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Sridar Iyengar embraces philanthropy after Silicon Valley career
Iyengar's commitment to service was sparked by watching his father establish a sports club for local children.
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Ishani Duttagupta - Mon, 23, Mar 2026
- 22:36 EDT
- 22
Sridar Iyengar / Indiaspora
While Sridar Iyengar is a celebrated figure in Silicon Valley—known notably for mentoring Indian American entrepreneurs during his tenure as president of TiE Global—it is his latest chapter that truly distinguishes him.
Leaving behind the prestige of his role as CEO of KPMG India, Iyengar transitioned from the corporate heights of global consultancy to found 360plus, an organization dedicated to transformative education.
For Iyengar, this shift was not a sudden pivot but a return to his roots.
“The journey is ongoing. Even during my time at KPMG, the social aspect of work was always a part of me,” explains the septuagenarian.
This lifelong commitment to service began in his youth, inspired by watching his father establish a sports club for local children. That spark followed him across continents: he worked with the YMCA in the U.K., and upon moving to the U.S., immediately sought out opportunities to empower young people.
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Today, Iyengar frequently travels between his home in California and various Indian cities. Through his foundation, he works to bridge the opportunity gap, providing life-changing travel experiences to high school students who have never had the chance to see the world beyond their doorsteps.
“At KPMG, we started the KPMG Cares program so that there was a way in which we could engage with people. I also went on the board of a company called R101, where we explored ways to channel some of the wealth of Silicon Valley to benefit migrant farm workers and support them with technology,” recalled Iyengar, who is in Bengaluru to participate in the Indiaspora Forum, where many discussions are focused on how members of the Indian diaspora are helping shape India’s future through philanthropic and social support.
Even while serving as an independent director for several of India’s leading corporations, Iyengar remained focused on the country’s stark income disparity and the potential for corporate social responsibility to drive real change. For him, business and giving were never mutually exclusive.
“My deep involvement with TiE, while focused on supporting entrepreneurship and wealth creation, was always rooted in the virtuous circle of giving back,” Iyengar says. “Even in my boardroom roles, I was constantly seeking ways to engage with foundations and social outreach.”
His transition into the social development sector full time was solidified when he took over as director of the American India Foundation’s Clinton (now Banyan) Fellowship. This move marked a shift from advisory roles to hands-on impact.
His foundation, 360plus, has drawn on lessons from his role with the Clinton Fellowship, which ran programs for gap-year university students and midcareer professionals in the U.S. interested in traveling to India to engage in social justice and service initiatives.
“Our program is aimed at providing an opportunity to high schoolers in India who have never traveled before and who are low-resourced to learn through travel. We do not insist on them being at the top of the class or high-rankers, but we try to ensure diversity in the groups,” he explains. His network from the AIF Fellowship has been very supportive and is embedded in his work.
Iyengar’s daughter, a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California, led the program’s orientation for a year. “I call her my conscience keeper; I run everything I do by her,” says Iyengar. He takes immense pride in the fact that the next generation of his family has chosen paths outside the corporate world.
“My daughter is a lawyer, and the others work in special education, the Marines and wellness. My mother would have been proud of her grandchildren.”
He was born two days before India won independence and considers himself part of the generation often referred to as the ‘Midnight’s Children.’
“I was born with a sense of optimism about India,” he says.
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