From a small bicycle-manufacturing town to becoming one of India’s youngest self-made billionaires, Bhavish Aggarwal’s journey reads like a modern Indian success story. With humble beginnings in Ludhiana, Punjab, this tech entrepreneur revolutionized transportation in India and is now racing to transform the electric vehicle and AI landscapes.
Early Days: Ludhiana to IIT
Born on August 28, 1985, in Ludhiana, Punjab, Bhavish grew up in a city famous for producing bicycles, not tech innovators. As a kid, he probably never imagined he’d one day build companies worth billions of dollars!
His academic journey took him to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in 2008. It was here that he met many of his future collaborators, including Ankit Bhati, who would later become the co-founder of Ola Cabs.
After graduating, Bhavish joined Microsoft Research India. For two years, he worked as a researcher, filing two patents and publishing three papers in international journals. Pretty impressive for a fresh graduate! But deep inside, the entrepreneurial bug was biting.
The Birth of Ola: A Bad Taxi Ride Changes Everything
Ever had a taxi experience so terrible it made you want to start a company? That’s exactly what happened to Bhavish!
In 2010, Bhavish had a really bad experience with a taxi. Rather than just complaining or leaving a one-star review, he saw a massive problem that needed fixing. The Indian taxi market was fragmented, unpredictable, and often frustrating for customers.
In January 2011, Bhavish and his IIT buddy Ankit Bhati co-founded Ola Cabs in Bengaluru. They started the company from Bhavish Aggarwal’s home with a simple mission: to provide hassle-free, reliable, and tech-efficient cab service in a market plagued by inconsistency.
“At Olacabs, we are trying to provide hassle-free, reliable and technology-efficient cab service to Indians in a deeply fragmented and highly unpredictable market,” Bhavish explained about his early vision.
Scaling Up: From Local Startup to National Giant
Ola didn’t stay small for long. Under Bhavish Aggarwal’s leadership, the company expanded rapidly across India. From major cities to smaller towns, the green and black Ola cabs became a common sight on Indian roads.
What made Ola special wasn’t just the convenience for riders. The company created a model that empowered drivers too. Ola partnered with car manufacturers and loan financers to help drivers buy cars at better rates. They also offered benefits like medical insurance and scholarships for drivers’ children. This win-win approach helped Ola attract and keep drivers in a competitive market.
By the age of 32, Bhavish had scaled Ola to more than 100 Indian cities, empowering millions of driver-partners and commuters. The growth wasn’t always smooth sailing, though. He faced regulatory hurdles, fought off foreign competitors (mainly Uber), and navigated the challenges of India’s emerging tech ecosystem.
Going Global: Taking Ola Down Under
In 2018, Bhavish took a bold step by expanding Ola beyond Indian borders. The company launched operations in Australia, marking one of the first significant international expansions by an Indian tech company.
This move wasn’t just about growth; it was a statement. An Indian company was now competing globally in the tech space, challenging established players on their turf. Talk about flipping the script!
The same year, Bhavish’s achievements earned him a spot in Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list. For a boy from Ludhiana, this was no small feat.
Pandemic Challenges: Pivoting Through COVID-19
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Ola faced massive challenges. The company saw its revenue plummet by about 95% as lockdowns kept people at home.
In May 2020, Ola announced layoffs affecting around 5,000 employees—a tough but necessary move to survive the economic impact of the pandemic. During this difficult time, Bhavish remained optimistic about the future.
In a webinar for students at Bennet University, he predicted that the pandemic would accelerate technological innovations. He suggested that markets might shift toward car rentals and subscription-based ownership models. As it turns out, he wasn’t far off!
Electric Dreams: Founding Ola Electric
Not content with just transforming the ride-hailing industry, Bhavish set his sights on electric vehicles. He founded Ola Electric with a vision to revolutionize personal transportation in India through electric two-wheelers.
In April 2022, Bhavish stepped back from day-to-day operations at Ola Cabs to focus on Ola Electric and the company’s quick-commerce ventures. This shift reflected his growing interest in sustainable transportation and his belief in the future of electric vehicles in India.
Ola Electric quickly became a leader in India’s two-wheeler EV market. The company even filed paperwork for a $662 million initial public offering, showing just how fast Bhavish could scale his second major venture.
AI Ambitions: Enter Krutrim
Bhavish didn’t stop at transportation and electric vehicles. In 2023, he founded Krutrim, an artificial intelligence company focused on developing large language models trained specifically for Indian languages.
The name “Krutrim,” which means “artificial” in Sanskrit, reflects the company’s focus on AI solutions tailored for India. Bhavish Aggarwal’s vision for Krutrim was to build India’s first complete AI computing stack, creating technology by Indians, for Indians.
In 2024, Krutrim became India’s first AI unicorn, reaching a valuation of $1 billion. The company raised $50 million in its first funding round, led by Matrix Partners India, which had also backed Bhavish’s other ventures.
What made Krutrim special was its focus on local Indian languages alongside English. The company planned to launch a voice-enabled conversational AI assistant capable of understanding and speaking multiple Indian languages. This approach addressed a significant gap in existing AI tools, which often didn’t work well with India’s linguistic diversity.
