Born and raised in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, Sanjeev Barnwal grew up in a modest middle-class household. His father worked at Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), and life revolved around discipline, education, and quiet ambition.
A turning point came when he moved to Ranchi to study at DAV JVM Shyamali. There, he encountered his first computer and accessed the internet for the first time — an experience he has often described as opening an entirely new universe. It wasn’t luxury that inspired him, but possibility.
That spark would soon become a lifelong pursuit.
Sanjeev Barnwal: IIT Delhi – Where Engineering Met Imagination
Sanjeev cleared the highly competitive IIT-JEE and joined IIT Delhi (2008–2012), earning a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering. While academics sharpened his fundamentals, it was robotics that truly captured his imagination.
He built machines, competed in technical contests, and won multiple awards — not for the sake of trophies, but for the thrill of creating something functional from scratch. These years shaped his thinking: technology wasn’t just about code or circuits; it was about solving real problems elegantly.
Sony Japan: Mastering World-Class Engineering
After graduating in 2012, Sanjeev moved to Tokyo, Japan, to join Sony’s elite Core Technology team — a dream destination for many engineers.
For three years, he worked on:
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DSLR camera technology (Sony Alpha series)
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Cyber-shot imaging systems
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Xperia smartphone cameras
The work was sophisticated, global, and rewarding. Yet, something felt incomplete.
Despite professional success, Sanjeev began asking a deeper question:
“Who is my work really helping?”
The answer pushed him toward a bold decision.
Sanjeev Barnwal: The Leap of Faith – Returning Home Without a Plan
In 2015, Sanjeev reached out to his IIT Delhi wing-mate, Vidit Aatrey, who was then working at InMobi. What followed was not a polished startup pitch, but an honest conversation about purpose.
Both quit their jobs in June 2015 and returned to India — without a fixed business model.
This wasn’t recklessness. It was conviction.
From Fashnear to Meesho: Learning Through Failure
Their first venture, Fashnear, was a hyperlocal fashion discovery app designed to connect customers with nearby stores. While the idea was promising, adoption was slow. Shopkeepers didn’t see enough value, and scaling proved difficult.
Instead of forcing success, Sanjeev observed behavior.
He noticed homemakers and small sellers using WhatsApp and Facebook to sell unbranded products within their networks. This grassroots commerce was organic, trust-based, and growing rapidly.
That insight led to a decisive pivot.
Meesho — short for “Meri Shop” — was born.
Humble Beginnings, Massive Vision
Meesho began in a two-bedroom flat in Koramangala, Bengaluru, with a dining table doubling as an office desk. But what it lacked in resources, it made up for in clarity.
Sanjeev Barnwal, as CTO, focused relentlessly on:
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Building scalable, low-cost systems
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Designing for non-metro users
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Optimizing apps for low bandwidth and affordable smartphones
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Creating trust-driven social commerce infrastructure
His philosophy was simple yet radical:
Build for Bharat first. Scale will follow.
Engineering for Bharat at Unprecedented Scale
Under Sanjeev Barnwal’s leadership, Meesho’s entire tech stack was built in-house — from logistics algorithms to recommendation engines.
Key milestones include:
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Serving 234+ million transacting users
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Powering millions of small sellers and resellers
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Becoming the first Indian startup to receive Facebook (Meta) investment in 2019
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Transforming into a public company with deep tech foundations
Meesho wasn’t just growing; it was redefining e-commerce economics for India.
The Historic IPO: December 2025
December 10, 2025, marked a defining moment.
Meesho made its highly anticipated public market debut, with shares listing at a 45–58% premium, valuing the company at approximately ₹789.3 billion (~$8.8 billion).
For Sanjeev Barnwal, the IPO wasn’t about valuation headlines. It was validation — that technology built for inclusion could win at the highest level.
Following the listing, his estimated net worth crossed $2.1 billion, yet his focus remained unchanged.
Beyond Meesho: Giving Back to the Startup Ecosystem
Sanjeev is an active angel investor, mentor, and advisor, supporting 30+ startups across India and Southeast Asia, including:
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SolarSquare Energy
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Bluelearn
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AlmaBetter
He believes founders don’t just need capital — they need clarity, patience, and honest feedback.
His contributions have earned him recognition in:
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Forbes 30 Under 30 (India & Asia)
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Fortune India 40 Under 40