Former Flipkart executive joins kids personal care brand Tuco Kids as Chanakya Gupta co-founder

Tuco Kids, a personal care brand focused on children and teens, has announced the appointment of former Flipkart executive Chanakya Gupta as co-founder.

The appointment comes months after the startup raised $2 million in a seed funding round co-led by Fireside Ventures and Whiteboard Capital.

Gupta will help the company strengthen its position in the kids’ personal care category and drive its next phase of growth.

Tuco Kids' offerings

Tuco Kids, founded by Aishvarya Murali in 2023, has gained traction among Indian families by offering items such as soaps, lotions, creams, skincare products, and deodorants for children between 3 and 13 years old.

Along with its own website, the startup sells through major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, and FirstCry. It also offers its products on prominent quick commerce platforms.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gupta to Tuco Kids. His deep expertise in scaling consumer businesses and building brands will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence in the kids’ personal care segment,” said Tuco founder Aishvarya Murali.

Background and experience

Before joining Tuco Kids, Gupta held prominent leadership roles at some of India’s leading consumer and retail companies. Most recently, he served as the Business Head for Cult Play (formerly Fitso) and chief human resource officer at Curefit. He also spent nearly nine years at Flipkart, where he rose to the position of vice president for strategic partnerships. 

During his tenure at the Walmart-backed e-commerce firm, he led several category businesses, including electronics, fashion, and beauty, and spearheaded the launch of initiatives such as Flipkart Boost, a D2C brand accelerator, and 2GUD, a platform for refurbished goods.

Earlier in his career, Gupta spent close to a decade at Hindustan Unilever, where he managed modern retail partnerships and oversaw brand development efforts in the soaps category.

His move to Tuco Kids places him among a growing group of former Flipkart executives—often called the “Flipkart Mafia”—who have taken leading roles at various high-profile startups or launched their own ventures.