Sorabh Gupta: Defining The Next Era Of Purposeful Enterprises
Sorabh Gupta
Managing Director
It is cultivated through intellectual rigor, resilience, and a commitment to solving real-world problems. IIT Roorkee has long been a crucible for individuals who combine academic excellence with an instinct for nation building, producing professionals who step beyond conventional career paths to shape industries and communities alike.
Among those distinguished alumni stands Sorabh Gupta, Managing Director of Dhampur Green, a leader whose journey reflects the transformative power of technical education guided by purpose.
An M.Tech in Applied Geology from IIT Roorkee, Sorabh Gupta embarked on his professional path in the early 1990s, a period when India faced a significant shortage of organic chemicals.
Recognizing both the urgency and the oppor -tunity, he helped establish a manufacturing facility dedicated to producing essential chemicals such as acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and ethyl acetate, all derived from ethyl alcohol. The initiative not only addressed a critical supply gap but also demonstrated an early aptitude for strategic foresight.
Innovation continued to define his trajectory. By 1993 to 1994, Gupta led the adoption of a pioneering technology from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, enabling the domestic production of inverted liquid sugar, a product previously imported and widely used across bakeries and food processing industries.
Under his leadership, the venture began supplying to prominent brands including Parle, Britannia, and beverage companies such as Bacardi for its Breezer portfolio, marking a decisive step toward industrial credibility.
Yet, commercial success soon gave way to a broader realization. Confronted with the growing demand for healthier products, the persistent challenges faced by sugarcane farmers, and the urgent need for rural employment, Sorabh Gupta envisioned a more integrated and purpose driven enterprise.
This vision ultimately laid the foundation for a business model that connects farmers, empowers rural women, and delivers safe, clean products to consumers,
redefining leadership as an instrument of inclusive growth. Let’s get to know more from him.
How did your time at IIT Roorkee shape your personal growth while strengthening your entre- preneurial mindset and business acumen?
IIT Roorkee was instrumental in shaping both my personality and professional outlook, largely because of its highly competitive peer environment. While the professors were exceptional, it was the ecosystem that consistently pushed me to raise my standards.
Coming from Dhampur, where I had been among the top students, joining IIT was a humbling experience. Initially finding myself near the bottom pile, this removed any trace of ego and taught me resilience, adaptability, and the value of sustained effort.
The institute’s world-class infrastructure, rigorous academics, and strong sports culture helped me develop discipline and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities.
Early exposure to advanced technology, including computer systems supported by IBM, along with faculty who carried global academic perspectives, further broadened my thinking.
Surrounded by driven peers, I learned to step outside my comfortzone, experiment confidently, and embrace challenges. These experiences collectively nurtured an entrepreneurial mindset and sharpened my approach to business.
Which opportunities at the institute enabled you to gain global exposure and cultivate diverse perspectives that later helped you build meaningful partnerships and networks?
During that period, most IIT graduates pursued higher education overseas or joined the civil services, while I chose the path of entre-preneurship. Nevertheless, the alumni network proved invaluable.
Many of my batchmates went on to become CEOs, IAS and IPS officers, with whom I continue to share close ties, while others built global careers, offering rich perspectives during their visits. The IIT network remains a powerful circle of role models, enduring friendships, and professional alliances.
How did the institute nurture a sense of responsibility and inspire a lasting commitment to contributing toward societal progress?
How did your time at IIT Roorkee shape your personal growth while strengthening your entre- preneurial mindset and business acumen?
IIT Roorkee was instrumental in shaping both my personality and professional outlook, largely because of its highly competitive peer environment. While the professors were exceptional, it was the ecosystem that consistently pushed me to raise my standards.
Coming from Dhampur, where I had been among the top students, joining IIT was a humbling experience. Initially finding myself near the bottom pile, this removed any trace of ego and taught me resilience, adaptability, and the value of sustained effort.
We aim to introduce more products that replace refined sugar with jaggery, deepen farmer partnerships, and empower rural women through meaningful employment
The institute’s world-class infrastructure, rigorous academics, and strong sports culture helped me develop discipline and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities.
Early exposure to advanced technology, including computer systems supported by IBM, along with faculty who carried global academic perspectives, further broadened my thinking.
