Raleigh-based entrepreneur Sajjan Agarwal joins Rishihood University in India as founder

Currently, he serves as the chairman and CEO of GreenHawk Corporation, a company headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Sajjan Agarwal has joined Rishihood University in India as founder. / Courtesy Photo

Raleigh-based entrepreneur Sajjan Agarwal has joined the board of Rishihood University in India as a founder, an announcement said on May.31. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Sajjan moved to the United States after completing his engineering degree.

Currently, Agarwal serves as the chairman and CEO of GreenHawk Corporation, headquartered in Raleigh. He is involved in several philanthropic boards, including Duke Hospital Raleigh, Ekal USA, YMCA, and the Hindu Society of North Carolina.

The Asha & Sajjan Agarwal Foundation that his family founded has focused on initiatives in education, hunger eradication, homelessness prevention, and the promotion of visual and performing arts.

A seasoned entrepreneur and philanthropist, Agarwal founded Sigma Electric Corporation in 1981, specializing in offshore manufacturing and supply chain management. Under his visionary leadership, Sigma Electric expanded to supply thousands of electrical components to major corporations globally, with operations in both India and the United States. In 2007, he sold the business to Goldman Sachs.

He completed his engineering degree at the Birla Institute of Technology in Mesra, Ranchi, India, and later earned an MBA in Finance from Michigan State University.

Board members of the university. / Courtesy Photo

Agarwal said he looks forward to his new role as founder at Rishihood University, which is an impact-focused institution established through collective philanthropy.

“The time is right in India’s journey and its growing relations with other countries, particularly the USA. I am motivated by Rishihood’s philosophy of being inspired by India’s civilizational ethos and its 21st-century potential. I think we need more such initiatives to maximize impact,” Agarwal said.

Rishihood University has founders and donors from various countries, including Australia, Singapore, and the UK. The former Indian Railways Minister, Suresh Prabhu, serves as the founder-chancellor of Rishihood University, and billionaire Motilal Oswal is also among its founders. Boston-based entrepreneur and investor Dr Suresh Jain is also one of the initial founders of Rishihood.

Prabhu said, “The inclusion of Sajjan Agarwal as a founder further strengthens Rishihood University's mission to create impact through education. Sajjan’s involvement will expand the university’s global reach, especially in the USA.”

The university boasts a 25-acre residential campus near Delhi. The vice-chancellor and other faculty members have previously held positions in prestigious organizations such as Stanford University, Amazon, Deloitte, Yale University, University of Maryland, and Indiana University.