Bhavish Aggarwal, the co-founder and CEO of Ola Consumer (formerly Ola Cabs), stands as one of India’s most influential entrepreneurs, reshaping the landscape of urban mobility, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence. Born on August 28, 1985, in Ludhiana, Punjab, Aggarwal’s journey from a computer science graduate to a billionaire innovator is a testament to his relentless drive and ambitious vision. With a net worth estimated at $2.6 billion, he ranks among the world’s youngest self-made billionaires and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2018.
Early Life and Education
Raised in a middle-class Punjabi family, Aggarwal grew up with values of education and hard work instilled by his parents—his father, an orthopedic surgeon, and his mother, a pathologist. He pursued a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, graduating in 2008. His academic foundation and technical prowess laid the groundwork for his future ventures. After graduation, Aggarwal joined Microsoft Research India, where he worked as a research intern and later as an assistant researcher, filing two patents and publishing three papers in international journals.
The Genesis of Ola
The idea for Ola Cabs was born from a frustrating personal experience in 2010. While traveling from Bangalore to Bandipur, Aggarwal and his friend Ankit Bhati encountered an unreliable taxi driver who demanded extra payment and abandoned them mid-journey. This incident highlighted the inefficiencies in India’s transportation system, inspiring Aggarwal to create a reliable, technology-driven solution. In September 2010, he co-founded Ola Cabs with Bhati, initially launching it as a trip-planning service called OLAtrip.com before pivoting to ride-hailing in 2011.
Ola revolutionized urban mobility in India by offering a user-friendly app, competitive pricing, and a range of transportation options, from cabs to auto-rickshaws. By 2015, Ola had a significant market share, and today, it operates in over 250 cities across India, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, serving more than 250 million users globally with over a billion rides annually.
Expanding Horizons: Ola Electric and Krutrim
Aggarwal’s vision extends beyond ride-hailing. In 2017, he founded Ola Electric to lead India’s transition to sustainable mobility. Ola Electric became a unicorn before selling its first scooter and went public in August 2024, achieving a valuation of nearly $7 billion. The company focuses on electric scooters, motorcycles, and battery manufacturing, with plans to expand its lithium-ion cell production capacity to 100 GWh within a decade. Aggarwal positions Ola Electric as a global player for emerging markets, contrasting it with Tesla, which he says caters to “1 billion rich people.”
In 2023, Aggarwal launched Krutrim, an AI startup that became India’s first AI unicorn in 2024 with a $1 billion valuation. Krutrim focuses on building an AI tech stack for India, including large language models with “Indian cultural sensibilities” and cloud infrastructure to combat “data colonialism.” Aggarwal has raised $75 million for Krutrim, emphasizing local data retention, as only 10% of India’s 20% share of global data is retained within the country.
Leadership Style and Controversies
Aggarwal’s leadership is often described as intense and visionary, drawing comparisons to Elon Musk for his ambitious goals and direct management style. However, his approach has sparked criticism. In 2022, reports surfaced of a toxic work culture at Ola, with allegations of Aggarwal’s abrasive behavior, including tearing up presentations over minor errors and publicly reprimanding employees. High-profile exits, such as Ola’s CFO and Ola Electric‘s chief marketing officer, were attributed to his aggressive style, which he defended as a reflection of his passion for the company’s mission.
In October 2024, Aggarwal’s public spat on X with comedian Kunal Kamra over Ola Electric’s after-sales service issues led to a 10% dip in the company’s stock price. The feud highlighted challenges with Ola Electric’s scooters, including faulty designs and poor customer service, which Aggarwal addressed by promising improvements. His “Kya Chal Raha Hai?” initiative, requiring employees to submit weekly progress reports, also drew comparisons to Musk’s management tactics.
Aggarwal’s outspoken views have stirred further controversy. In May 2024, he criticized the adoption of gender pronouns in India, calling it a “Western illness,” prompting accusations of being homophobic and transphobic. LinkedIn removed his posts for violating community guidelines, leading Ola to switch from Microsoft Azure to Krutrim’s cloud services. Additionally, his advocacy for 70-hour workweeks and dismissal of work-life balance as a “Western concept” sparked debates about workplace expectations in India.
Personal Life and Legacy
Aggarwal married Rajalakshmi in 2014 after a six-year courtship that began in Bangalore in 2007. Rajalakshmi played a pivotal role in Ola’s early days, providing financial support and even lending her car to the venture. The couple has two children and resides in Mumbai. Aggarwal’s hobbies include cycling, squash, and photography, and he maintains a popular photoblog.
With stakes of 9% in Ola Consumer, 36% in Ola Electric, and 90% in Krutrim, Aggarwal is restructuring his companies into a conglomerate under BA Family Office, starting with the integration of Ola Maps into Krutrim. Despite competition from Uber and Rapido, as well as challenges such as Ola Electric’s projected losses, Aggarwal remains committed to innovation and sustainability.
Conclusion
Bhavish Aggarwal‘s journey from a frustrating taxi ride to building a multi-billion-dollar empire reflects his ability to identify problems and create scalable solutions. While his bold vision and uncompromising style have drawn both admiration and criticism, his contributions to India’s mobility and tech sectors are undeniable. As he steers Ola Consumer, Ola Electric, and Krutrim toward global impact, Aggarwal continues to redefine what it means to be an entrepreneur in modern India, balancing ambition with the weight of public scrutiny.
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