Vijay Thirumalai Turns 1 Lakh Visa Setback Into $15 Million US Business Success
Updated
Updated · Hindustan Times · Jul 6
Vijay Thirumalai Turns 1 Lakh Visa Setback Into $15 Million US Business Success
2 articles · Updated · Hindustan Times · Jul 6
Summary
Vijay Thirumalai said a US F-1 visa rejection after college—despite a 100% scholarship to UT Dallas—derailed his plan to study in Texas because his family could show only about 1 lakh rupees in bank funds.
Months later, he joined ADP Dealer Services in India, then reached the US on a B1/B2 visa as part of a pilot team that helped scale the company’s India operations.
Thirumalai said he later built a Palantir-inspired startup serving the US government and the Department of Health and Human Services, with revenue topping $15 million within three years before he sold his stake.
Now running Goldwater, which helps skilled Indians build careers in North America, he said he holds Canadian citizenship, is awaiting a US EB-5 green card, and has also secured a UAE Golden Visa.
His X post drew wide praise online, with users framing the story as proof that an early rejection can redirect rather than end an ambitious career.