Chaitanya Chitta

Chaitanya heads the overall business for Cintana Education India & South Asia. Leading a dynamic team, he collaborates with some of the most esteemed institutions to foster academic innovation and operational excellence, paving the way for superior student outcomes and transformative growth. Some of his most recent projects include launch of several international degree programs, seeding new age online programs and workforce readiness programs – all with an overarching theme of expanding access. Previously, Chaitanya co-founded DropKaffe, a journey that culminated in the creation of SLAY Coffee—a brand that revolutionized India’s coffee culture and reshaped how people experience their daily brew. Prior to that, he co-founded SmartOn Learning, an edtech venture based out of New York and Bengaluru, focused on equipping learners with future-ready skills and driving impactful career outcomes.Chaitanya has previously worked as Executive Director at Laureate Education, Senior Director with KPMG and as Manager with Barclays Capital – all in New York before moving back to India to start his entrepreneurial journey. Chaitanya is married to Lakshmi Dasaka, an entrepreneur and a proud father of Samarth, a 12-year-old child author and podcaster. He is also a certified yoga instructor, a constant leaner and an avid traveler.