CA Sanjay Goyal Honoured for Excellence in Entrepreneurship by Rajiva Sinha Foundation

A recognition of entrepreneurial leadership, regional enterprise building and a long-standing commitment to creating opportunities in North Bengal and Eastern India

Siliguri, West Bengal | August 22, 2026 — CA Sanjay Goyal, Founder & Chairman of GFS Realtors and Co-Founder of Wownooks, has been honoured with the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award by the Rajiva Sinha Foundation (RSF), recognising his contribution to entrepreneurship, enterprise building and the development of business ecosystems in North Bengal and Eastern India.

The recognition comes as a significant milestone in a professional journey that has brought together finance, real estate, workspace infrastructure, technology and entrepreneurship, with a consistent focus on creating opportunities and building businesses that deliver long-term value.

For Sanjay Goyal, however, the recognition represents more than an individual achievement.

It reflects a philosophy of entrepreneurship rooted in creating value for people, businesses and the communities in which they operate.

Building Businesses With a Larger Purpose

A Chartered Accountant by qualification and a practicing professional since 2001, Sanjay Goyal has spent more than two decades working across taxation, audit, finance, investments and business advisory.

Over the years, that financial and advisory foundation evolved into a broader entrepreneurial journey.

His work in real estate led to the establishment of GFS Realtors, an organised real estate advisory platform with deep roots in Siliguri and North Bengal. The organisation today works across buying and selling, land, corporate leasing, investments, advisory and finance, while combining local market knowledge with a more structured, transparent and advisory-led approach to real estate.

GFS Realtors has grown with a clear belief that real estate is not merely about transactions. It is about relationships, trust, informed decisions and creating lasting value.

The company's philosophy is deeply influenced by the values of Hard Work, Honesty, Humbleness and Humanity — the 4H philosophy — instilled by Sanjay Goyal's father and mentor, the late Lt. Om Prakash Goyal.

That philosophy continues to influence both the organisation's culture and its approach to clients, partners and the wider community.

Today, GFS Realtors has more than two decades of experience, has served thousands of customers and has established a presence across multiple markets in North Bengal. Its expanding footprint reflects an ambition that extends beyond property transactions — to contribute to the evolution of the region's real estate and business landscape.

From Real Estate to Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Sanjay Goyal's entrepreneurial journey has also extended beyond real estate.

Recognising the changing nature of work and the growing needs of entrepreneurs, startups, professionals and businesses, he co-founded Wownooks, a flexible workspace and coworking platform operating across Kolkata and Siliguri.

The idea behind Wownooks goes beyond providing an office.

It is designed around the belief that the right environment can help people work better, connect with the right people and build stronger businesses.

From flexible desks and private offices to meeting spaces, workshops and business networking, Wownooks has evolved around the needs of modern professionals and enterprises. Its ecosystem also brings together service providers, investors, thought leaders and entrepreneurs, creating opportunities for collaboration beyond the physical workplace.

The journey reflects a broader entrepreneurial philosophy — that infrastructure should not simply accommodate businesses; it should help them grow.

Creating Greater Access to the North Bengal Property Market

Another important part of this journey has been Siliguri Properties, founded with the objective of bringing greater structure, transparency and accessibility to the property market in Siliguri.

The platform combines property discovery with market information and research, helping buyers and investors approach the region's evolving real estate opportunities with greater awareness.

Siliguri and North Bengal occupy a strategically important position connecting the Northeast, eastern India and neighbouring markets. As infrastructure, logistics, tourism, healthcare, education, retail and commercial activity continue to evolve, the region is attracting increasing entrepreneurial and investment interest.

Through Siliguri Properties, the focus has been on making that opportunity easier to understand — particularly for buyers, investors and those looking at the region from outside the immediate market.

This numbers-first and research-oriented approach is an extension of Sanjay Goyal's professional background as a Chartered Accountant and his long-standing involvement in finance and real estate.

Entrepreneurship as a Regional Growth Engine

The Excellence in Entrepreneurship recognition by the Rajiva Sinha Foundation is particularly meaningful in this context.

RSF is an independent, non-profit think tank based in Kolkata that works with micro, small and medium enterprises, startups and larger enterprises through research-driven insights, capacity building and practical advisory support.

Its work spans areas such as sectoral analysis, investor roadshows, SOP and KRA development, industry-academia partnerships, compliance, technology adoption, export readiness and market linkages.

The Foundation's emphasis on strengthening enterprises and enabling sustainable growth makes the recognition particularly relevant to entrepreneurs working to build businesses beyond conventional boundaries.

For North Bengal, entrepreneurship has an even larger significance.

