SHRIYA SEKHSARIA
Author, Founder, Researcher
Currently: Building Ishq & Insight • Researching AI in Paris • Trading Indian Equity
Journey
The twists, turns, generosity, and luck that brought me to where I am today
My First "Book"
The Orphant Girl (yes, Orphant — spellings were never my strong suit) was my first "book", inspired by time I had spent at an orphanage. Even though it never went beyond the original handwritten version, it made me want to be a writer.
South Asia's First Clothing Lines for Female Athletes
My brothers and I played football almost every day, but I never had girls' jerseys. When Reebok had a competition to produce fresh designs, I created some of South Asia's first football jerseys for women. Won my first national award in the process. Fun fact: In 2011, I created one of India's first online fan clubs for Women's cricket
Bestselling Novel, National Writing Award
My first novel was published after almost 100 rejections. The first edition sold out in 45 minutes. While ONE featured on local bestseller lists, my autobiographical essay won a national award.
Princeton University
I thought I'd be a full-time writer, but my parents convinced me that college was a good idea. I was fortunate to be accepted into a few good schools, and decided on Princeton because the pumpkin carving photos on their website made it look like fun. Some of my favorite parts of Princeton are my archery career, time with The Daily Princetonian newspaper, plays with the South Asian Theatrics group, and co-designing the Tiger Challenge (a social impact design program)
Lumhaa: My First Startup
In college, people around me were unexpectedly sad and disconnected. I wanted to change that. When my psychology thesis showed that even 5 minutes with "memory jars" made people happy, I created Lumhaa. It's since scaled to 194 countries.
Princeton → Goldman Sachs
I graduated from Princeton with highest honors and 4 degrees (Psychology, Finance, Entrepreneurship, and European Cultural Studies). I was still working on Lumhaa, but spent my days on the trading floor at Goldman Sachs Sales & Trading. The energy there is unmatched.
Startup Exit → Moving back to India
After Goldman, I co-founded and was CEO of BodhiMetrics, a cognitive test-based set of companies. I exited those at 23 with a $20M valuation, and went back home for a vacation. When I saw the newly unleashed entrepreneurial energy in India, I knew I wanted back in. I spent the next few years in India, scaling Lumhaa and participating in different startup, tech, and sports initiatives around the country
Paris Institute for Advanced Study + Building for Connection
I now spend most of my time working on things that can improve our quality of life, especially when it comes to love & liberty. I am separately conducting AI-driven social sciences research about the global food chain at the Institut d'études avancées de Paris (Paris IAS) right now :)
Building for Love & Liberty
Companies
Building products and platforms that improve how we connect, grow, and thrive.
Awaaze Books
Literary publishing imprint celebrating South Asian narratives. Published "With Stars Louder Than Us" — a quotella that became a bestseller across multiple Amazon categories. Bringing authentic desi stories to life through poetry, rom-coms, and more.
BodhiMetrics (exited in 2020)
Cognitive testing platform for sports and performance optimization. Co-founded and served as CEO. Exited at $20M valuation. Worked with athletes and organizations to enhance decision-making through personality and cognitive assessments.
Books, Movies, and Journalism
Writing
Stories about love, identity, and the magic of human connection.
The Ishq Series #1
with stars louder than us
A quotella (short book filled with quotes and memories) about love that feels like floating. Celebrating blissful love of 4 types: carefree joy, domestic warmth, playful chaos, and intimate devotion. A reminder of the love we all deserve — the kind that feels like breathing. Bestseller across multiple Amazon categories.
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Debut Novel
ONE
My debut novel exploring friendship and identity, published at age 15 after almost 100 rejections. The first edition sold out in 45 minutes and featured on local bestseller lists. A story about finding yourself and the people who help you do it.
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Bringing Back the Magic
The Dil Desi Rom-Com Series
Rom-coms with a desi tadka to light up your movie screens and book shelves. Stories of love, family, chaos, and the beautiful messiness of South Asian romance. Currently in development.
Select Journalism
The Olympic Series
The Daily Princetonian
Details the lives of all 101 Princetonians who participated in the Olympic Games since 1896. Includes live coverage of 2016 Olympic events and interviews with all living Tiger Olympians about their favorite and least favorite memories.
Black History Month Series
The Daily Princetonian
A decade-by-decade feature series tracing the lives of African American students at Princeton from the 1800s to 2015. Featured interviews of 100+ alumni. Awarded by the New Jersey Press Foundation for outstanding journalism.
