12 years after a Google rejection, Ragini Das comes full circle as Head of Google for Startups India

Ragini Das/Google

Ragini Das has come full circle in her career and is now joining Google as Head of Google for Startups – India. She shared the news on LinkedIn with her signature mix of honesty, inspiration, and personal reflection.

Her journey with Google began over a decade ago. In 2013, Ragini appeared for two interviews: one at Google and another at Zomato. While Google didn’t select her at the time, she joined Zomato — a decision she says “changed everything.” During her six years there, she discovered her career strengths, gained lifelong friendships, and built the resilience that would eventually lead her to co-found leap.club.

Leap.club, she says, became her most defining chapter. “It gave me purpose, an identity, and changed lives for thousands of women,” Ragini wrote. Through the platform, she connected with founders working on some of India’s most pressing challenges.

When leap.club paused operations in June 2025, Ragini took time to recharge and explore her passions. She focused on art, fitness, travel, and even spent hours photographing her dog, Jimmy. But by August, an opportunity at Google caught her eye — a role that perfectly aligned with her experience in building communities and supporting founders.

After two months of conversations with the Google team, Ragini is ready to bring her energy and experience to India. In her new role, she will support startups by connecting them with the right people, products, and practices to help them grow.

Reflecting on the journey, Ragini called the opportunity “destiny” and expressed excitement about shaping the future of India’s startup ecosystem. She hinted at new initiatives and programs coming soon, promising to bring the same passion and commitment that marked her earlier ventures.

Ragini’s story is a reminder that career paths aren’t always linear, but resilience, purpose, and following your passions can lead to remarkable opportunities — sometimes, even back to where it all began.