Vani Kola

Last Updated: October 27, 2023

Vani Kola, an Indian venture capitalist, is renowned as the founder and managing director of Kalaari Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm based in India. Her remarkable achievements in the business world earned her a place among the most influential women in Indian business according to Fortune India’s 2014 rankings.

Born in either 1963 or 1964 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana), India, Vani Kola embarked on her academic journey at the young age of 16. She pursued her studies at Osmania University in Hyderabad, where she stood out as one of only six girls among a cohort of 400 engineering students. Vani earned her Bachelor of Engineering before venturing to the United States in the late 1980s to attain her Master of Engineering from Arizona State University.

Personal Life

In her personal life, Vani Kola is married to Srinivas Kola and is a proud mother of two daughters. During the 2000s, she embraced a physically active lifestyle, participating in marathons and even conquering Mount Kilimanjaro.

What sets her apart is her commitment to daily meditation, a practice she has maintained for over two decades. In 2021, Vani Kola’s perspective on the challenges of “Zoom Fatigue” garnered attention when she was featured as an example of someone who prioritized returning to the office for face-to-face interactions.