Nasruddin Rupani is a renowned philanthropist and successful entrepreneur with a passion for community service and humanitarian values. Originally from Karachi, Pakistan, Mr. Rupani immigrated to the United States in the early 1980s. After earning his degree in civil engineering from New York University, he decided on entrepreneurship for his career path, creating an extensive network of convenience stores in Austin, Texas before settling in Houston, home to a sizable and vibrant Ismaili Muslim community. Today, he is the president of World’s Gold & Diamonds, Inc., one of the largest wholesalers and importers of fine diamond jewelry in the entire southwest region, and president of U.S. Insurance Funding, Inc., a leasing and finance company.
In 2007, Mr. Rupani established the Rupani Foundation in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and the United States of America, focusing on early childhood development and livelihood diversification, with projects as diverse as stone-cutting training centers, fruit tree cultivation, environmental tourism, mental health initiatives, public-school improvement programs, and climate-sensitive, technology-driven Impact Investment programs. These social and economic initiatives promote sustainable and regenerative development.