Skift Power Rankings: Ritesh Agarwal
Skift Take
Ritesh Agarwal revolutionized the budget hotel industry in India. Oyo has transcended its status as a brand to become a shorthand for budget-friendly hotels.
Power is not just about who holds the top job but who shapes the landscape, drives innovation, and sets the agenda for what comes next. With that in mind, we proudly present Skift’s Power Rankings — our list of the most powerful leaders in travel.
The story of Ritesh Agarwal, founder and group CEO of Oyo, is pure Bollywood material: A small-town kid from Rayagada, Odisha in eastern India, drops out of college to chase the entrepreneurial dream. In India, where education is considered incomplete without a college degree, this is almost revolutionary.
At just 20 years old, Agarwal launched Oyo Rooms in 2013 as a platform for booking budget accommodations. His focus on a
