In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of India’s venture capital industry, the role of legal professionals has become increasingly pivotal. Dive into the world of such professionals, who are at the forefront of this domain, steering their firms through the intricacies of the legal world with unmatched expertise and dedication.

1. Dr Syed Shah Samiullah Hussaini (Head – Legal, VenturEast (APIDC Venture Capital))

Dr Syed Shah Samiullah Hussaini is the Head of Administration & Legal at VenturEast. With a remarkable career spanning 35 years, Dr. Hussaini has established himself as a seasoned expert in legal and administrative affairs within the venture capital industry. His extensive experience and leadership have been pivotal in navigating complex legal landscapes, making him a highly respected figure in the sector.

2. Sanjay Gandhi (Head – Legal, Compliance & Fundraising, Artha Venture Fund)

Sanjay Gandhi serves as the Head of Legal at Artha Venture Fund. With 23 years of professional experience, he has a wealth of knowledge in legal compliance and financial management. Sanjay’s expertise in fundraising and legal compliance has been instrumental in driving the success of Artha Venture Fund, ensuring the firm’s adherence to legal standards while fostering growth.

3. Vimal Sota (Executive Director – Legal & Compliance, Everstone Group)

Vimal Sota is the Executive Director of Legal & Compliance at Everstone Group. Over his 22-year career, Sota has developed a robust understanding of legal frameworks and compliance requirements in the venture capital space. His role at Everstone Group involves overseeing legal strategies and ensuring regulatory compliance, which has been crucial for the firm’s operations and reputation.

4. Amritha Salian (Head – Legal, Chiratae Ventures)

Amritha Salian is the Head of Legal at Chiratae Ventures, with 17 years of experience in the legal domain. Her comprehensive knowledge of legal issues in the venture capital industry has been essential for Chiratae Ventures. Salian’s role involves managing legal risks and providing strategic legal advice to support the firm’s investment activities.

5. Kartikeya Singh (Executive Vice President and Head of Legal, BPEA Credit)

Kartikeya Singh is the Executive Vice President and Head of Legal at BPEA Credit. With over two decades of experience in the legal field, Singh has a deep understanding of legal frameworks and compliance. His role involves overseeing legal operations and ensuring regulatory adherence, contributing significantly to the firm’s success.

6. Vinayak Mishra (General Counsel, Lightspeed India Partners Advisors)

Vinayak Mishra serves as the General Counsel at Lightspeed India Partners Advisors. With 16 years of legal expertise, Mishra is responsible for managing the firm’s legal affairs, ensuring compliance, and providing strategic legal advice. His contributions have been vital in navigating the complex legal landscape of venture capital.

7. Avanti Natu (Director – Legal, Pravega Ventures)

Avanti Natu is the Director of Legal at Pravega Ventures. Bringing 15 years of experience to the table, Avanti’s role involves overseeing legal processes, ensuring regulatory compliance, and mitigating legal risks. Her expertise has been instrumental in the firm’s operations and growth.

8. Sanea Vakaliya (Director – Finance & Legal, IIMA Ventures)

Sanea Vakaliya is the Director of Finance & Legal at IIMA Ventures. With 20 years of experience, Vakaliya combines her financial acumen with legal expertise to manage the firm’s legal and financial strategies, ensuring robust compliance and risk management.

9. Tanmay Amar (Director – Legal, Omidyar Network India)

Tanmay Amar is the Director of Legal Operations at Omidyar Network. With 17 years of experience, Amar oversees the firm’s legal strategies, ensuring compliance and managing legal risks. His expertise has been pivotal in navigating the complex legal landscape of venture capital in India.

10. Karishma Dalvi (Head – Legal, Blume Ventures)

Karishma Dalvi is the Head of Legal functions at Blume Ventures. With 13 years of legal experience, Karishma is responsible for managing the firm’s legal affairs, ensuring compliance, and providing strategic legal advice. Her role is essential in mitigating legal risks and ensuring regulatory adherence.

11. Apurva Rai (Senior Vice President – Legal, WestBridge Capital)

Apurva Rai brings 16 years of extensive experience in the legal sector to WestBridge Capital. He plays a crucial role in overseeing the firm’s legal strategies and ensuring compliance with corporate governance and regulatory requirements. His leadership and in-depth knowledge are instrumental in driving forward WestBridge Capital’s investment objectives.

12. Abhinav Shukla (Head – Legal & Venture Growth, Alpha Wave Global)

With 16 years of legal experience, Abhinav Shukla manages the legal aspects of Alpha Wave Global’s venture growth initiatives. His expertise includes drafting and negotiating complex legal agreements and providing strategic legal counsel to support the firm’s expansion and investment strategies.

13. Bijal Shah (Associate Vice President – Legal, IvyCap Ventures Advisors Private Limited)

Bijal Shah handles legal due diligence, contract negotiations, and regulatory compliance at IvyCap Ventures. She provides legal support to the investment team, ensuring transactions adhere to legal standards and mitigating potential legal risks, making her a crucial asset to her firm.

14. Arjun Sharma (Director – Legal, Peak XV Partners)

Arjun Sharma oversees the legal aspects of Peak XV Partners’ investments and operations. With 13 years of expertise, Sharma provides strategic legal advice, ensures compliance with regulatory frameworks, and manages legal risks, playing a vital role in the firm’s success.

