Prasanna Sankar, co-founder of tech giant Rippling, has emerged as a notable figure in the technology sector. According to a Forbes report, his net worth is estimated at approximately $1 billion (Rs 9,000 crore), primarily derived from his role in co-founding Rippling, a $10-billion workforce management platform that integrates HR, IT, finance, and other key business functions.
Who is Prasanna Sankar?
Prasanna Sankar, also known as Prasanna Sankaranarayanan, is an Indian-origin entrepreneur currently based in Singapore. A highly skilled competitive programmer, he was ranked the top coder in India during his college years, excelling in platforms like TopCoder and Google Code Jam.
An alumnus of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Trichy, he earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science between 2004 and 2008, where he also met his wife, Dhivya Sashidhar.
Sankar’s early career included roles at Google and Microsoft before co-founding LikeALittle, a social networking platform. He later became the Director of Engineering at Zenefits, a human resources software company, before co-founding Rippling. According to his LinkedIn profile, he left Rippling in 2020 and launched a Singapore-based crypto-focused social network, 0xPPL, in 2023.
Why is Prasanna Sankar making headlines?
Sankar is currently in the spotlight due to a highly publicised legal dispute with his estranged wife, involving allegations of harassment and financial misconduct, claims he strongly denies.
In a sensational post on Twitter (now X), he claimed that he was fleeing Tamil Nadu and hiding with his 9-year-old son. The dispute arises from his ongoing divorce, with accusations ranging from assault to rape.
Sankar alleges that after refusing to pay additional millions beyond a negotiated Rs 9 crore settlement, his wife retaliated with fabricated accusations. He asserts that he has full custody rights as per a Memorandum of Understanding and that his son was “voluntarily handed over.”
Dhivya Sashidhar’s side of the story and counterclaims
Dhivya, on the other hand, has accused Prasanna of being a “sexual pervert” who filmed sexual assaults using secret cameras. She also alleged that he lost his job in the US following an arrest in San Francisco for soliciting prostitution.
According to Dhivya, Prasanna threatened both her and their son over a property dispute, ultimately forcing them to relocate to India from Singapore. She has sought assistance from authorities regarding the matter.