PERSONAL INFORMATION
Profession: Businessman
Known For: Being the co-founder of IndiGo Airlines
Date of Birth: 18 December 1960 (Sunday)
Age (as of 2024): 64 Years
Birthplace: Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
Nationality: Indian
Hometown: Delhi, India
Religion: Hinduism
Food Habit: Non-vegetarian
Age: 64 Years
EDUCATION
School: Modern School on Barakhamba Road, New Delhi
College/University: The University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Educational Qualification: A Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
PHYSICAL STATISTICS
Height (approx.): 5′ 9″ (175 cm)
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Grey
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS
Marital Status: Married
Wife/Spouse: Rohini Bhatia (Businesswoman; