deep understanding of responsibility, perseverance, employment creation and the importance of engaging meaningfully with people from diverse backgrounds.

Her journey has been shaped by a strong academic foundation and an early interest in economics, development, and public policy. She completed her schooling at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Waverly, Mussoorie, and her senior schooling at Notre Dame Academy, Patna. She subsequently pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Economics Honours from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi, followed by postgraduate studies in Economic Development at the London School of Economics.

Following her studies, Aishwarya gained early professional experience in the development and research sector. She worked as an intern under Dr. Manisha Priyam on AQuery, a research initiative involving researchers from the London School of Economics and partners at Jawaharlal Nehru University. The project examined political behaviour, democratic processes, and changing electoral dynamics across rural India. She later worked as a Research Assistant with the India Development Foundation on Project Disha, a collaborative initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the India Development Foundation, supported by the IKEA Foundation, which sought to empower one million underprivileged women in India.

Although her career subsequently took her in a different direction, from development research to entrepreneurship, her early experiences left a lasting impression. Her work as an entrepreneur has given her an equally valuable perspective—one grounded in creating employment, taking responsibility for people and outcomes, and building something independently through determination and hard work.

Aishwarya is married to a businessman, and the couple has a three-year-old daughter. Motherhood has further strengthened her awareness of the opportunities that shape a child’s future, particularly access to education, security, encouragement, and a nurturing environment. It has also prompted her to reflect more deeply on children who grow up without access to the opportunities that many others are fortunate to receive.

Much of Aishwarya’s outlook on life is rooted in the values imparted by her parents. They gave her not only access to education and opportunity, but also the confidence, resilience, and courage to navigate uncertainty and pursue her aspirations.

One of the most profound influences on her life was her late mother, Dr. Pinky Singh. A doctor who completed her medical education at Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi, Dr. Singh was remembered not only for her professional dedication but also for her extraordinary compassion and ability to connect with people. Her patients saw in her more than a physician treating an illness; they saw someone who understood their suffering, empathised with them, and gave them the confidence to face difficult circumstances with hope and dignity.

Although Dr. Singh passed away at a young age, the values she embodied continue to influence Aishwarya. Her mother’s life instilled in her the belief that success is measured not only by personal achievement, but also by the positive difference one is able to make in the lives of others.

Aishwarya considers herself fortunate to have received opportunities made possible by her family, education, mentors, and life experiences. This sense of gratitude has developed into a desire to give back and help create opportunities for those who have had fewer.

Her interest in contributing to the trust stems from this belief. She hopes that her contribution will support children from underprivileged backgrounds, particularly by helping provide access to education, dignity, encouragement, and the confidence to imagine a better future. For her, philanthropy is not simply an act of charity, but a means of extending the opportunities and privileges she herself has been fortunate enough to receive.

Aishwarya believes that supporting an underprivileged child is ultimately an investment in a future that might otherwise remain unrealised. If her contribution can help even a few children gain access to education, confidence, and meaningful opportunities, she would regard it as a way of giving back to society and of carrying forward the values she inherited from her parents and, most importantly, the enduring legacy of her mother.