Lightrock appoints Samir Abhyankar partner and head of India to drive India expansion

Global investment platform Lightrock has appointed Samir Abhyankar partner and Head of India, the firm said in a statement on Friday.

Abhyankar joins from British International Investment and will be responsible for scaling up the group’s India operations into a strategic hub for regional capital deployment and value creation.

To date, Lightrock-advised private market investment funds have deployed nearly USD $1 billion into more than forty-five Indian companies operating across their core impact themes: People, Planet, and Productivity. Recognising that many of these purpose-led companies have defined or disrupted their industries, Lightrock plans to expand its presence in India. This includes opening a Mumbai office and growing its capital deployment, with a particular focus on supporting Indian businesses to scale globally.


Lightrock’s portfolio in India includes logistics specialist Porter, transport technology company Chalo, healthcare provider Kauvery Hospitals, specialist lender Aye Finance, and ed-tech leader Scaler.

Samir Abhyankar joins Lightrock from BII, where he led the Financial Services Group and headed Direct Private Equity. He has over twenty-five years of global investing experience, having overseen investments across Africa and Asia exceeding USD $1 billion annually. Abhyankar has held senior positions, including Partner at TPG Rise and TPG Growth, as well as roles at Satya Capital and Citi Venture Capital International. He began his career at the World Bank. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Masters from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

Abhyankar succeeds Kartik Srivatsa and Vaidhehi Ravindran, who, after five years at Lightrock, are leaving their roles as Partners in India to pursue new opportunities.

Samir Abhyankar said in a statement: “"I am delighted to join Lightrock at such a pivotal moment for both the firm and India. As the world's fastest-growing major economy, India is one of the most attractive countries to invest in. With the establishment of our new office in Mumbai, we are solidifying our position in India. Lightrock aims to partner with a new generation of entrepreneurs by providing them with the resources and expertise necessary to help their companies scale, go global, and make a meaningful impact on the wider world."

Pal Erik Sjatil, Managing Partner & CEO of Lightrock, commented: “Samir’s leadership and extensive experience will be instrumental in identifying new strategic investment opportunities and building our presence in a critical market for Lightrock. With his support, Lightrock will elevate India within our global group as a key market for capital deployment, talent acquisition and groundbreaking innovations.”