15. Preseedha Premnath (Director – Legal, Stellaris Venture Partners)

Preseedha Premnath, with over a decade of legal experience, manages legal due diligence and ensures regulatory compliance at Stellaris Venture Partners. Leveraging her exceptional legal acumen, Preseedha provides legal counsel to support the firm’s investment activities and mitigate legal risks.

16. Sayanhya Roy (Vice President – Legal, Indian Angel Network)

Sayanhya Roy oversees all legal matters related to Indian Angel Network’s operations and investments. With 16 years of experience, Roy’s role includes drafting and negotiating agreements, ensuring regulatory compliance, and providing strategic legal advice, crucial for the firm’s growth.

17. Veda Raguraj. J (Deputy Vice President – Legal, Northern Arc Capital)

Veda Raguraj. J oversees Northern Arc Capital’s legal functions. With over a decade of experience, Raguraj manages legal documentation, ensures regulatory adherence, and provides legal support for the firm’s financial operations, ensuring legal compliance while achieving business goals.

18. Rohan Chaudhary (Head – Legal, IFCI Venture Capital Funds Ltd.)

Rohan Chaudhary, with almost a decade of legal expertise, manages legal due diligence and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements at IFCI Venture Capital Funds. His strategic legal guidance is crucial in navigating the complex and dynamic legal landscape of venture capital.

19. Aritra Roy (Vice President – Legal, Nexus Venture Partners)

Aritra Roy oversees the legal aspects of Nexus Venture Partners’ investments. With more than a decade of legal experience, Aritra ensures compliance with regulatory frameworks and provides strategic legal counsel, playing an instrumental role in navigating legal complexities and supporting the firm’s investment strategies.

20. Mayank Mishra (Vice President – Legal, True North Co)

Mayank Mishra is a seasoned legal professional serving as the Vice President of Legal at True North Co, a prominent venture capital firm in India. With 15 years of experience under his belt, Mayank has honed his expertise in navigating the complex legal landscape of the venture capital industry. His role at True North Co involves overseeing legal matters related to investments, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance, contributing significantly to the firm’s success.

21. Jitender Tanikella (Vice President – Legal, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund)

Jitender Tanikella brings 15 years of legal acumen to his role as Vice President of Legal at the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), India’s sovereign wealth fund. His extensive experience positions him as a key player in managing legal aspects of infrastructure investments and national economic development initiatives. Jitender’s expertise spans areas such as regulatory compliance, and cross-border transactions, among others, making him an invaluable asset to NIIF’s mission of accelerating India’s infrastructure growth.

22. Sukhmani Singh (Vice President – Legal, BEENEXT)

Sukhmani Singh is making waves in the venture capital sector. Sukhmani has quickly risen through the ranks to assume a leadership position at this global early-stage venture capital firm. His role involves managing legal matters for BEENEXT’s investments, particularly in India’s burgeoning startup ecosystem, showcasing his adaptability and sharp legal acumen.

23. Sadia Ashraf (Head – Legal India, Eight Roads Ventures)

Sadia Ashraf brings over 17 years of valuable experience to her distinguished position at Eight Roads Ventures. As a key figure in one of the world’s most experienced venture capital firms, Sadia plays a crucial role in shaping the legal strategy for Eight Roads’ investments in India. Her extensive experience positions her as a trusted advisor on complex legal matters, regulatory challenges, and risk management in the fast-paced world of venture capital and startup investments.

24. Gandhimadhy Varadarajan (General Counsel, LetsVenture)

With an impressive three decades of experience, Gandhimadhy Varadarajan stands out as a tenured professional, with a solid career background. As the General Counsel at LetsVenture, a leading early-stage investment platform, Gandhimadhy brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Her extensive career spans various aspects of corporate law, making her an invaluable asset in navigating the legal complexities of startup investments, angel networks, and the broader venture capital ecosystem in India.

25. Apurva Jayant (Head – Legal, Multiples Alternate Asset Management)

Apurva Jayant brings 16 years of legal expertise to her role as Head of Legal at Multiples Alternate Asset Management, a leading Indian venture capital firm. Her extensive experience encompasses a wide range of legal matters in the investment space, including deal structuring, regulatory compliance, and fund management. Apurva’s leadership is crucial in navigating the complex legal landscape of venture capital investments in India’s dynamic market.

The contributions of these leaders not only fortify the legal foundations of their respective firms but also drive the broader ecosystem towards greater transparency and growth. We celebrate these 25 legal luminaries for their remarkable achievements and their unwavering commitment to excellence in the venture capital landscape.

Disclaimer: The selection process for candidates in this news article involves rigorous evaluation by researchers, considering parameters such as industry influence, online reputation, experience, contributions, education, accolades, and followership. However, subjective criteria may lead to outcome variations, and assessments may not capture every aspect of candidates’ profiles. Selection as winners does not imply endorsement or guaranteeing future performance. Feedback is welcomed for process enhancement as we continuously strive to improve our evaluation methods.

This article is written by Mahesh Kumar Singh, Research and Analytical Manager with IST