A thank you note for Ashneer Grover from Shark Tank contestants

(Image credit: ashneergrover/Instagram)

Former BharatPe MD Ashneer Grover was a harsh critic but also an inspiration for many contestants who participated in startup reality show Shark Tank India. Two of them recently met him and handed him a thank you note.

Rakhi Pal and Saurabh Mangrulkar, co-founders of EventBeep, an online community for college students, had won investments from Grover and two other sharks -- Lenskart CEO Peyush Bansal and BOAT’s Aman Gupta -- on the show.

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In their note to Ashneer Grover, the team of EventBeep said his words meant more to them than any offer they could possibly receive.

“You have not just been a shark but a hero and inspiration for millions,” the team said. “No amount of thank you is ever going to be enough.”

Pal said her participation in Shark Tank India helped her reconcile with her family. “You have given me my family back and their trust in this vision,” she added.

The EventBeep team said their goal was to positively impact the lives of students around the world.

Grover posted a photo with Pal and Mangrulkar, praising them for their work. “It’s nice to meet up with the @eventbeepindia kids from @sharktank,” he said on Instagram. See them ploughing through. Super happy that Rakhi Pal is back with her family!”

Pal and Mangrulkar were among the many entrepreneurs who pitched their business ideas to the seven judges on Shark Tank India.

The show was a huge hit, instantly making its judges social media celebrities. Grover was in the limelight the most, given his simultaneous discord with BharatPe. He was removed from the company in March over charges of financial irregularities.