In an era where entrepreneurship is often reduced to funding announcements and social media visibility, Sumedh Sachdev’s journey stands apart for its quiet clarity of purpose. The founder of Lucria Consult did not set out with the dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Instead, his path was shaped gradually through discipline, curiosity, and an instinct to create meaningful value.
Raised in a middle-class family in Chandigarh, Sachdev grew up imbibing the principles of honesty, education, and integrity. While business was never part of the original blueprint, theatre certainly was. Long before boardrooms and global compliance frameworks entered his life, the stage taught him confidence, empathy, and resilience. Those early lessons in teamwork and human connection would later become central to how he built his company.
The connection with Chandigarh runs deeper than geography. Sachdev, who did his schooling from St John’s and Bhavan Vidyalaya, spent much of his formative years training under renowned theatre practitioner G S Channi and performing at iconic venues such as Tagore Theatre and Kalagram. Even after pursuing higher education in Delhi and spending several years working internationally, Chandigarh remained his anchor. When he returned to India to launch his own venture, it was Chandigarh he chose as the foundation for Lucria Consult – hiring his first team member and laying the groundwork for the company’s growth.
Learning the global system
Sachdev’s professional journey took him to Cambridge University and later to KPMG in London, the Cayman Islands, and the British Virgin Islands. There, he worked closely with some of the world’s largest financial institutions on regulatory compliance and governance. The experience offered him a front-row seat to how global businesses operate – and why sustainable growth depends on strong systems and ethical decision-making.
At the same time, he identified a recurring gap: many Indian businesses had the ambition and capability to compete internationally but lacked practical support to navigate foreign regulations, tax structures, and compliance systems. The challenge was rarely about product quality. More often, companies struggled because they entered unfamiliar markets without the right guidance.
The birth of Lucria
That observation led to the birth of Lucria Consult. Founded with the vision of helping businesses expand globally with confidence, Lucria positioned itself as more than a compliance advisory firm. For Sachdev, the goal was never simply to provide technical services. He wanted to build an ecosystem that supported entrepreneurs in creating strong foundations for long-term growth.
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Even the company’s name reflects this philosophy. Inspired by the Latin word Lucrum, meaning wealth or profit, ‘Lucria’ represents a broader interpretation of success. To Sachdev, wealth extends beyond financial gain to include trust, credibility, knowledge, relationships, and the impact one creates within a larger ecosystem.
Building beyond headlines
Today, Lucria works with businesses facilitating nearly $450-500 million worth of exports from India annually. Yet despite the scale, Sachdev speaks about entrepreneurship with striking realism.
“The most overlooked truth about building a business is the amount of patience and consistency it demands,” he says. “Most of the work happens away from headlines and applause. It lies in solving problems repeatedly, showing up every day, and continuing even when progress feels invisible.”
The daily fix
Outside work, he remains connected to the pursuits that shaped him early on. Theatre, swimming, music, and time with family serve as essential anchors, helping him maintain perspective amid professional demands.
On Chandigarh
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As Chandigarh’s startup ecosystem continues to evolve, Sachdev remains optimistic about the region’s future. He points to homegrown brands and emerging founders as evidence that the city can produce globally relevant businesses. More importantly, he believes the collaborative spirit among local entrepreneurs is becoming one of the ecosystem’s biggest strengths.
Advice for young entrepreneurs
For aspiring entrepreneurs, his advice is simple yet grounded: start before you feel completely ready, seek mentors early, and ask questions without hesitation. But above all, protect your reputation.
“Skills can be learned and businesses can be rebuilt,” he emphasises, “but trust, once lost, is incredibly difficult to recover.”
“Success isn’t about a single breakthrough moment,” Sachdev adds. “It’s about the quiet decisions you make consistently over years – the ones that build credibility across borders and cultures.”
(Asmita Maini is an intern with the Indian Express)