Surrounded by driven peers, I learned to step outside my comfortzone, experiment confidently, and embrace challenges. These experiences collectively nurtured an entrepreneurial mindset and sharpened my approach to business.
Which opportunities at the institute enabled you to gain global exposure and cultivate diverse perspectives that later helped you build meaningful partnerships and networks?
During that period, most IIT graduates pursued higher education overseas or joined the civil services, while I chose the path of entre-preneurship. Nevertheless, the alumni network proved invaluable.
Many of my batchmates went on to become CEOs, IAS and IPS officers, with whom I continue to share close ties, while others built global careers, offering rich perspectives during their visits. The IIT network remains a powerful circle of role models, enduring friendships, and professional alliances.
How did the institute nurture a sense of responsibility and inspire a lasting commitment to contributing toward societal progress?
My motivation stemmed from witnessing the hardships of farmers and rural families while growing up in Dhampur. Often produce purchased from farmers at minimal prices being sold in cities at several times the value, leaving farming communities at a disadvantage.
Determined to address this disparity, we built a farm to-consumer model that removes intermediaries and ensures fair returns to farmers. We also empower rural women through employment, training, hygiene awareness, and educational support, while running village schools and initiatives that strengthen livelihoods.
As the Managing Director, how would you define your current roles and responsibi -lities within the organization?
My primary focus lies in driving innovation, developing new products, supporting business expansion, and closely tracking consumer trends to create jaggery based alternatives.
For instance, we introduced ready to-use products from jaggery like jaggery coated fennel as a healthier mouth freshener and developed blends that instantly transform tea into masala jaggery chai.
Operationally, I empower teams with the autonomy to grow, encouraging young professionals to leverage technology and AI for marketing, product visibility, and consumer insights.
As you look toward the next chapter of your professional journey, what vision guides your growth, and what advice would you offer to emerging industry leaders?
The next phase of our journey is centered on expansion and innovation as we scale Dhampur Green while strengthening our integrated ecosystem.
We aim to introduce more products that replace refined sugar with jaggery, deepen farmer partnerships, and empower rural women through meaningful employment. My advice to aspiring leaders is to remain simple and practical. Avoid overcomplicating business models or relying excessively on out sourcing.
Build integrated capabilities in-house learn through experimentation, maintain fair pricing, and provide genuine consumer value. Lasting success is ultimately built on trust, transparency, and consistency.
Sorabh Gupta, Managing Director, Dhampur Green
An IIT Roorkee alumnus, Sorabh Gupta is the Managing Director of Dhampur Green, championing sustainable agribusiness, farmer empowerment, and rural development while driving innovation in jaggery based products for healthier consumption.
Determined to address this disparity, we built a farm to-consumer model that removes intermediaries and ensures fair returns to farmers. We also empower rural women through employment, training, hygiene awareness, and educational support, while running village schools and initiatives that strengthen livelihoods.
As the Managing Director, how would you define your current roles and responsibi -lities within the organization?
My primary focus lies in driving innovation, developing new products, supporting business expansion, and closely tracking consumer trends to create jaggery based alternatives.
For instance, we introduced ready to-use products from jaggery like jaggery coated fennel as a healthier mouth freshener and developed blends that instantly transform tea into masala jaggery chai.
Operationally, I empower teams with the autonomy to grow, encouraging young professionals to leverage technology and AI for marketing, product visibility, and consumer insights.
As you look toward the next chapter of your professional journey, what vision guides your growth, and what advice would you offer to emerging industry leaders?
The next phase of our journey is centered on expansion and innovation as we scale Dhampur Green while strengthening our integrated ecosystem.
We aim to introduce more products that replace refined sugar with jaggery, deepen farmer partnerships, and empower rural women through meaningful employment. My advice to aspiring leaders is to remain simple and practical. Avoid overcomplicating business models or relying excessively on out sourcing.
Build integrated capabilities in-house learn through experimentation, maintain fair pricing, and provide genuine consumer value. Lasting success is ultimately built on trust, transparency, and consistency.
Sorabh Gupta, Managing Director, Dhampur Green
An IIT Roorkee alumnus, Sorabh Gupta is the Managing Director of Dhampur Green, championing sustainable agribusiness, farmer empowerment, and rural development while driving innovation in jaggery based products for healthier consumption.