Ameet B. Naik founded Naik Naik & Co. in 2004, establishing one of India’s premier full-service law firms. With over 30 years of experience, he has built an exceptional reputation as a ‘Litigator Par Excellence’, handling the nation’s most high-profile cases.

Under his leadership Naik Naik & Co. has become the leading Media sector law firm in the country.

His career spans white-collar crime, corporate disputes, international arbitration, insolvency law, and intellectual property, with numerous landmark judgements to his credit.

Investment Banking Leadership

Through Auraska, Ameet brings his deep understanding of complex corporate structures, regulatory frameworks, and promoter dynamics to the investment advisory space. His unique vantage point—having advised on countless M&A transactions, restructurings, and corporate disputes—provides unparalleled insight into deal structuring, risk assessment, and value creation.

His relationships with India’s leading business families and corporate boards create exceptional access to proprietary deal flow and strategic partnerships.

Mr. Rajaram Ajgaonkar B.COM, LLB (Gen.), FCA
Mr. Rajaram Ajgaonkar is a founder of R.M. Ajgaonkar & Co Chartered Accountants.. He has been a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) since 1979.
Mr. Ajgaonkar has vast expertise in the field of Domestic and International taxation, Transfer pricing and Business Advisory.
He is actively involved in services related to mergers and acquisitions, valuations, business restructuring and various other advisory services.
He has written numerous articles on current issues of world and Indian economy in various Journals.
His firm has been a member of various International Associations and has gained substantial experience with doing business with Multinationals.

Shailesh V. Haribhakti is a globally recognized thought leader, serial innovator, and sustainability evangelist. A pioneer in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, Shailesh has dedicated his life to addressing two of humanity’s greatest challenges: inequality and climate change. His visionary leadership spans five decades, during which he has transformed industries, redefined governance, and championed exponential technologies to foster sustainable development.
Early Life and Academic Excellence
Born into a nurturing and loving family, Shailesh exhibited exceptional intellectualcuriosity from a young age. His academic journey began with distinction, as he topped the country in the Indian School Certificate (ISC) examination in 1971. He further excelled during his time at Sydenham College and Lala Lajpat Rai College, consistently securing top ranks. By the age of 22, Shailesh had already qualified as a Chartered Accountant and Cost Accountant, earning accolades for his outstanding academic achievements.
His early career took him to Arthur Young & Co. in Chicago, where he became the first Certified Internal Auditor of India and was recognized as a top performer in the firm’s entry class. During this time, he gained invaluable exposure to global best  practices in auditing and systems, including leading the audit of McDonald’s Corporation.
Professional Journey
Returning to India in 1980, Shailesh embarked on a career defined by innovationand excellence. His early engagements as a visiting faculty member at IIMAhmedabad allowed him to shape the minds of future leaders. Over the years, hebecame a trailblazer in governance, serving on the boards of over 100 leading organizations.
Shailesh founded and grew his own firm, achieving an extraordinary 2000x expansion. His tenure as Chairman of global accounting networks such as BDO, Baker Tilly, and Moores Rowland exemplified his leadership capabilities. In 2018, he pivoted his focus to sustainability, teaching himself Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to better understand the principles of exponential technologies and
environmental stewardship.
Current Roles
Today, Shailesh serves as Chairman of Shailesh Haribhakti & Associates and holds leadership positions across industries, including education, technology, clean energy, and financial services.

His current roles include:
Vice Chairman of Goveva Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

Non- Executive Chairman of:

• Aakash Educational Services Ltd.
• Bharat Clean Rivers Foundation.
• Continuum Green Energy Pvt Ltd.
• IBS Fintech India Pvt Ltd.
• Mirae Asset Investment Managers (India) Pvt Ltd.
• Planet People & Profit Consulting Pvt Ltd.
• Protean e-Gov Technologies Ltd.
• Stair Digital Pvt Ltd.
• YCWI Green Solutions Pvt Ltd.
• Cynergyis Infotech India Pvt Ltd.

Director of:

• Adani Power Ltd.
• Bajaj Electricals Ltd.
• Brookprop Services Pvt Ltd (A Brookfield REIT).
• Generali Central Insurance Company Ltd.
• Generali Central Life Insurance Company Ltd.
• Gaja Alternative Asset Management Company Ltd.
• Gaja Advisors Ltd (Mauritius).
• Swiggy Ltd.
• TVS Motor Company Ltd.

Advisory Boards of:

• Aquakraft Projects Pvt Ltd.
• Board Stewardship Pvt. Ltd.
• Institute of Risk Management – India Affiliate.
• ITM Skills University.
• WOTR.
• Yuva Unstoppable.
• Avian Media Pvt Ltd (03/03/2025 – 02/03/2026).
• MIT Institute of Technology.

