Faces of FIUTS: Rishitha Jaladi

Rishitha at her cafe in Vijayawada

Rishitha Jaladi is from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India, and it is still home. Even after traveling widely, her roots there continue to shape how she sees the world. Vijayawada is where she learned to stay grounded, give back, and support the people around her, which is why returning home felt right.

Rishitha took part in the Education and the Future of Work exchange program with FIUTS. What stands out most is learning alongside people from many countries and backgrounds, and the care of the FIUTS team. Being in that shared space showed her how much perspective comes from listening to others and learning together. The experience pushed her to bring those ideas back home and apply them in her own community.

Rishitha with fellow participant, Bola (Nigeria) in Seattle

She believes in trying new things, trusting her instincts, and building with intention. That approach led her to start her own food and beverage brand, Araku House, and to work as a Lead Strategist and Growth Manager at Tamada Media. For her, ambition matters when it is paired with clarity about why you are doing the work, not just what you hope to achieve.

Rishitha (center) with her group in Seattle

Her FIUTS experience reinforced these values. A session with young women entrepreneurs in Seattle made a lasting impression and encouraged her to pursue entrepreneurship after returning to India. She remains close with friends she met through FIUTS, checking in regularly and learning from one another across borders.

Today, Rishitha is back in Vijayawada, where she runs her cafe, manages a food and beverage franchise, and has recently taken on a new role at one of India’s leading media organizations. She sees this stage as one of growth and change. Her exchange experience showed her how much can come from stepping outside familiar spaces, and she carries that lesson forward as she keeps learning and building, at home and beyond.