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The highly anticipated fourth season of Shark Tank India premiered on January 6, 2025, on SonyLIV, bringing together some of the country’s most accomplished entrepreneurs. With returning judges like Anupam Mittal (Shaadi.com), Aman Gupta (boAt), Namita Thapar (Emcure Pharmaceuticals), Peyush Bansal (Lenskart), and Vineeta Singh (SUGAR Cosmetics), the season also welcomed two new faces: Kunal Bahl, co-founder of Snapdeal, and Viraj Bahl, founder of Veeba.
While all the judges are leaders of multi-crore companies, the title of the richest judge on Shark Tank India Season 4 goes to Ritesh Agarwal, founder and CEO of OYO Rooms, with a staggering net worth of Rs 16,000 crore.
At just 30 years old, Ritesh Agarwal has cemented his place as one of India’s most prominent entrepreneurs. His achievements include being listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and ranking among the top 10 youngest Indian billionaires in the Hurun Rich List 2024.
Born in November 1993 into a Marwari business family in Cuttack, Odisha, Agarwal completed his schooling at Sacred Heart School in Rayagada. In 2011, he moved to Delhi for higher studies but dropped out of college to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams.
Ritesh’s journey began in 2011 with the launch of Oravel Stays, a platform inspired by Airbnb. By 2012, his venture gained traction through the Venture Nursery program and won a $100,000 grant as part of the Thiel Fellowship in 2013.
In May 2013, Oravel Stays was rebranded as OYO Rooms. The company quickly scaled up, receiving a massive $1 billion (Rs 8,660 crore) funding round by September 2018. In 2019, Agarwal invested $2 billion (Rs 17,334 crore) to increase his ownership stake in the company.
OYO’s success continued, with the company reporting its first-ever post-tax profit of Rs 229 crore for the financial year 2023-24, as per its annual report.
While Agarwal’s Rs 16,000 crore net worth far surpasses the others, the judges of Shark Tank India Season 4 are all noteworthy entrepreneurs in their own right:
Anupam Mittal (Shaadi.com): Rs 185 crore
Aman Gupta (boAt): Rs 720 crore
Namita Thapar (Emcure Pharmaceuticals): Rs 600 crore
Peyush Bansal (Lenskart): Rs 600 crore
Kunal Bahl (Snapdeal): Rs 900 crore
His story continues to inspire countless aspiring entrepreneurs across India and beyond. With OYO Rooms achieving global recognition, Agarwal’s success reflects the power of perseverance, vision, and innovation.
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