About

Ritesh Agarwal, born on November 16, 1993, is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of OYO Rooms, a hospitality company that has revolutionized the hotel industry with its budget-friendly and standardized offerings. Known for his sharp business acumen, he became a prominent figure in India's startup ecosystem at a young age.

In 2024, Agarwal gained significant recognition by being a panelist on Shark Tank India (season 3), where he shared his entrepreneurial insights and expertise with aspiring business owners. Additionally, he was listed among the Top 10 youngest Indian billionaires in the Hurun Rich List of India 2024, further cementing his status as a successful entrepreneur in India.

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Ritesh Agarwal, the founder and CEO of OYO Rooms, was born into a Marwari family in Bissam Cuttack, Odisha, India. He was raised in Titilagarh, a small town in the state of Odisha. His family ran a small shop in Rayagada, Odisha, where he grew up.

Agarwal completed his early schooling at Sacred Heart School and later attended St. John's Senior Secondary School. In 2011, he moved to Delhi to pursue his college education, but he eventually dropped out to focus on his entrepreneurial pursuits, which led to the creation of OYO Rooms

Success Journey 

Ritesh Agarwal's journey to success started with a bold move to Kota, Rajasthan, to prepare for the tough IIT-JEE exam. However, he soon realized that his true passion was in startups and entrepreneurship, not academics. After moving to Delhi for college, he struggled financially and even sold SIM cards to make ends meet. Despite the challenges, Ritesh taught himself software development, which would later help him in his business journey.

In 2012, Ritesh founded Oravel Stays, a budget accommodation platform, which caught the attention of Venture Nursery, an accelerator program that provided initial funding. His big break came when he became the first Indian to win the Thiel Fellowship, a program offering $100,000 to young entrepreneurs to drop out of college and pursue their business ideas. With this money, Ritesh launched OYO Rooms in 2013, revolutionizing the budget accommodation space in India and beyond.

OYO's success wasn't easy, but Ritesh's belief in his idea and his hard work paid off. By the age of 29, his net worth reached Rs. 16,000 crore, and OYO's valuation soared to Rs. 74,000 crore. His story shows that with persistence, creativity, and determination, anyone can turn humble beginnings into a global success. Ritesh Agarwal’s life proves that success comes from not only having a vision but also having the courage to follow it, no matter the challenges.