Leadership Style: Demanding Excellence
Behind Bhavish Aggarwal’s soft-spoken demeanor lies a determined leader who demands excellence. In 2022, reports emerged about his intense management style at Ola. Stories circulated about him tearing up presentations over missing page numbers, using Punjabi epithets, and once making an employee run laps for a minor mistake.
The company saw several high-profile exits, with some citing Bhavish’s “aggressive” behavior as a factor. When asked about these reports, Bhavish defended his style as personal and necessary for his vision.
“Passions and emotions run high, and we are not on an easy journey,” he reportedly said, adding that he was not building a “me too” company. His leadership philosophy seems to prioritize results and innovation over conventional workplace norms.
Personal Views: Work Culture and Social Issues
Bhavish hasn’t been shy about sharing his views on work culture. He publicly supported N.R. Narayana Murthy’s controversial statement advocating for 70-hour work weeks, despite medical experts warning about the health risks of overwork.
“I don’t believe in work-life balance,” Bhavish has stated. Instead, he believes that people who enjoy their work will find happiness in both work and life, creating a natural harmony. He’s also dismissed the concept of a five-day workweek as a “western concept,” stirring debate about workplace expectations in India’s tech sector.
In May 2024, Bhavish stirred controversy with remarks about gender pronouns on Twitter/X. He referred to the use of preferred gender pronouns as a “western illness” and expressed concern about the practice reaching India. His comments drew backlash from many users who labeled them as homophobic and transphobic.
Following these comments, LinkedIn removed his posts citing community guidelines violations. In response, Ola Consumer switched its cloud services from Microsoft Azure, showing how Bhavish Aggarwal’s personal views sometimes directly impact his business decisions.
Family Life: Beyond Business
Despite his busy entrepreneurial life, Bhavish finds time for family. He is married to Rajalakshmi Aggarwal, and the couple has two children. When not working on his next big idea, Bhavish enjoys cycling, playing squash, and photography. He even maintains a popular photoblog, showing a creative side beyond his business ventures.
This balance of intense work ethic and personal interests paints the picture of a complex individual whose ambitions extend beyond just building successful companies.
The Empire Today: Ola Consumer, Ola Electric, and Krutrim
As of 2025, Bhavish Aggarwal’s business empire spans three major companies:
- Ola Consumer (formerly Ola Cabs): Rebranded in August 2024 to offer a broader range of consumer services beyond just ride-hailing.
- Ola Electric: Leading India’s two-wheeler EV market and preparing for public listing.
- Krutrim: India’s first AI unicorn, developing language models and AI solutions specifically for Indian languages and use cases.
With a net worth estimated at $2.3 billion, Bhavish has cemented his place as one of the world’s youngest self-made billionaires. His journey from Microsoft researcher to multi-company founder shows remarkable vision and execution ability.
Recognition and Awards
Bhavish Aggarwal’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. He has received numerous awards and recognitions, including:
- Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People (2018)
- mBillionth award South Asia (2013)
- ‘Best startup of the year’ by IAMAI
- HATT awards
- Hindustan Times 30 under 30
- Forbes ’30 under 30′
These accolades reflect not just his business success but his influence on India’s tech landscape and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Road Ahead: What’s Next for Bhavish?
At just 39 years old (as of 2024), Bhavish Aggarwal has already accomplished what most entrepreneurs only dream of. Yet, he shows no signs of slowing down.
With Ola Consumer continuing to expand its services, Ola Electric pushing the boundaries of sustainable transportation, and Krutrim developing AI solutions for India’s unique needs, Bhavish is working on multiple fronts to transform various industries.
His ambitions for Krutrim go beyond just creating language models. The company plans to develop in-house capability to manufacture chips optimized for AI computing, potentially making India a player in the semiconductor space as well.
Legacy in Progress: India’s Tech Visionary
Looking at Bhavish Aggarwal’s journey so far, it’s clear that his impact extends far beyond the companies he’s built. He represents a new generation of Indian entrepreneurs who are creating global-standard products and services from India, for the world.
From a small-town boy to a tech titan, Bhavish embodies the possibilities of the new India. His story inspires countless young Indians to dream big and build solutions for local problems that can scale globally.
As India continues its technological transformation, Bhavish Aggarwal stands at the forefront—sometimes controversial, often visionary, but always determined to push boundaries and redefine what’s possible.
In the words of a colleague who profiled him for Time magazine: “By taking Ola Down Under to Australia, Bhavish Aggarwal has made it one of the first homegrown tech companies to meaningfully expand outside India. This time, the wishes of a billion Indians, mine included, are riding in his cab.”
Those wishes now extend to electric scooters and AI assistants too, as Bhavish continues to drive India’s tech revolution forward, one venture at a time.
The Journey Continues
From a bad taxi ride to a multi-billion-dollar empire, Bhavish Aggarwal’s journey exemplifies entrepreneurial vision and determination. While his leadership style and personal views may sometimes spark controversy, there’s no denying his impact on India’s technology landscape.
As Bhavish continues to build and innovate across transportation, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence, he’s not just creating companies—he’s helping shape the future of technology in India and beyond. And at just 39, his most significant contributions may still lie ahead.
For the boy from bicycle town, the ride has just begun!
