Ritesh Agarwal, founder of hotel chain OYO, invites PM Narendra Modi to his wedding

Ritesh Agarwal, the founder of Oyo Rooms, invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his wedding next month and expressed his commitment to the growth of the tourism industry across India. On Sunday, Agarwal shared pictures of his meeting with the Prime Minister on social media, calling it a new beginning. He thanked the Prime Minister for his valuable time and expressed his appreciation for the warmth with which he was received.

Ritesh Agarwal expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for his vision for women's empowerment during their meeting. He mentioned that his mother was heartened to meet the Prime Minister and was inspired by his vision for women's empowerment. Agarwal thanked Modi for taking the time to meet with them and for offering his good wishes.



Agarwal also affirmed his commitment to the growth of the tourism industry across India, stating that he was "committed to enabling the growth of tourism and entrepreneurship in India across Rayagada, Gir, Ladakh, Rameswaram, Meghalaya, and more!"

Agarwal is actively involved in funding startups and mentoring young entrepreneurs to pursue their business. Oyo Rooms, founded in 2013 by Agarwal, is a platform for booking budget hotels and guesthouses in India. Ritesh Agarwal led Oyo Rooms to impressive growth, making it the largest hotel chain in India. Today, Oyo Rooms is a global company that operates in more than 800 cities across 80 countries and is valued at several billion dollars.

Agarwal's entrepreneurial achievements have earned him numerous awards, including the ‘Business World Young Entrepreneur Award’ and a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. He is also a Thiel Fellow, a prestigious program founded by billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel that offers mentorship and funding to young entrepreneurs pursuing their projects.

FAQs

1. Who are the major shareholders of OYO?
   The company's investors include Didi Chuxing, Greenoaks Capital, SoftBank Group, Lightspeed India, Sequoia India, Hero Enterprise, Airbnb and China Lodging Group.
2. At what age Ritesh Agarwal started Oyo?
   Ritesh Agarwal was only 19 years when he started the hospitality chain, Oyo.