Mangesh Ghogre is an internationally recognized crossword constructor and investment banker, known for creating crosswords published in leading global publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Games World of Puzzles. With over 25 years of experience in crossword construction, he is one of the most prominent Indian-origin constructors in the global puzzle community.
He currently serves as editor and constructor of the Mini Crossword for Forbes India, where he launched the first mini crossword featured by a marquee business magazine in India. Previously, he created and edited the Mini Crossword for The Economic Times, pioneering the format in Indian financial media.
Ghogre made history as the first India-based constructor to be published in the Los Angeles Times (2010) and The New York Times (2013). In 2012, he became the first Indian invited to judge the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, the world’s oldest and largest crossword competition held in New York.
His work has been widely recognized for blending culture with wordplay. Notable crosswords include a Fourth of July-themed puzzle in The New York Times (2017), a Mahatma Gandhi 150th birth anniversary puzzle (2019), and a Taj Mahal–themed crossword (2023). In 2014, his crosswords were featured in a solo exhibition at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai.
In 2019, he received the Rotary Excellence Award for professional achievement. In 2022, he relocated from Mumbai to the United States after being granted the Einstein Visa (EB-1) for extraordinary ability. In 2023, his 26-year crossword journey was featured in a 5,000-word profile in The New Yorker.
Alongside his crossword career, Ghogre is a seasoned investment banker with over two decades of experience, having raised more than $50 billion in global equity capital markets. He was named to the Fortune 40 Under 40 India list in 2019 and has been featured on Bloomberg and CNBC for his expertise in capital markets.
He is also a published columnist, with articles appearing in The Times of India, The Hindu Business Line, and Deccan Herald, including contributions to The Speaking Tree.
Mangesh holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute and an MBA from NMIMS.