He’s a super-successful high-flying asset manager whose career has taken him all over the world. Beyond those professional triumphs lies Arpit Mathur’s core life philosophy and he says, “I’ve been very fortunate in my life. But if I don’t use my good fortune and pay-it-forward to help people and our society, then what’s the point?”

Arpit’s Foray into Philanthropy

Arpit’s philanthropic journey began at home where his parents inculcated the importance and the responsibility that comes with having privilege. His family was rooted in social work and giving back to society was integral to them. Arpit’s mother was passionate about elevating and empowering the girl child. Tragically, Arpit lost his mother last year during the second wave of COVID.

Unsurprisingly, one of Arpit Mathur’s two major endowments to his alma mater included paying homage to the woman who played such an influential part in his life. The Renuka Mathur Scholarship was instituted in his mother’s name and will provide scholarships to women students at IIT Bombay.

Becoming a Founding Donor for C-MInDS

Arpit’s second endowment to IIT Bombay brings his academic life a full circle. As a dual-degree Computer Science student who graduated in 2006, Arpit was fascinated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Sciences (DS). While, typically, it’s big-tech giants who explore possibilities through AI, Arpit wishes to exploit AI to benefit people in remote parts of India who currently have limited access to technology and infrastructure. In his view, this is feasible only if the possibilities of AI are studied by experts from various disciplines of academia. In C-MInDS (The Centre for Machine Intelligence and Data Science, IIT Bombay) he saw his vision come to life where IIT Bombay’s interdisciplinary approach brought together members from diverse fields like Biotech, Humanities etc. to explore innovations that can serve the needs of mankind.

It was, therefore, a straightforward decision for Arpit to become a Founding Donor of C-MInDS.

While philanthropy is at the core of Arpit’s life, it was also deeply important for him to give back to his alma mater. “Whatever little I have achieved today is because the IIT Bombay brand is the single biggest name I have on my CV,” he says with pride and heartfelt gratitude.

Arpit’s Career Trajectory

So, how did he get here? After graduating from IIT Bombay in 2006, Arpit joined Lehman Brothers and was soon transferred to their London office. Unfortunately, a life filled with dreams and aspirations came to a grinding halt when within six months of moving to London, the company filed for bankruptcy. A break of a lifetime turned into a nightmare when Arpit found himself in a brand-new country with no job and no support system, either.

But Arpit thoughtfully used this time to pursue a Master’s Degree in Financial Engineering at UC Berkley. After a year in California, Arpit returned to London, then moved to Sydney where he worked in Asset Management, before making his way to Exodus Point in Singapore in 2020, where he still works.

Arpit’s mantra for success is what he learned as a student at the Institute:

“I was surrounded by supersmart people in Computer Science at IIT Bombay. No matter how much you think you know, you look over your shoulder and there’s someone smarter. Just be humble. I live by that motto even today,” he says clearly.

Arpit – The Family Man

But beyond all else, Arpit is very much a family man. Arpit’s biggest joy and stress buster is spending time with his children. For a man at the forefront of life, Arpit’s favorite place to be is on the sidelines, watching his kids swim or play soccer.

His children also play a significant part in Arpit’s philanthropic journey. “What do you tell your kids after you retire? It doesn’t matter how much money you’ve earned or what position you’ve reached. What matters most is to tell them about what you valued most – that for me is about how I’ve been able to contribute to the betterment of society.”

Onwards and Upwards

There are so many ways to describe Arpit Mathur: Asset Manager. Philanthropist. Husband. Father. Son. IIT Bombay alumnus. Irrespective of where life takes him, undoubtedly, Arpit will continue to do good – not just for himself, but for the world around him, as well.

And as much as his alma mater is proud of what Arpit has already achieved, the Institute cannot wait to see what else he will accomplish, moving forward.

Onwards and upwards, Arpit!