Many successful businesses start with a simple frustration. For Ritesh Agarwal, that frustration came from messy and unreliable budget hotels across India. Born in Bissam Cuttack, he travelled frequently as a teenager and noticed that cheap hotels often lacked basic cleanliness and consistency.

Instead of just complaining, he decided to solve the problem. At just 18, he launched Oravel Stays, a platform for affordable hotel bookings. However, he soon realised that the real issue wasn’t finding hotels but ensuring quality and trust.

In 2013, he transformed the idea into OYO Rooms, partnering with small hotel owners and standardising rooms with clean beds, proper washrooms, and basic amenities. The concept quickly attracted investors like SoftBank and Sequoia Capital.

Today, OYO operates across multiple countries, and Ritesh has become one of India’s youngest self-made billionaires. His journey shows how a small everyday problem can turn into a global business idea.