🏆 New Jersey Press Foundation Award
Women's History Month Series
The Daily Princetonian
Overview of the lives of women at Princeton University from the first female undergraduates in the 1960s to present day. Details women's admissions, residences, and roles in academics, athletics, and campus organizations.
University Community on Campus Suicides
The Daily Princetonian
Feature detailing all known suicides on Princeton University's campus along with reactions from key stakeholders on campus and beyond. Recognized for sensitive, important coverage.
For my latest creative work, visit Ishq & Insight →
India-focused Equity
Trading
My Dad introduced me to trading when I was a child. After that, I interned all over Dalal Street (the Indian Wall Street) as a teenager, and then worked at Goldman Sachs on Wall Street (FX and Commodities Systematic Trading Strategies desks). Now, I trade an equity portfolio guided by four high growth Indian investment themes that I call WASE: Wellness, Access, Space, and Exploration
Wellness
Investing in the physical and mental wellbeing of India. From healthcare infrastructure to beauty and supplements, supporting companies that help people live healthier, happier lives.
Focus Areas
- •Healthcare & medical technology
- •Mental & relational wellness platforms
- •Beauty & personal care
- •Supplements & nutrition
- •Fitness & preventive health
Access
Breaking barriers to opportunity across India. Infrastructure investments that connect Tier 2/3 cities, digital goods that democratize access, and transportation that brings people closer together.
Focus Areas
- •Transportation & logistics infrastructure
- •Digital goods & internet access
- •Tier 2/3 city development
- •Financial inclusion platforms
- •Educational access & upskilling
Space
The final frontier for India's technological ambitions. From satellite imaging to defense, investing in companies that are literally reaching for the stars while strengthening national security.
Focus Areas
- •Satellite imaging & communications
- •Space tourism & exploration
- •Drones & anti-drone technology
- •Rocket & launch systems
- •Defense & aerospace
Exploration
Betting on humanity's next frontiers - investing in companies that push beyond known boundaries and unlock entirely new domains of human capability, or shine a spotlight on ancient ones
Focus Areas
- •Deep sea mining & ocean exploration (non-destructive exploration only)
- •Maritime infrastructure & shipping innovation
- •Humanoid robotics & embodied AI
- •Advanced materials & manufacturing
- •Renewable energy & sustainable tech
- •Anything repurposing ancient wisdom (e.g. Ayurveda tourism, Ramayana themed games, etc)
Princeton University & Institut d'études avancées de Paris
Research
Currently at the Paris Institute for Advanced Study, I study synthetic intimacy and food sustainability through AI-driven social sciences research. My work examines fundamental questions about human connection in an age of AI companions.
Memories, Wellbeing, and Loneliness
Award-winning Princeton psychology research on "Underappreciated benefits of reading own — and others' memories." Won the Edward Jones Memorial Prize. Research showed that even 5 minutes with memory jars significantly improved wellbeing and connection. Published in Social Cognition.
Language and Movie Experiences
Native languages inscribe higher degrees of empathy towards film characters in balanced bilinguals, irrespective of their native language and despite language of immersion.
Rhetoric and Negotiations
Admitting bias (Aristotelian concession rhetoric) increases persuasion in conflicts. Study showed admitting self-serving bias led to increased interest in negotiation amongst opponents across affiliation, cognitive dissonance, and self-serving biases.
Reducing Child Marriage in India
Examined new techniques to reduce child marriage through priming and information provision about dowry and reputation benefits. Research conducted with farmers in Chhattisgarh emphasizing fidelity of information provision models in the field.
Friend Breakups
Friend breakups are affected by demographic, cognitive, and social factors including age, individualism, race, gender, attachment styles, and self-efficacy. Similar to romantic breakups in social support but different in negative affect and coping mechanisms.
Cognitive Dissonance and College Choices
Behavioral study showing positive associations with college choice rise with commitment, stay high through experience, then decline before graduation. Highlighted flexibility of implicit associations in how drastically and quickly they can change.
Culture and Ownership
The endowment effect for items owned by mothers is the same as for self in Indian participants but less than self in American participants, highlighting effects of close relationships and cultural differences.
For my latest research, visit my research blog →
Other Initiatives
Other things I do for love, liberty, and fun!
