Reshma Saujani is one of the most influential women in technology and activism in the United States today. The daughter of Indian refugees expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin in the early 1970s, she grew up in suburban Chicago and built a career spanning law, finance, politics, and social entrepreneurship. Her nonprofit Girls Who Code has reached over 500 million girls globally. She is the author of multiple bestselling books and her 2016 TED Talk "Teach Girls Bravery, Not Perfection" has been viewed over 5 million times.
Early Life and Education
Reshma Saujani was born on November 18, 1975, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents of Gujarati Indian descent whose family had lived in Uganda before being expelled by Idi Amin in the early 1970s. Growing up as one of the first Indian families in suburban Chicago, Saujani faced significant racial discrimination, which inspired her to found PRISM (Prejudice Reduction Interested Students Movement) as a high school freshman.
She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 1997 with degrees in Political Science and Speech Communication, then earned a Master of Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School in 1999 and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2002.
Career: Law, Finance, and Politics
After Yale, Saujani worked at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP before moving into finance at Carret Asset Management and Blue Wave Partners Management (a Carlyle Group subsidiary). In 2010, she made history as the first Indian-American woman to run for U.S. Congress, challenging incumbent Carolyn Maloney in New York's 14th congressional district. She also ran for NYC Public Advocate in 2013.
Girls Who Code
In 2012, Saujani founded Girls Who Code after noticing the gender gap in computing while visiting schools during her campaign. The organization has expanded to 105 countries, reaching over 500 million girls. Her 2016 TED Talk became one of the most watched of the year. She stepped down as CEO in 2022 to found Moms First, which advocates for universal childcare, paid family leave, and a Marshall Plan for Moms.
Net Worth
Reshma Saujani's estimated net worth in 2026 is approximately $5 million, from book royalties, speaking fees, board positions, and her prior career in finance and law.
Quick Facts
- Full Name: Reshma Saujani
- Date of Birth: November 18, 1975
- Age (2026): 50 years old
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Nationality: American
- Religion: Hindu
- Spouse: Nihal Mehta (married May 27, 2013)
- Education: Univ. of Illinois (BS, 1997); Harvard Kennedy School (MPP, 1999); Yale Law School (JD, 2002)
- Net Worth (2026): ~$5 Million
