Ragini Das appointed head of startups at Google India, 12 years after initial rejection

Guwahati: Ragini Das, entrepreneur and co-founder of the women-focused professional network Leap.club, has been appointed as the Head of Startups at Google India.

She also serves as the Chair of the Women in Startups Committee at FICCI.

Describing her appointment as a “full circle” moment, Ragini revealed that she had failed Google’s final interview round in 2013. “Life really does come full circle,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

In her new role, she said Google aims “to support thriving startups around the world by connecting them to the right people, products, and best practices to help them grow.”

Born in Gurugram and educated at Chettinad Vidyashram, Chennai, Ragini earned a degree in Business Administration from Lancaster University, UK. During her studies, she interned at Standard Chartered Bank and undertook market research projects for the Indian market.

Ragini began her career at Trident Group India in 2012, managing marketing operations for domestic and global clients. In 2013, she joined Zomato, where she became part of the founding team of Zomato Gold, leading user growth, engagement, and product marketing across 10 international markets, including Australia, Indonesia, and Qatar.

In 2020, she co-founded Leap.club, an online and offline platform that empowered thousands of women through professional networking, curated events, and mentorship. The startup successfully operated for several years before winding up in June 2025.

Now, 12 years after her initial rejection, Ragini returns to Google to lead its startup initiatives in India, bringing her extensive experience in entrepreneurship and global business strategy to the role.