In 2004, while bedridden with cervical spondylitis, a young man from Mohali began what would become one of India’s most resilient and future-forward tech stories. “It was an accidental startup, more of a circumstantial one,” recalls Vikram Singh, now founder and CEO of Antier Solutions, a leading blockchain company.Singh was just 27, had no full-time college education, and a few resources to lean on. But adversity sparked entrepreneurship. The initial years were hard, he says. “The first three–five years were quite lean — but in 2009, with a core five-member team and just a month’s financial back-up, the company found new momentum. Today, Antier Solutions is a 700-member strong organisation, with all operations under one roof in Mohali.”Betting big on blockchainThe company’s defining pivot came in 2017. “We were looking for our next growth driver. Crypto was making a lot of noise, and I was completely sold out on the secret vision behind its launch,” Singh says. That year, Antier acquired a two-kanal building and directed its entire focus towards blockchain technology.But scaling in a Tier-2 city was far from easy. “You could not get the kind of talent you need,” Singh explains. “Even today, there’s a huge void in profiles that combine Web3 with business and functional understanding. These are rare in this region, unlike Bangalore or Hyderabad.”Skilling local youthInstead of moving to a metro, Singh decided to build from within. Antier launched an in-house Learning & Development (L&D) division to train recruits in blockchain technology. “Ninety-five per cent of our team learned blockchain after joining us,” he says. That unit later grew into a separate entity, ASB Academy (Antier School of Blockchain), which now partners with local colleges and universities to offer blockchain education.Singh’s own journey with learning is equally unique. Born in Amritsar and raised in Mohali, he studied at a government school in Phase 3B1. He completed Class 12, followed by distance diplomas in computer applications (Kurukshetra University) and journalism (Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan). “I never went to college full-time,” he says. Yet, his belief in self-education is unshakeable.“I’ve learned everything from reading,” he adds, noting he has read more than 800 books so far. “Books never have self-interest, unlike mentors sometimes.”No outside money, no shortcutsWhat sets Antier apart is that it has grown entirely organically —without venture capital or private equity. “We never had a single penny from outside investment. Banks here demand property as collateral. Investors want a major chunk of your business. The support systems just aren’t there,” Singh says.Story continues below this adYet he remains deeply committed to his roots. “Even today, we believe that after donating an organ, the biggest donation is the donation of a skill,” he says. The company has signed over 20 MoUs with local academic institutions and even attracts graduates from IITs and NITs, all of whom undergo blockchain training as part of their roles—technical or otherwise.A larger missionSingh is not content with just running a company. He wants to build an ecosystem. “When most entrepreneurs are done with their home, office or car, they stop. Very few try to create more leaders. But leaders aren’t born — they’re created through learning and conditioning.”He’s candid about the cultural gap. “Cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad had government support. We didn’t. The focus here must be on upskilling local graduates. That’s what we’re trying to do —- make this region the blockchain capital of India.”Rooted in resilienceFor Singh, success is built on a quiet but unbreakable routine. He finds peace in long walks and cycling, often with a book in hand. “That’s my only companion,” he says with a smile.Story continues below this adAsked about stress, he replies without pause: “There’s no such word in my dictionary. Depression is worrying about the past. Anxiety is worrying about the future. I believe in living in the present. If I face a problem I can’t solve, I go back to books.”He often turns to scriotures l for wisdom. He recalls five golden rules from a katha by Bhai Ram Singh: keep moving forward, expect many turns, understand the signs, carry the essentials, and never turn back. For Singh, those are as much rules for entrepreneurship as they are for life.A Mohali story with national ambitionReflecting on his journey, Singh says: “When you grow up somewhere, you fall in love with the place. We’ve seen the city grow—everything came up in front of our eyes.”From a modest house in Mohali to leading one of the country’s top blockchain firms, Vikram Singh’s journey is not just a success story—it’s a playbook in grit, giving back, and growing on your own terms.