Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma has praised CashKaro co-founder Swati Bhargava after her remarkable entrepreneurial journey and battle with a serious health condition came to light. Sharma highlighted how Bhargava continued raising funds for her startup even when her kidney was functioning at just 3-4%.
His reaction on X has brought attention to the entrepreneur's personal struggles behind building two successful businesses, CashKaro and EarnKaro.
"She was raising funds for her startup, while her kidney was functioning at just 3-4%," he said.
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In a video shared on Nov. 4, Swati Bhargava introduced herself and reflected on her journey from Ambala to building two businesses. She received a scholarship to study in Singapore, where she completed Classes 11 and 12. She later secured another scholarship to study at the London School of Economics (LSE).
After graduating, she worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs in London for around five years. She then joined her husband, Rohan Bhargava, to launch their business in the UK before expanding into India and building CashKaro and EarnKaro.
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CashKaro operates as a cashback and coupons platform, helping online shoppers save money on purchases. EarnKaro follows an affiliate marketing model, allowing users to share product links and earn commissions on successful purchases.
Bhargava also spoke about the challenges and mistakes she encountered while building the businesses. Her fundraising journey included investments from Kalaari Capital, the late Ratan Tata, Korea Investment Partners and Affle. The company has raised over Rs 250 crore from investors.
However, one of her toughest challenges came during CashKaro's Series C fundraising in 2022. While securing Rs 130 crore from Affle, her kidney function had fallen to just 3-4%. Her haemoglobin levels had also dropped to around 5.5.
She continued managing investor discussions and medical appointments before undergoing a kidney transplant in November 2022. Her mother donated a kidney for the transplant.
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Swati's story has since drawn attention to the personal challenges founders often face beyond business milestones. Sharma's reaction has added further visibility to Bhargava's account of perseverance through entrepreneurship and a life-threatening health crisis.
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