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Google Rejected Her In 2013. She Is Now Tech Giant's India Head For Startups

Twelve years ago, Ragini Das was rejected by Google, and she became one of the early employees of Zomato.

Google Rejected Her In 2013. She Is Now Tech Giant's India Head For Startups
Ragini Das said she appeared for interviews at Google and Zomato in 2013

Life has come "full circle" for Ragini Das, who was once turned down by Google but has been appointed as the tech giant's Head of Startups in India. Twelve years ago, she couldn't make it, but the setback opened doors to new opportunities.

"Life has come full circle, and I'm excited to share that I've joined Google as Head of Google for Startups - India," Das wrote on X on Monday.

In 2013, Das appeared for interviews at both Google and Zomato.

While she did not go past Google's final interview round, she secured a position at Zomato. "It changed everything," she said.

By 2019, she had climbed the corporate ladder and helped Zomato Gold grow globally.

"Zomato helped me identify my career moat, gave me lifelong friends, an incredibly steep learning curve and the resilience to eventually co-found Leap.club," she wrote on X.

Ragini Das started her career with Trident Group India, then joined Zomato in 2013, contributing to the Zomato Gold launch across 10 countries. In 2020, she co-founded Leap.club, a platform for women's networking and professional growth.

She described this venture as her "most defining chapter". "It gave me purpose, an identity, and I can proudly say, changed lives for thousands of women. Through this journey, I had the privilege of connecting with founders tackling some of India's most pressing challenges," she said.

In her new role at Google, Das will oversee Google's startup-focused initiatives in India. The programme connects early-stage founders with resources, networks, mentors, and products to help them build and scale businesses.

Google for Startups operates accelerators and programmes worldwide, aiming to "support thriving startups around the world by connecting them to the right people, products and best practices to help them grow," as per her LinkedIn post.

After Leap.club paused operations in June 2025 due to financial challenges, Das stepped into her role in Google. "Sometime in August, I came across a role at Google that perfectly aligned with my journey. The role sat at the intersection of 0-10, founders and everything I've built over the years. It kinda felt like destiny," she shared.

Ragini Das also chairs FICCI's Women in Startups Committee.

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