The region has increasingly become a centre for real estate, logistics, tourism, retail, healthcare, education, manufacturing, warehousing, services and emerging businesses. Entrepreneurs operating here are not simply building companies; they are helping shape the economic identity of the region.

Sanjay Goyal's journey represents one such example.

Leadership Beyond the Boardroom

His contribution to the business ecosystem has also extended into institutional leadership.

Sanjay Goyal has held several leadership positions across professional and industry organisations.

He served as Chairman of the ICAI Siliguri Branch, where the branch was recognised as the best branch in the country in its category and in Eastern India during his tenure.

He has also served as Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, North Bengal, after previously serving as Vice-Chairman, and has held leadership responsibilities with CREDAI North Bengal, NAR India, AREAS Siliguri and EICASA Siliguri.

These roles have allowed him to engage with entrepreneurs, professionals, students, institutions and policymakers on subjects ranging from taxation and finance to entrepreneurship, business development and regional growth.

He is also a speaker and trainer, regularly sharing perspectives on taxation, banking, finance, soft skills and professional development.

For Sanjay Goyal, leadership has therefore extended beyond building his own enterprises. It has involved participating in and strengthening the wider ecosystem in which those enterprises operate.

Innovation With a Regional Perspective

The entrepreneurial journey has also increasingly moved towards technology.

Among the initiatives associated with Sanjay Goyal is YUHI, a mobile application and referral platform developed for the real estate and finance ecosystem.

The initiative reflects a broader shift taking place across traditional industries — where technology is increasingly being used to improve discovery, connectivity, customer engagement and business processes.

This combination of traditional professional expertise and technology-led thinking has become an important characteristic of his approach to entrepreneurship.

Whether it is real estate advisory, flexible workspace, property intelligence or technology, the underlying objective remains consistent: identify a real-world problem and build a practical solution around it.

A Recognition of the Journey, Not Just the Destination

Receiving the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award is a moment of pride, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on the journey behind it.

From a Chartered Accountancy practice to real estate advisory.

From real estate to organised property discovery.

From workspace infrastructure to building entrepreneurial communities.

From professional leadership to technology-led initiatives.

Each chapter has been different, but the underlying principle has remained the same — always give your best.

That personal philosophy has guided Sanjay Goyal's professional journey and continues to shape the organisations he is associated with.

The recognition by the Rajiva Sinha Foundation therefore stands not only as an acknowledgement of past achievements, but also as encouragement for the work that lies ahead.

Looking Ahead

As North Bengal enters an important phase of economic and infrastructural development, the opportunity for entrepreneurs is significant.

The next chapter will require businesses that understand local realities while embracing technology, professional management, transparency and sustainable growth.

It will require stronger connections between entrepreneurs, investors, institutions and communities.

And it will require leaders willing to think beyond individual businesses and contribute to the ecosystem around them.

For Sanjay Goyal, the journey continues across these interconnected spaces — real estate through GFS Realtors, workspaces and entrepreneurial communities through Wownooks, and property intelligence and market access through Siliguri Properties.

The common thread is simple:

Build with purpose. Create with integrity. Grow with people.

The Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award from the Rajiva Sinha Foundation is a recognition of that journey — and of the possibilities that emerge when entrepreneurship is viewed not merely as the pursuit of business success, but as an opportunity to create lasting value for a region and its people.

About CA Sanjay Goyal

CA Sanjay Goyal (B.Com, FCA) is a Chartered Accountant, entrepreneur and business leader based in Siliguri. With more than two decades of professional experience, his areas of expertise include taxation, audit, banking, finance, investments and real estate.

He is the Founder & Chairman of GFS Realtors, Co-Founder of Wownooks, and the founder of Siliguri Properties. His entrepreneurial interests also extend to warehousing and proptech.

Through his professional, entrepreneurial and institutional roles, he has remained actively involved in the development of the business ecosystem across North Bengal and Eastern India.

About GFS Realtors

GFS Realtors is a real estate advisory and solutions company rooted in Siliguri and North Bengal. Its services span buying and selling, land, corporate leasing, investments, advisory and finance, with a focus on integrity, transparency, financial prudence and local market expertise.

About Wownooks

Wownooks is a flexible workspace and coworking platform with operations in Kolkata and Siliguri, offering workspaces, private offices, meeting facilities, workshops and an entrepreneurial community designed to support businesses and professionals.

About Siliguri Properties

Siliguri Properties is a property marketplace and real estate information platform focused on Siliguri and North Bengal, helping property seekers and investors discover opportunities while gaining access to market intelligence and regional property insights.