Combat Sports
From archery fields to boxing rings, from Samurai schools to shooting ranges. I've competed internationally in archery (3x All-East, US Olympic Committee recognition), boxed in 3 countries, trained in sword fighting, and also competed as a pistol shooter. Including my archery record below :)
Freshman Year (2014-15)
- 🥇 Gold — Indoor Nationals (Harrisonburg, VA)
- 🥈 Silver — Indoor Overall
Sophomore Year (2015-16)
- 🥇 Gold — Ivy Championship (Team)
- 🥇 Gold — Mid-Atlantic Star FITA (Perry Hall, MD)
- 🥉 Bronze — Indoor States (Monmouth Junction, NJ)
- 🥇 Gold — Indoor Nationals (Lancaster, PA)
- 🥈 Silver — Indoor Overall
- 🏆 All-East Honors (Indoor + Outdoor)
Junior Year (2016-17)
- 🥇 Gold — Ivy Championship (Team)
- 🥇 Gold — Indoor Nationals (Harrisonburg, VA)
- 🥇 Gold — Outdoor Regionals (Williamsport, PA)
- 🥈 Silver — Indoor Overall
- 🏆 All-East Honors (Indoor + Outdoor)
- 🌍 Top 30 — NOCC/Outdoor Worlds Qualifiers (Chula Vista, CA)
Senior Year (2017-18)
- 🥇 Gold — Ivy Championship (Monmouth Junction, NJ)
- 🥇 Gold — Eastern Seaboard Championship (Mays Landing, NJ)
- 🥇 Gold — Indoor States (Monmouth Junction, NJ)
- 🥇 Gold — Columbia University Pink Arrow Project
- 🥇 Gold — Indoor Nationals (Lancaster, PA)
- 🥇 Gold — Outdoor Regionals (Williamsport, PA)
- 🥇 Gold — Indoor Overall
- 🏆 All-East Honors (Indoor + Outdoor)
- 🌎 Top 10 Team, Top 20 Individual — NOCC/Outdoor Worlds Quals (Newberry, FL)
Narrative Consulting
I help founders, executives, and public figures tell their stories with clarity and impact. Whether it's a pitch deck that moves investors, website copy that converts, or a book that needs editing, I love making sense of messy things - especially if they're extra technical
Global Archery Programs
When I took over Princeton's archery team, we didn't even have a place to practice or store equipment on campus. After proposals, paperwork, and help from USA Archery and the US Olympic Committee, we established a full program with our own field — lovingly called "Sekhsaria Fields." Since then, helped other Ivies and schools in the tristate area establish their own archery programs.
I Spread Love: Adopting Villages
Organization that sold Valentine's items in school (song dedications, roses, stickers) to fund computer labs for nearby villages. When students showed love for people around them, they "spread the love" to underserved communities
Language Conservation
Started a national language conservation drive after winning the national linguistics championship and learning about the language "Bo" becoming extinct. Addressed thousands of students to save Dravidian languages from extinction
The Elixir Newspaper
Started a newspaper for my boarding school when we grew from 100 to 300+ students and felt community cracks. That's why I started The Elixir, a newspaper for our high school where we could express ourselves and stay up-to-date with what was going on in our school
Vision & Hypotheses
Where I think the world is going — and where I'm placing my bets.
What Drives Me
I care a lot about love & loneliness. Most of my research, writing, and companies center around this: helping turn loneliness into love, and improve human relationships everywhere.
Another thing I care a lot about is liberty, because I don't think we can have love without it. I also actively build products in this space and invest in others helping people freely follow their dreams.
#1: Relational Wellness
The 1960s-2000s belonged to physical wellness. The 2000s-2020s belong to mental wellness. The next few decades will belong to relational wellness (our relationships with ourselves + other people).
#2: AI Aids
AI has tremendous potential to improve human lives. Two areas I'm actively exploring are AI coaches (especially for trading) and AI-humanoids for domestic help.
#3: Alternative Payments
People should be able to pay with whatever they have: for example, with their time instead of money. I think we'll have 3+ way marketplaces allowing users to do that.
#4: Women's Sports
I've been an athlete for over a decade. If I could invest in one thing that's going to 10x, it would be this.
#5: Health
People want to live better. Supplement companies, health trackers... if you're making people feel better, say hi!
#6: The India Story
India is the place to be. I've spent 4+ years traveling through the country and building different businesses here. I also actively invest in the markets. The talent is unreal!
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