Meet Rohan Verma, the Executive Director and CTO of MapmyIndia, who is giving Google Maps a run for its money in India. Verma recently met with Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT and CEO of OpenAI, who is currently on a trip to India. The two were dorm-mates during their time at Stanford University, and Verma shared a photo of their reunion on social media.
Verma has been leading MapmyIndia since he founded the company in 2004 at the young age of 19. The company is India‘s first interactive mapping portal and has been at the forefront of bringing cutting-edge geospatial technology to the country. MapmyIndia‘s offerings include GPS navigation systems, maps that can power self-driving cars, GPS-based IoT devices, location-enabled enterprise SaaS, and location-based consumer apps.
Verma’s parents, Rakesh and Rashmi Verma, have been building the digital map data repository of India since the 1990s. In 2021, MapmyIndia‘s IPO catapulted their net worth to Rs 4400 crore, while the company’s market capitalization stands at Rs 6257 crore.
Verma holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, where he was awarded the President’s Award for Academic Excellence. He later completed his MBA from London Business School. He is married to Namrata, and they have a son. Verma is also an avid traveler, dancer, and sports enthusiast.
Altman, on the other hand, has revolutionized the world with ChatGPT, a product that can create articles, poems, essays, and conversations within seconds. Microsoft has invested billions of dollars to support ChatGPT and OpenAI.
Verma and Altman’s reunion is a testament to the strong bonds formed during their time at Stanford University and highlights the success of two individuals who are making significant contributions to the tech industry.
