Baljinder Sharma

Co-founder, India Africa Entrepreneurship Forum

Baljinder Sharma is an entrepreneur and corporate advisor based in Mauritius and active along the India Africa corridor. He has served on the boards of several private equity and venture capital funds investing in both India and Africa. 

Beginning his career with HCL Ltd in 1989, he transitioned from IT services to building entrepreneurial ventures in financial services and telecommunications. 

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Jaipur (Distinguished Alumni Award, 2015; Advisory Board, 2024) and an MBA from the University of Mauritius, where he serves on the University-Industry Consultative Committee since 2019. He has completed executive programs at Indian School of Business/Kellogg, and Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School.

Born in India and a Mauritian citizen since 2003,  Baljinder Sharma co-founded the India Africa Entrepreneurship Forum and is a founding member of the India Business Council, Mauritius and TiE Africa. He is the author of “Africa in 54 Words” a book that tells the story of Africa through fifty four commonly used phrases and words. His latest work includes comprehensive documentation of prominent business leaders of Indian origin across Africa – a historical record of the diaspora’s economic contributions to the continent.

As convenor of the India Africa Entrepreneurship Forum, a Mauritius based organization, he has orchestrated annual summits that have grown from 80 participants in 2019 to over 300 delegates from 26+ countries in 2026, creating vital networks connecting entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem builders across both regions.