Past Roles
Chairman:
 • NPS Trust (2015-2017) – constituted by The Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA).
 • Western India Regional Council (WIRC), Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
 • Financial Planning and Standards Board (FPSB – India)
President:
 • Indian Merchants’ Chamber (IMC)
 • Rotary Club of Bombay (July 2014 – June 2015)
 • Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Bombay Chapter.
 • Bombay Management Association (BMA)
Member:
 • Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)’s Committee on Disclosures and Accounting Standards and Takeover Panel
 • International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)’s Standards Advisory Council.
Advocacy and Achievements
Shailesh is renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to ESG and sustainability, including introducing Integrated Reporting and pioneering pathways to achieve “Net Zero.” His leadership in CSR, governance, and sustainability committees has earned him prestigious accolades such as the Vivekananda Sustainability Award (2022), the Global Competent Boards Designation, and an honorary Doctor of Letters from ITM University. Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG) Awards for Excellence in Sustainability 2025. Publications and Innovations A prolific author, Shailesh has co-authored influential books: Digital Professional, Audit Renaissance, ESG, AI Auditing and Sustainable Abundance, History of Mankind, India in 2050, The Pathway to an Advanced, Green, AI-Led India, Awake. These works reflect his forward-thinking approach to governance, technology, and sustainability. He is also actively pioneering the use of Artificial Intelligence to drive transformative change in several organizations.
Vision for the Future
Guided by the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), Shailesh’s mission is to radically improve governance across 5,000 boards worldwide. He has developed a future-oriented content library to inspire innovation and collaboration. His focus on enhancing curiosity, gratitude, and love continues to shape his unique and impactful leadership style.
Personal Life
Shailesh is deeply grateful for his loving wife Amita and family of nine, whose unwavering support fuels his relentless pursuit of global peace, sustainability, andproductivity for all humanity.

Vishal Mahajan brings over 27 years of rich experience in Alternate Investments and Investment Banking across diverse sectors with a focus on new-age businesses. He has successfully closed marquee transactions totalling over USD 2 billion including ‘First-of its – kind’ consolidation transactions in India and cross-border transactions across M&A, Fund-raising and IPO advisory transactions.

Vishal brings a rare blend of expertise in not just the financial growth strategy of a business but also the marketing strategy to grow a brand and build sustained momentum for business scale-up.

Prior to leading Auraska Ventures, Vishal made investments in exciting new-age ventures like ORRA, India’s largest natural diamond retail chain (recently bought out by a Private Equity Consortium), Kisankonnect (a leading e-grocery platform based on healthier ingredients) among others as part of the Times of India strategic investments platform.

Vishal has worked in highly entrepreneurial setups throughout his career and was part of the founding teams at YES Bank Investment Banking (2006-2021), Marsh & McLennan (2005-06) and E&Y Investment Banking (2000-2005) in Mumbai and briefly in New York.

Vishal led the media and consumer sector practice at YES Bank Investment Banking and made it a leader in the space with sector defining transactions including the first M&A in India in Cinema (Inox buying Fame Cinemas), Radio (Jagran buying Radio City), DTH (Merger of Dish TV and Videocon D2H) and Film production (USD 30 Mn investment in PVR Pictures).

Vishal is deeply involved in new-age sectors such as Gaming, Digital Media, Fintech, D2C and Ad-tech among others and extensively involved in the Start-up and VC/PE ecosystem. Vishal is an Electronics Engineer from Delhi College of Engineering and MBA from NMIMS, Mumbai.

Ms. Stuti Shetty serves as the Chief Business Officer of Auraska Ventures, bringing with her a unique blend of legal expertise and business acumen. She is a law graduate from England and Wales and, at an early stage in her career, undertook a key role in business development at Naik Naik & Company.
In addition to her role at Auraska Ventures, she also holds a dual leadership position as the Chief Operating Officer at Naik Naik & Company.
Stuti is widely recognized as a young leader within both the legal fraternity and the broader business community. Over the past two and a half years, she has gained extensive experience across various facets of client relationship management. Her professional exposure spans multiple sectors, including technology, media, telecommunications, financial services, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, new-age businesses especially e-commerce, as well as traditional brick-and-mortar enterprises.
She has successfully built and nurtured strong relationships with High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) across global markets and has established a diverse clientele base spanning the United Arab Emirates, India, and the United Kingdom. Within a short span, she has significantly expanded the client portfolio across these jurisdictions and continues to strategically focus on strengthening Auraska Ventures’ presence in these key international markets.

Ishan Shrimali is an investment professional with experience across venture capital, private equity, and family office investing. He holds an MBA from IE Business School, Madrid, and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Mumbai.

Ishan has worked with leading investment platforms including Chiratae Ventures and Brookfield India, where he gained exposure to evaluating high-growth businesses, private market investments, and strategic capital deployment. He was previously associated with a family office, focusing on identifying and supporting scalable business opportunities and long-term value creation across sectors.

Outside of work, Ishan enjoys reading and traveling, which helps him gain diverse perspectives and stay intellectually curious.

Vidi Vyas is a Deal Team Analyst with experience supporting institutional investors across portfolio analysis and investment strategy. She brings a disciplined, analytical approach to evaluating risk, returns, and supporting informed decision making across complex investment portfolios. Her work spans asset allocation analysis, performance and scenario modelling, and structuring deal terms, alongside driving efficiency through automation and robust reporting frameworks.

She has also supported early-stage fundraising initiatives, with exposure to startup financing instruments, regulatory considerations, and investor communication.

Vidi holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Financial Markets from H.R. College of Commerce and Economics and has cleared CFA Level I.

Outside of her professional work, Vidi enjoys travelling, reading, sports, and creative pursuits, which contribute to a well-rounded and curious perspective.

Malhar is an Investment Banking Analyst specializing in the new-age economy, where he integrates financial strategy with a rigorous legal perspective. Holding a BBA LLB, Malhar offers a unique “dual-lens” approach to deal-making, ensuring that complex financial models are supported by sound regulatory logic.

With a focus on tech-driven sectors and emerging markets, he assists in end-to-end transaction support, including market mapping, valuation analysis, and comprehensive due diligence. Known for his analytical precision and ability to navigate the nuances of modern corporate law, he is dedicated to helping disruptive startups and high-growth firms scale through strategic capital allocation and seamless execution.