Ritesh Agarwal Biography: Education, Net Worth, Wife, Age, Instagram, Brand, Parents, Wife, Children

Ritesh Agarwal is an Indian entrepreneur and the founder of OYO Rooms, one of the largest hospitality chains in the world.

Born on November 16, 1993, in Bishama Katek, Odisha, Ritesh began his entrepreneurial journey at a young age. His first venture, Oravel Stays, was launched when he was just 17 years old.

This platform eventually evolved into OYO Rooms in 2013, which aimed to solve the challenges of finding affordable and standardized accommodations for budget-conscious travelers.

Profile

• Full name: Ritesh Agarwal
• Date of birth: November 16, 1993
• Age: 32 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Bishama Katek, Odisha, India
• State of origin: Odisha
• Nationality: Indian
• Profession: Entrepreneur
• Height: 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm)
• Parents: Father: Ramesh Agarwal (deceased)
• Siblings: Three elder siblings; Ritesh Agarwal is the youngest
• Spouse: Geetansha Sood (m. March 2023)
• Children: Son named Aryan, born in late 2023
• Relationship status: Married
• Religion: Hinduism
• Ethnicity: Odia
• Net worth: $1.1 billion

Early Life and Education

Ritesh Agarwal, now at the age of 32, was born on November 16, 1993, in Bishama Katek, a small town in Odisha. He grew up in a modest family that ran a local shop.

Despite his humble beginnings, Ritesh displayed an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. He began coding at the age of eight and later attended an Asian camp at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

For his higher education, Ritesh enrolled at the Indian School of Business and Finance in New Delhi but dropped out to focus on his business ventures.

His decision to leave formal education was driven by his belief that he could achieve more by pursuing his entrepreneurial dreams. In 2013, he won the prestigious Thiel Fellowship, which provided him with funding and mentorship to develop his startup ideas.

Personal Life

In March 2023, Ritesh Agarwal married Geetansha Sood in a grand ceremony attended by prominent figures from the business world and Bollywood celebrities. The wedding took place in New Delhi and was widely covered by the media. Geetansha is known to be supportive of Ritesh‘s entrepreneurial journey.

In late 2023, the couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Aryan. Ritesh shared the joyous news on social media, expressing his excitement about this new chapter in their lives.

Career

Ritesh Agarwal started his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 17 with Oravel Stays, a platform inspired by Airbnb that aimed to connect travelers with affordable accommodations.

However, he soon realized that budget hotels in India lacked standardization and quality. This insight led him to transform Oravel Stays into OYO Rooms in May 2013.

OYO began as a budget hotel aggregator but quickly expanded its model to partner with small hotel owners to improve their services while maintaining affordability for customers.

By leveraging technology and innovative business strategies, OYO grew rapidly across India before expanding internationally to countries like China, the United States, and Europe.

Under Ritesh‘s leadership, OYO became one of the largest hotel chains globally, with over 43,000 hotels across more than 800 cities by 2025. Despite facing challenges such as regulatory issues and allegations of mismanagement, Ritesh‘s vision and resilience have kept OYO at the forefront of the hospitality industry.

Awards and Recognitions

• Thiel Fellowship (2013)
• Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia (2016 and 2018)
• Youngest Indian Billionaire by Forbes (2020)

Net worth

Ritesh Agarwal‘s net worth is estimated at $1.1 billion. He amassed this wealth through his ownership stake in OYO Rooms and its global success as one of the largest hospitality chains in the world.

Controversy

Ritesh Agarwal‘s career has not been without controversies. One major issue arose when OYO faced allegations of fraud and mismanagement from hotel partners who accused the company of withholding payments and altering contracts without consent. These disputes led to legal battles and strained relationships with some partners.

In addition to these operational challenges, OYO also faced criticism for its aggressive expansion strategy that some analysts believed prioritized growth over profitability. The company’s financial losses during its early years were scrutinized heavily by industry experts.

Another controversy involved layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic when OYO had to downsize its workforce significantly due to reduced travel demand. While Ritesh defended these decisions as necessary for survival during unprecedented times, critics argued that better planning could have mitigated the impact on employees.

Social Media

• Instagram: @riteshagar
• X: @riteshagar