From College Dorm To A Unicorn: The Inspiring Journey Of Rikant Pittie And EaseMyTrip
In the sprawling world of online travel, where global giants and well-funded players jockey for position, Rikant Pittie’s name stands out as a beacon of entrepreneurial determination and ingenuity.
From his early days selling movie CDs at school to building one of India’s leading travel platforms EaseMyTrip, Pittie’s journey is a vivid testament to vision, persistence, and a deep understanding of customer needs.
Pittie’s entrepreneurial spark ignited early. At just 17, he was already demonstrating his business acumen by turning a school-side hustle into pocket money. But it wasn’t until he discovered a glaring inefficiency in flight ticketing that his path became clear. Watching his father repeatedly pay higher-than-necessary booking fees through travel agents, Pittie spotted an opportunity that few others could see at the time. He realized there was a better way to handle flight bookings, and he decided to become part of the solution.
In his college days, Rikant capitalized on this insight, officially becoming a travel agent under the name “Duke Travels.” Starting with nothing more than a few airline partnerships and bulk SMS campaigns, Pittie built a network of travel agents eager to book through him. Within a short time, Duke Travels had partnered with 400 agents. But as Pittie’s operations scaled, he confronted a harsh reality: the razor-thin margins offered by airlines weren’t sustainable. He needed a new approach, one that could transform a low-margin business into a thriving, high-volume operation.
Recognizing that the true power lay in direct customer relationships, Pittie took the bold step of reshaping his business model. In 2008, alongside his brothers and with a modest Rs 15 lakh investment, he launched EaseMyTrip. What set EaseMyTrip apart from the beginning was its commitment to transparency—“no convenience fees” and “zero hidden charges.” Customers immediately appreciated the straightforward pricing and began to return again and again. This shift from working primarily with agents to serving end customers directly allowed EaseMyTrip to grow rapidly while maintaining an incredible customer retention rate.
By 2011, EaseMyTrip was processing hundreds of crores worth of travel bookings, yet its founders remained acutely aware of the importance of fiscal discipline. While competitors poured investor capital into customer acquisition, EaseMyTrip grew sustainably, driven by profit from day one. Even as competitors raised millions to stay afloat, Pittie’s focus on cost-efficiency and organic growth meant the company consistently reported profits—something virtually unheard of in the startup world.
EaseMyTrip’s meteoric rise culminated in its successful IPO on March 8, 2021. The offering was oversubscribed by an astonishing 159 times, cementing its position as India’s third-largest online travel agency. But then came the COVID-19 pandemic, a once-in-a-century challenge that devastated the travel industry. Instead of faltering, Pittie’s leadership shone. Drawing from the company’s accumulated profits, EaseMyTrip promptly refunded customers for canceled bookings, earning their trust and loyalty in an unprecedented crisis. This customer-first approach ensured that when travel rebounded, EaseMyTrip emerged even stronger.
By 2023, EaseMyTrip had crossed Rs 8,000 crore in revenue, making it a unicorn—an achievement even more remarkable given that it was entirely bootstrapped. Alongside household names like Zoho and Zerodha, EaseMyTrip proved that you don’t need billions in venture capital to build a billion-dollar company. Today, the platform serves over 11 million customers, offers more than 61,000 travel agents, and partners with 10 lakh hotels and 400 airlines. It is, quite simply, one of the most successful travel platforms India has ever seen.
What makes Pittie’s story so compelling is not just the numbers or the accolades—it’s the lessons he embodies. By identifying inefficiencies, putting customers first, and maintaining a disciplined approach to growth, Pittie has demonstrated that it’s possible to challenge giants and win. From the cramped one-bedroom apartment in East Delhi where EaseMyTrip began, to a sprawling unicorn that’s reshaped India’s travel landscape, Pittie’s journey is a reminder that entrepreneurship is about more than just funding—it’s about vision, grit, and the courage to dream big.
