India: 32-year-old entrepreneur Pankhuri Shrivastava dies, startup industry pays tribute
The founder of Pankhuri, died at 32 of cardiac arrest
New Delhi: Serial entrepreneur Pankhuri Shrivastava, founder of a women-focused social community platform called iPankhurii and startup Grabhouse passed away on December 24 at the age of 32.
Shrivastava previously founded rental startup Grabhouse which was sold to online classifieds company Quikr in a cash and equity deal in 2016.
"Yesterday, it came as a shock to me when I found out that @pankhuri16 is no more. I remember her as a vivacious bright woman full of ideas and full of life. She was confident. That was something you noticed about her immediately," Vani Kola, founder of Kalaari Capital, tweeted on Sunday.
"Her demise is a loss for our startup ecosystem. We lost a bright and young founder, but I know her legacy will live on. It was truly a privilege to know Pankhuri," Kola posted in the tribute on US-based microblogging platform Twitter. Kola added, "My heart reaches out to her family at this untimely tragedy."
32-year-old serial entrepreneur is credited for creating a brand 'Pankhuri' for women members to socialise.
Pankhuri graduated with an engineering degree from RGTU in Bhopal. She also taught in municipal schools in Mumbai under the fellowship programme of Teach for India.
"Deeply saddened and shocked by this sudden loss. Pankhuri was so full of life, ideas and passion and had missionary zeal. We loved having Pankhuri in our Surge family and we will miss you so dearly. Thoughts and prayers are with her family in this very difficult time," Ranjan Anandan, Managing Director of Sequoia India mentioned in a tweet.