Chartered Accountant · Co-founder & CFO, 1O1 Minerals
I'm a Chartered Accountant and the Co-founder & CFO of 1O1 Minerals. I build the finance, risk and process foundations that help India's mineral buyers and suppliers trade with confidence.
W/P ref. CoJ-01Tick-marked
Two companies. Two managers. The same three words.
And yes, your secrets are safe with me too.
The story
Every balance sheet starts with an opening balance. Here's mine, and everything I've added since.
The count so far
Opening balance
I grew up in Ahmedabad in a business family. From a young age, I knew I wanted to be financially independent.
My father has always been my inspiration. From him I learned to work hard, stay modest and handle any situation with calm.
First entry
After Class 10, science and arts never quite held my interest, so I chose commerce. Then I fell in love with it. Accounts and reading financials intrigued me more than anything else.
Qualified
CA covered everything I found interesting: business, economics, accounts, audit, strategy and finance. It's a challenging course, and three years of articleship let you try the field you want before you decide.
I did my articleship at Dhirubhai Shah & Co. LLP in Ahmedabad, alongside a B.Com from Gujarat University, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in November 2019.
Value added
First role
My first role after qualifying took me to Mumbai and ICICI Lombard, in motor underwriting and claims. I worked across pricing, risk management, trend analysis and portfolio management. Then Deloitte came calling.
Value added
Brought forward
I joined Deloitte's Risk Advisory practice in 2022, a little naive and afraid of public speaking. Within a year, I was presenting monthly audit reports to a client's Executive Committee. I grew from Assistant Manager to Deputy Manager, leading teams of five to seven.
My work spanned capex projects, infrastructure, real estate, mining and hospitality. It taught me to present with confidence, manage stakeholders, understand business processes in depth and think beyond the obvious.
Value added
Appreciation
In 2025, I moved to Deloitte's Assurance practice as a Manager. This is where I got to build: a tool, a client relationship and a bigger team in Ahmedabad.
Value added
New ledger
I watched 1O1 take shape long before I joined it: the struggles, the thinking, all of it. Alay's commitment to the idea, and the way the platform was coming together, inspired me.
In our discussions, we agreed that my Big Four experience could help shape and structure the company. So I joined as Co-founder and CFO. Alay is my co-founder, and my partner in every sense of the word.
What “Count on Jaya” means to me
Any relationship, personal or professional, needs a foundation of trust to work and grow.
I have a never-give-up attitude, and I take trust seriously. That's the promise behind the name: you can count on Jaya.
Building 1O1
1O1 Minerals is a B2B marketplace for minerals, built to make trade more transparent. We're not creating just another marketplace. We're building the infrastructure layer that supports mineral trade, from discovery to delivery.
Launching 2 November 2026 at IREFCON
From discovery to delivery
Connecting buyers and suppliers through a trusted network.
Technical verification and independent testing behind every transaction.
Better access to market information, for better-informed decisions.
Moving minerals efficiently from source to destination.
Systems that reduce uncertainty and make trade smoother.
In every learning system, 101 is the foundation: the place where understanding begins. 1O1 Minerals aims to be that foundation for everything minerals.
The name also stands for the wide range of minerals we want to bring into one connected ecosystem, beyond any single commodity. Rooted in tradition, built for the future. Strong systems begin with strong fundamentals.
My role
Startups move fast, and structure usually arrives late. I'm bringing it in early. Fittingly, for a company called 1O1, I've started with the fundamentals.
My co-founder
Alay comes from a family with generations of experience in mining and industrial minerals, so he grew up close to the industry's complexities, from operations and sourcing to relationships and trade. He began his career at KPMG in strategic consulting and business improvement, then brought that structured thinking to the mineral trade.
Beyond work
This is where you get to know me outside work. I'm reading more, building better habits and exploring local restaurants and cafés. Come along for any of it.
I want to read more, and books are better with company. One book a month, one good conversation.
Small habits, ticked off daily. I'm building mine in the open, and you're welcome to start with me.
New dishes, local restaurants and cafés worth a detour. Tell me where to go next.
What I'm listening to, and the art that makes me stop and look.
Most of my career has been about other people's numbers: audits, processes, client presentations. This space is for everything else: what I'm reading, learning, eating and building.
The name comes from three words my managers used about me: reliable, responsible and hard-working. I want this page to earn the same trust.
I've always loved reading financials. This year, I want to read everything else too.
First up: Alchemy by Rory Sutherland. I'll share one takeaway from every book here. Want to read along?
Accountants know that small entries add up. I'm applying that to my days.
Two habits I'm building: Digital boundaries and taking a walk after meals. Each day gets a tick, or an honest note on what got in the way.
My rule: one new place a week. This week, it was Tochico for Cappuccino and Truffle Mushroom Tartine.
Verdict: Good crowd and even better coffee. Where should I go next?
500 Miles by Peter, Paul and Mary has been on loop all week.
Get in touch
Building something in minerals, finance or risk? Want to talk about 1O1? Or just have a book or café to recommend? I'd love to hear from you.
Let's do it together
I'd love to have you along. Send me a note on LinkedIn or by email and I'll share the details.