25-year-old entrepreneur and philanthropist
Today’s tech-savvy generation has seen the birth of many an entrepreneur. But entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist? Much lesser.. and certainly not one who is 25-years-old. That is the distinction young Vishal Kalra has achieved in the shortest possible time.
Born in the small village of Apra in Jalandhar city, Vishal was all of 18 when he began his arduous journey as an entrepreneur-cum-philanthropist. At an age when young boys can only be engaged with sports, Vishal was busy organising blood camps, clothes collection campaigns, eye donation awareness camps, tree plantations, and free medical checkups in tandem with an NGO.
Working his way up from the grassroot and accumulating adequate know-how along the way, he started his own government registered NGO at the age of 22, ‘Apra Blood Sewa’, which is running successfully till date.
This amalgamation of passion, courage and killer instinct is what led him to the achievement of his IT startup, ‘Designistic’. Speaking about the idea behind Designistic, Vishal says, “Instead of looking for a lucrative job, I was always in search of an idea that created jobs.”
As is often the case, Vishal started Designistic from his home with the investment of a laptop. Designistic offers a plethora of services towards developing your brand. It is almost like a one-stop solution to all your IT needs and has achieved tremendous success in a very short span of time.
So how did this small town boy achieve the impossible? Vishal pursued his B.Com (Professional) from DRV DAV College, Phillaur, followed by an MBA (Finance & Marketing) from GNA University, Phagwara. “I’m not a dreamer, but a creator,” he says, adding, “Being able to handle stumbling blocks with patience and hard work made it possible for me to last and outshine in this tech-savvy world.”
Those who know him insist Vishal was always an avid learner on a quest for knowledge and innovation. In 2018, he got pre-placed in Justdial as a sales executive. In three months, he progressed and joined Kantar IMRB as a field in-charge for Punjab, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chandigarh. After learning all he could in five months, Vishal had the blueprint of Designistic ready.
“Designistic has no employees, I haven’t hired anyone on a salary basis. I have a team of 28 freelancers with different expertise whom I work with as per requirement,” explains Vishal.
Today, Designistic holds the distinction of an ISO 9001:2015 Certified Company. Vishal reveals that the startup revolutionised his life in the way it provided him opportunities to flourish. In addition to domestic clients, Designistic boasts a slew of foreign clients today.
“The business is nurturing and it will continue to grow. Life throws curveballs and the way we handle it makes all the difference. The world’s most successful people have also faced setbacks but to be able to lift yourself is what makes you stand apart. I believe that there’s much to learn and explore and I aim to make my company a worldwide niche brand in the sector of IT.”
Interestingly, Vishal is also working towards expanding it as a franchisee. If that happens, Designistic will become a pioneer IT company with its own franchisee.
Ask Vishal what keeps him motivated even when the chips are down, and he’s quick to credit his success to his humble upbringing. His father, Rakesh Kalra, is a bank professional, while his mother Geeta Kalra is a homemaker.
“Their continuous support and assistance is the reason I have been able to reach my zenith at such a young age. Throughout their life, they have done so much for me.. “And now it is my turn,” he says.
In all of 25 years, Vishal has accumulated many professional certifications at national and international levels. He has also been awarded and appreciated at various competitions and events. The latest recognition in his kitty has been winning the Young Entrepreneur Award 2020 by Indian Achievers Award and Global Icons Award 2020 as a Youth Icon in Web Development and IT services in Pan India.
Vishal’s journey has been nothing short of spectacular, but he’s quick to downplay his success with wise words that betray his young age: “It takes time to nurture and develop achievements and success. For me, success is nothing major but a state of contentment achieved with the fusion of never-ending efforts and diligence.”
