Ritesh Agarwal founded OYO Rooms (originally Oravel Stays) in 2012 at the age of 18. The Indian entrepreneur launched the startup to provide standardized, budget-friendly accommodation, later rebranding it as OYO in 2013. It has since grown into a major global hospitality network, headquartered in Gurgaon, India.
OYO Hotels & Homes was founded by Ritesh Agarwal, the first resident Asian to be accepted to the Thiel Fellowship (started by Paypal founder Peter Thiel).
OYO started in 2011 when 18-year-old Ritesh Agarwal from the small town of Titilagarh in India's Odisha started a hotel chain called “Oravel Stays”. Two years later, he went through a start-up accelerator program and received a grant of US $100,000 from the Thiel fellowship.
Agarwal's enterprise was accelerated through the Venture Nursery program in 2012, and was later one of the winners of the 2013 Thiel Fellowship, receiving a US$100,000 grant. The company launched as OYO Rooms in May 2013. By September 2018, the company had raised US$1 billion.
OYO Rooms (stylised as OYO), formerly known as OYO Hotels & Homes, is an Indian multinational hospitality chain owned by PRISM which operates leased and franchised hotels, homes, and living spaces.
- OYO faced regulatory hurdles and legal disputes in some of its markets, such as China, Japan, the US and India. For example, it was sued by a US hotel owner for $8.5 million over alleged fraud and breach of contract. It also faced tax raids and investigations by Indian authorities over alleged tax evasion.
Yes, you can generally stay with your girlfriend at an OYO, but policies vary by location and hotel, with some newer rules requiring proof of relationship; use the "OYO welcomes couples" or "Relationship Mode" filter in the app to find partner hotels that explicitly allow unmarried couples and always carry valid photo IDs for both of you.
As per the company's annual report 2024-25, OYO clocked a profit after tax (PAT) of over Rs 200 crore in Q1 FY26, a sharp jump from Rs 87 crore in the same quarter last year.
The creator of OYO Rooms, Ritesh Agarwal, is now the richest judge among all the Shark Tank India sharks. He is the richest investor on the panel, with an estimated net worth of about Rs 16,000 crore, and he contributes valuable scale-driven insights to Shark Tank India Season 5.
Ritesh Agarwal was born into a Marwari family in Bissam Cuttack, Odisha, and grew up in Titilagarh. His family operated a small shop in Rayagada, Odisha. Ritesh completed his schooling at Sacred Heart School and later attended St. John's Senior Secondary School.
OYO provides safe and secure hotels to unmarried couples. Most OYO hotels allow unmarried couples and accept local IDs; they have well-trained staff who ensure safety and privacy.
India's Youngest Ceo, Aadithyan Rajesh, A 16-year-old From Kerala Started His It Company, Trinet Solutions, In Dubai At Just 13. 👏👏👏 . . . . . . . . . .
At just 31, Aravind Srinivas (Perplexity AI) tops the list with a net worth of ₹21,190 crore, followed by Ritesh Agarwal (OYO) and the founders of Zepto. Their success highlights how India's startup ecosystem has evolved beyond innovation into rapid wealth creation at an unprecedented scale.
OYO is valued at approximately $2.5 billion based on its June 2024 funding round of $175 million, including $100 million from founder Ritesh Agarwal. This represents a 75% decrease from its peak valuation of $10 billion in 2019.
But have you ever thought about who tops the list of richest people in Asia? Well, there is no surprise that Mukesh Ambani is #1 among Asian billionaires. Continue reading to take a look at the top 10 wealthiest and powerful Asians in 2026.
Who is Elvish Yadav beyond YouTube? From skits on YouTube to reality show stardom, Elvish has carved his place as a digital celebrity. Known for his witty desi humour, he transformed into a brand that commands crores. According to a 2024 report, his fortune was pegged at Rs 500 crore.
Mukesh Ambani is significantly richer personally, with a net worth over $100 billion from Reliance Industries, while Ratan Tata's personal wealth is much smaller (around $1-6 billion) because most Tata Group profits fund philanthropic trusts, making the Tata Group's overall value vast but not personally held by Tata. Ambani's wealth is personal and concentrated in his business, whereas the Tata Group's wealth is largely dedicated to charity, making Ambani the wealthier individual by a huge margin.
Oyo Hotels – a leading new-age technology company is currently in an advanced stage for refinancing its existing debt of 450 million dollars. The purpose of this debt refinancing is to reduce interest rates and save on annual interest costs.
But, you should be aware that there is no law in India that prohibits unmarried couples from booking a hotel room together, if they have valid ID proofs. Article 21 of the Indian Constitution gives unmarried couples the right to privacy and safeguards them from such hotels that might harass them for being unmarried!
Oyo launches new check-in policy starting January 2025: Unmarried couples will no longer be ... Oyo's new policy in Meerut prohibits unmarried couples from staying at partner hotels, requiring couples to present valid proof of relationship at check-in. The policy may extend to other cities based on feedback.
Hotels keep photocopies of our IDs for several reasons. Here are some possible reasons: Security: Hotels keep photocopies of our IDs to ensure the security of their guests. In case of any illegal activities or incidents, they can provide the details to the authorities to aid in investigations.
