Quick Info
| Profession | Founder, CEO |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 16/11/1993 |
| Age | 32 years |
| Birthplace | Bissam Cuttack, Odisha |
Latest News about Ritesh Agarwal
13/04/2025
A hotel-related fraud complaint in Rajasthan led to an FIR naming Ritesh Agarwal in connection with alleged cheating over hotel booking and GST-related issues. The matter was reported as part of a broader dispute involving OYO and a resort operator, with legal proceedings continuing afterward.
26/02/2025
Ritesh Agarwal attended the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj with his son Aryan and shared the experience on social media. The appearance became notable because it showed a personal family visit tied to one of India’s largest religious gatherings.
18/01/2025
Ritesh Agarwal publicly shared that he met Elon Musk and later posted that Musk was fascinated by the Kumbh Mela. The post highlighted a brief interaction between the OYO founder and Musk and drew attention because it connected a global tech figure with an Indian cultural event.
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Bio/Wiki
| Ritesh Agarwal is the founder and CEO of OYO Hotels & Homes, one of the world's largest hotel chains. He is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur who revolutionized the budget hospitality sector by identifying and resolving pain points in hotel accommodations. | |
| Ritesh Agarwal is the founder and CEO of OYO Hotels & Homes (formerly OYO Rooms), one of the world's largest hotel chains. He is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur who revolutionized the budget hospitality sector by identifying and resolving pain points in hotel accommodations. He is also the founder of PRISM, a hospitality chain, and was the first Indian to win the Thiel Fellowship. |
Educational Qualification(s)
| College dropout who chose to pursue his entrepreneurial vision | |
| Schooling in Titlagarh, Rayagada, Odisha | |
| Enrolled in an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at age 17 but dropped out shortly after to pursue entrepreneurship | |
| Attended St. Johns Senior Secondary School |
Personal Life
| Married Geetansha Sood from Lucknow in 2023; she was his long-time partner |
Family
| From a middle-class Marwari family based in Odisha | |
| From a modest middle-class Marwari family based in Odisha | |
| Parents: Father works with Infrastructure Corporation, Mother is a housewife | |
| Has three siblings (brothers/sisters) |
Career
| Professional Career | Founder and CEO of OYO Rooms (OYO Hotels & Homes) |
|---|---|
| Formed Oravel in 2011 | Started Oravel Stays in September 2012 as a budget accommodation portal which received a grant of Rs 30 lakh from Venture Nursery |
| Formation of OYO Rooms | Relaunched Oravel as OYO Rooms in May 2013 after receiving the Thiel Fellowship grant of USD 100,000 |
| Achievements |
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Social Media
| https://www.instagram.com/riteshagar/ | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/in/riteshagar/ |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. He initiated his initial project when he was just 13 years old. | |
| 2. He decided to leave college to follow his business vision. | |
| 3. An accomplished author, he penned the popular book "Indian Engineering Colleges: A Complete Encyclopaedia of Top 100 Engineering Colleges." | |
| 4. He secured funding totaling 30 lakhs from Venture Nursery. | |
| 5. Regarded as one of the top 10 Indian entrepreneurs across different sectors. | |
| 6. He became the inaugural Indian to clinch the prestigious Thiel Fellowship award. | |
| 7. In July 2019, he tripled his stake in OYO with a purchase of USD 2 billion worth of shares. | |
| 8. OYO expanded internationally to Malaysia, Nepal, and Britain. | |
| 9. Started coding at age 8. | |
| 10. OYO stands for 'On Your Own', reflecting the company's mission to provide affordable and comfortable stays for travellers. |