Praful Thakur's professional journey has never followed a single straight line. His early academic years included an IIT education, followed by a career in the media industry. That first phase introduced him to the discipline of professional life, but his ambitions eventually took him much further from home.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Education | IIT |
| Early career | Media industry, India |
| US real estate | New Jersey, New York, Boston (~2000–2015) |
| Associated with | LAER Realty Partners |
| Current focus | AI learning, digital business models, agency operations |
| Age | 70 |
Rebuilding in a new country
He later moved to the United States, where the transition was anything but easy. Like many professionals beginning again in a new country, he had to adjust, rebuild and find opportunities in unfamiliar surroundings. The early years demanded patience and adaptability, and over time he worked across multiple sectors before finding a long-term direction in real estate.
From around 2000 to 2015, real estate became one of the most important chapters of his career. His work took him through major markets across the northeastern United States, including New Jersey, New York and Boston. His experience in property was built not only on transactions, but on understanding people, markets and long-term relationships.
Learning AI at 70
What makes Praful's story particularly distinctive is what happened after the conventional retirement age. At 70, he has not stepped away from learning. Instead, he has moved deeper into artificial intelligence, participating in AI-focused learning and continuing to experiment with emerging tools, digital business models and new ways of working. He also operates an agency in the United States while working with clients connected to India, making his current professional life as international as the earlier stages of his career.