He was rejected by IIT, then denied an H-1B visa. How his 'crushing and numbing’ setback changed his life

A rejection from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and an unexpected H-1B visa denial at Microsoft could have derailed his ambitions. Instead, these setbacks became turning points in the life of an entrepreneur who went on to co-found Snapdeal and build an investment firm. Kunal Bahl has spoken about how plans that failed to materialise eventually led him down a different path. Recalling his experiences, he urged people to keep moving forward, even when circumstances make them feel they have failed.

Kunal Bahl recalls IIT rejection and how he responded

Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2024, Bahl reflected on missing out on admission to an IIT and how the disappointment eventually led him to a different academic experience in the United States. “Many things that I wanted didn't go as per plan at that point in time,” he said, adding that the experience set him on a path that turned out to be better for him. Although he did not get into IIT, he secured admission to a good US college that, in his words, “opened my mind” and helped him blossom.

Bahl also recalled how his family reacted to the rejection. While everyone at home was upset, he chose to go out and play cricket for three hours before returning to his routine.


He explained that setbacks can make people feel as though they have failed, particularly when society reinforces that perception. His advice was to find the courage to emerge from what he described as the “bottom of that abyss” and continue moving forward.

‘Crushing and numbing’: The H-1B visa rejection at Microsoft

Bahl faced another unexpected setback in 2007, when he was working at Microsoft in the United States. He had expected to remain in the country for a few years, but his plans changed after his H-1B work visa application was rejected. ecalling the experience, Bahl said Microsoft had applied for the visa on his behalf. One day, while sitting at his desk, he received a one-line email informing him that the application had been rejected.

“I thought I would live in the US for a few years,” he said at the NDTV World Summit 2024. The visa rejection brought his plans to a halt and led him to return to India, where he began his entrepreneurial journey. Bahl said that if people continued working with “hardwork and sincerity”, success would eventually follow.

What Kunal Bahl wrote after his H-1B visa was rejected

Bahl also reflected on the experience in a social media post, recalling the moment he received the rejection email while working at Microsoft. “In 2007, sitting at my desk in Microsoft I got an email that my H1B visa was rejected,” he wrote, describing the moment as “crushing and numbing”. However, he said the decision ultimately became life-changing because it led him to move back to India.

Addressing people affected by similar circumstances, Bahl urged them to remain positive. He wrote that “there is something much bigger and better in store for you”.

Kunal Bahl’s education and entrepreneurial journey

Bahl completed his schooling at Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, before pursuing two bachelor's degrees at the University of Pennsylvania. He studied Entrepreneurship, Operations and Information Management at The Wharton School and Engineering at the university's School of Engineering and Applied Science. He also attended an executive marketing programme at the Kellogg School of Management.

He went on to co-found Snapdeal, becoming one of the entrepreneurs associated with India's internet economy. Bahl is also behind Titan Capital, an investment firm that backs startups. According to reports, Bahl's net worth is estimated at around Rs 900 crore.