Rekhi: 1980s manager refused promotion because whites wouldn't follow Indians
Kanwal Rekhi · Wall Street Rejected This CEO & Then He Did a $200M IPO | Kanwal Rekhi · Jan 23, 2026 · at 14:08
TiE co-founder Kanwal Rekhi recounts the explicit racial ceiling he encountered at age 36 before leaving corporate tech to found Excelan.
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“When I talked to my boss about, you know, moving into management, he was pretty clear. He said, you know, we, I'm not, we're not sure that you would be good in, you know, that you're very good at what you're doing. We're paying you good salary, but we're not sure that, that white people, I mean, it is certainly directly would vote for the Indians.”
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