Arjun Mishra

Arjun Mishra

Arjun Mishra in 2026
Born	Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, India
Nationality	Indian
Education	Diploma (Mechanical Engineering) B.Tech. (Mechanical Engineering)
Occupation	Education Entrepreneur, Institution Builder, Social Impact Leader
Years active	2017–present
Known for	Skill-based Higher Education, Learn & Earn Model, Work-Integrated Learning, Institution Building
Notable works	Founder of Distil Education & Technology Pvt. Ltd. Founder of Orchid University, Sikkim
Awards	Global Peace Ambassador Award, Champion Employer Award
Parents
Religion	Hinduism

Arjun Mishra is an Indian education entrepreneur, institution builder, and social impact leader. He is the Founder and Director of Distil Education & Technology Pvt. Ltd. and the Founder of Orchid University, Sikkim. He is recognized for developing skill-led, work-integrated models of higher education that integrate academics, employability, industry collaboration, entrepreneurship, and livelihood development. Under his leadership, Distil Education has enabled access to skill-integrated higher education for over one million learners and has established collaborations with more than 1,000 corporate organizations, educational institutions, universities, government agencies, and industry partners across India. He has been a strong advocate of the "Learn & Earn" model, which combines academic learning with practical work experience to improve employability. His long-term vision is to positively impact more than 100 million people by 2047 through education, skills, employability, entrepreneurship, and livelihood initiatives.

Early Life & Education

Arjun Mishra was born in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, into a family with roots in Bihar. He completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya before pursuing a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, followed by a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Mechanical Engineering.

Career

In 2017, Arjun Mishra founded Distil Education with the objective of bridging the gap between education, skills, employability, and livelihoods. Under his leadership, the organization has enabled more than 3 Lakh learners to pursue skill-based higher education through industry-integrated learning models. Distil has developed collaborations with over 1,000 corporate organizations, universities, educational institutions, government bodies, and industry partners, creating pathways for apprenticeships, work-integrated education, and employment. Mishra has promoted the "Learn & Earn" model, which enables students to pursue higher education while gaining practical industry experience through apprenticeships and workplace learning. His work has focused on expanding access to quality education and employment opportunities, particularly for students from Tier II and Tier III cities. He is also the Founder of Orchid University, Sikkim, which was established with the vision of integrating higher education with industry engagement, innovation, entrepreneurship, and outcome-based learning. The university emphasizes skill-first education and experiential learning to prepare students for evolving workforce requirements.

Notable Works and Initiatives

Arjun Mishra has led several initiatives aimed at strengthening the integration of education and industry in India. Through Distil Education he has promoted skill-based, work-integrated higher education models that combine academic learning with practical workplace experience.

He has also played a key role in establishing Orchid University, Sikkim, with a focus on industry-integrated education, innovation, entrepreneurship, and outcome-based learning. The university seeks to create an ecosystem where students graduate with both academic qualifications and relevant professional experience.

Achievements and Recognition

Arjun Mishra received the Global Peace Ambassador Award from the Government of Maldives at the age of 22 in recognition of his contributions to education and social development. He has also been honoured with the Champion Employer Award by the Government of Jharkhand for his contributions to skill development and employment generation. As the Founder and Director of Distil Education, he has been instrumental in expanding access to industry-integrated education through collaborations with more than 1,000 corporate organizations, universities, educational institutions, government bodies, and industry partners across India. He is also recognized as one of the youngest founders of a university in India. His work has focused on developing education models that integrate academics, industry engagement, innovation, entrepreneurship, and work-integrated learning to improve graduate employability. His long-term vision is to positively impact more than 100 million people by 2047 through education, skills, employability, entrepreneurship, and livelihood initiatives.

Philosophy

"Education should not force a student to choose between learning and earning. True education empowers a learner to do both."

External Links

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Orchid University

See also

• Dr. Preeti Swami
• Dr. Krishna Somepalli
• Revathi Kamath
• Dr. Debojeet Lahiri