Building a Brighter, More Compassionate Future

From IIT Madras to India’s Leading Social-Impact Change-maker.

By- Mayukh Choudhary,  Co-Founder, Milaap.

I was born and raised in the far eastern corner of India—a place where life’s struggles are neither flashy nor loud but are felt deeply, in the small, everyday battles of ordinary people. My mother, a mathematics teacher, was my first guide and nurtured my early love for math and learning. This passion took me to the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, one of India’s premier engineering institutions. While engineering honed my analytical abilities, I felt a deep and growing desire to make a more tangible difference in people’s lives—a difference that could be felt in a very real, palpable way.

I began my career in consulting, but it wasn’t long before I found myself drawn to grassroots work that allowed me to be part of transformative projects. From delivering affordable solar lanterns to remote villages to enabling agricultural financing for farmers across the country, these experiences were both humbling and enlightening. It was during these years that I met my co-founder, Anoj Vishwanathan, and together, we envisioned Milaap—a platform designed to connect those in need with a global network of donors. Our mission was to break down geographical barriers and foster compassion.

Milaap soon emerged as India’s most trusted crowdfunding platform, empowering millions to raise funds for health, education, and community causes. In much the same way that GoFundMe is known across the United States, Milaap has become synonymous in India for its ease of use, transparency, and effectiveness. Over the past decade, we’ve facilitated over a million projects, supported by donors from more than 130 countries. The Indian diaspora in the United States alone contributes nearly a third of our total donations. To enhance their giving experience, we’ve leveraged technology to introduce features like automated corporate donation matching and Donor-Advised Funds (DAF). Whether you are part of the diaspora or simply passionate about India, these features ensure that your contributions are both effortless and impactful.

As Milaap grew, our understanding of global challenges in healthcare affordability deepened. One particular story on Milaap involved a young patient in the U.S. who had a rare neurodegenerative disorder. The only hope was an experimental drug, but the cost was staggering—over $300,000 per year. Her insurance company deemed the treatment “experimental” and refused to cover it, leaving the family to bear the financial burden alone. They turned to crowdfunding on Milaap to meet these exorbitant expenses. Another story involved a young professional in his late twenties who suffered a serious head injury, requiring emergency brain surgery costing well over $150,000 out of pocket. While crowdfunding helped cover the immediate costs, the family soon realized the long-term financial burden of maintenance medications—antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, and cognitive enhancers—would add up to $16,000 to $22,000 per year for the rest of his life.

As I read their pleas for help, I realized their struggles were not unique. Thousands of families across the U.S. face similar challenges, fighting to afford life-saving medications just out of reach due to prohibitive costs. These stories struck a deep chord with me. The struggles of these families were not so different from those faced by millions in India, where access to healthcare is often a matter of life and death. But this was happening in the U.S.—one of the most advanced nations for healthcare in the world. How could it be that here, in one of the wealthiest countries on earth, families are still being bankrupted by the cost of life-saving prescription drugs?

That realization led to the birth of GetCopayHelp. I knew there had to be a better way—a way to ensure that no family would ever have to choose between their loved one’s health and their financial stability. We designed GetCopayHelp to bridge this gap, using technology to identify and secure financial assistance for patients facing exorbitant medication costs.

At GetCopayHelp, we specialize in navigating the complex web of copay assistance programs, drug manufacturer rebates, and charitable foundations. Using our proprietary algorithms, we match patients with the appropriate financial aid options, streamlining the application process so they can secure the help they need—quickly. For families like these, it means they can focus on what truly matters—caring for their loved ones—without the constant fear of financial ruin.

Today, as the co-founder of both Milaap and GetCopayHelp, I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved and even more excited about what lies ahead. Milaap continues to thrive, providing critical support to those in need, while GetCopayHelp addresses a crucial gap in healthcare affordability. Together, these platforms are making a lasting difference, ensuring that everyone, no matter where they are or what challenges they face, has access to the care they need.

Join us in this mission. Together, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future

About the Author

Mayukh Choudhury is the Co-founder of Milaap. He built Miaap into one of India’s  most prominent crowdfunding platforms, pioneering the industry  in its early days. Milaap connects individuals and organizations  with supporters to fundraise for medical emergencies and other  causes, prioritizing trust and security. At GetCopayHelp, he aids  US patients in accessing high-cost medications affordably by  identifying assistance programs and managing administrative  tasks. Mayukh is passionate about ensuring financial barriers do  not stand between life and death, hope and despair. Besides his  interest in physics and mathematics and passion for  entrepreneurship, Mayukh enjoys photography, sketching, and  surfing. Mayukh holds a B.Tech from IIT Madras and an MBA  from IIM Lucknow.