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Tarn Taran To Techland - Another 'Chak
De'
 Have you ever
imagined waking up one day and realising that you are the proud
owner of $ 300 million. Sounds thrilling and a bit dreamy at the
same time. But for 24-year-old Gurbaksh Chahal, a resident of Tarn
Taran, the life has taken a turn of 360 degree. Only three years
ago, Chahal floated an internet company with its headquarters
located in San Jose and six
other locations in California and international branches in England,
Canada, Bellarus and France.
Today he is a
rich man with $ 300 million in his kitty. The changing day of his
life came on September 7 when Yahoo took over the company for $ 300
million.
Chahal’s father
Avtar Singh Chahal, commissioner for persons with disabilities at Santa
Clara County,
California, had migrated to the USA along with his wife in 1985 with
$25 each in their pockets. The kids followed them. At that time
Gurbaksh was only two years’ old.
His first brush
with the booming Internet industry came during his high school at
the age of 17 when he floated an Internet company, Click Agents,
which according to him was created out of his bedroom in December,
1998. Within two years, Chahal took the company into a strategic
multi-million dollar merger in a deal valued at up to $70 million
with its publicly traded competitor, ValueClick, Inc (Nasdaq: VCLK)
to create the largest Internet advertising network.
From December,
1998, till November, 2000, Gurbaksh retained the role as the
chairman and CEO. After the merger, Gurbaksh retained the role as
president, where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Click
Agents/ValueClick, Inc as well as continued to execute the strategic
vision of the company.
Unlike many
other teenagers, Chahal didn’t waste the money, but raised another
company named BlueLithium. However, the story doesn’t end here.
Chahal brought extensive operational, leadership and management
expertise to BlueLithium Inc. Chahal also spent three years leading
venture firm HennaSky, where he focused on early stage startups in
emerging markets focusing on high-growth technology companies.
In the present
day, the company delivers over six billion ad impressions to over 60
per cent of Internet users every month for its growing customer base
of Fortune 1000 corporations, direct marketers and advertising
agencies.
“Ever since the
word has gone out, I have received thousands of emails from every
nook and corner of world. My son has made me proud. Not only has he
brought laurels for his country, but also for his hometown Tarn
Taran,” said Avtar Singh.
(Courtesy The Tribune)
20
September, 2007
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