In a society where students are often flooded with options and misguided due to misinformation, Devyani Khare, Founder of Riseup Education Consultants, has been the reliable guide who has been providing accurate advice for more than a decade. She embarked upon this path driven by a conviction with firm belief that she could help students turn their lives around with proper advice.
After taking an important decision to leave a rapidly growing corporate job as a Visa Officer in the year 2005, she joined the field of overseas education driven by the conviction that this was her true calling. Taking a pay cut, she started afresh, gaining knowledge of the field by hard work. She gained valuable experience, serving as Head of the South Asian office of a prestigious U.S University for over 15 years, counselling over 10,000 students and forging relationships across South Asia and beyond.
Travel took her far and wide – the USA, UK, UAE, Russia, and some countries in Asia too – to create a global outlook that would eventually form the foundation of all that she has achieved today. On entering her fourth year with RiseUp Education Consultants, which she established as an amalgamation of her knowledge, beliefs, and vision, she continues to head her women-centric organization that equips students with clarity and ethics.
A Career Born from Purpose
Devyani’s entry into overseas education was not accidental; it was intentional. Early in her career, she witnessed firsthand how students struggled to navigate complex global education systems without reliable guidance. The gap between student aspiration and accurate information was wide, and she chose to bridge it.
“My inspiration came from a very simple, yet powerful realization, that the right guidance at the right time can completely change the direction of a student’s life,” she reflects.
This realization did not just shape her career, but it became her calling. Before founding RiseUp, she led the South Asia office for a leading U.S. university for over 15 years, building a vast network of partner agents across multiple countries and guiding more than 10,000 students toward their dream of studying in the United States. Her work took her across the globe, to the USA, UK, Russia, UAE, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, attending international conferences and building a perspective that few in the industry can match.
The Courage to Choose Differently
However, her journey was not without sacrifice. In 2005, she was working as a Visa Officer with a reputed multinational company, moving steadily along a high-growth professional path. Then, she planned that many would call counterintuitive, so she stepped away.
Her young daughter needed her presence more than her career needed her ambition. She walked away from a lucrative role and re-entered the workforce at significantly lower remuneration in the overseas education space, choosing balance over prestige.
Looking back, she sees that moment not as a setback but as the very foundation of her success. That decision sharpened her resilience, clarified her values, and led her directly to the work she was always meant to do.
Building RiseUp
Now in its fourth year, RiseUp Education Consultants stands as a testament to what principled leadership can achieve. The organization is proudly women-led, with several team members who have stood beside Devyani for over a decade.
“Leadership is not about authority. It’s about responsibility,” she says, describing a culture built on trust, transparency, and a shared commitment to putting students first.
The organization has deliberately expanded beyond admissions consulting to create a holistic support ecosystem for students. The company partners with meal plan providers, offers student loan and financial planning guidance, maintains courier support for documentation, and actively nurtures an alumni network that connects students with internships, career mentorship, and community across geographies. The thinking is straightforward, a student’s journey does not end at enrollment, and RiseUp’s support does not either.
Recognition Built on Relationships
In early 2026, Devyani received the Maharashtra Excellence Award 2026, recognized as a Trusted Leader in Overseas Education Consultation. It was like a token of appreciation for her sustained contribution to the education consulting space. She accepts the honour graciously but is quick to redirect the conversation to what she considers her real achievement.
“My greatest accomplishment is the strong and ever-growing alumni network I have built. These lasting connections are far more meaningful than any recognition, they truly define the impact of my journey.”
Many of the students she mentored 15 to 20 years ago remain in close contact with her today. Their continued trust is both her validation and her motivation.
A Message That Resonates
When asked what she would say to young people trying to make a real difference, Devyani does not offer inspiration wrapped in easy optimism. She offers something more durable.
“Be consistent, be courageous, and be disciplined. Success is not about big moments; it’s built through consistency, courage, discipline, and the willingness to take on challenges,” she explains
It is a philosophy she has lived, not just preached and it is precisely what makes her story worth telling.