R Sriram

R Sriram is a prominent figure in India's retail and entrepreneurial landscape, best known as the co-founder of Crossword, a leading bookstore chain.

He began his entrepreneurial journey by establishing bookstores across India, starting with Walden in Hyderabad in 1990 and Landmark in Chennai in 1988-89.

After co-founding Crossword in 1992, he played a pivotal role in its growth and eventual buyout by Shoppers' Stop Ltd. in 2000.

In 2006, Sriram co-founded Next Practice Retail, focusing on helping enterprises create value and providing strategic advisory services in India and abroad.

He has been actively involved in fostering entrepreneurship, serving on the board of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Mumbai and various companies in advisory roles.

Sriram is also dedicated to philanthropic endeavors, serving on the boards of non-profits like Society For Nutrition Education & Health Action (SNEHA) and Pratham Books.

His educational background includes a Senior Management Programme at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and a B Sc in Mathematics from Loyola College.

Sriram's interests span entrepreneurship, innovation, business strategy, leadership, and design thinking, reflected in his mentoring and advisory roles in the startup ecosystem.

A committed lifelong learner, he continues to share his knowledge as a visiting faculty at IIM A and a guest lecturer at various business schools.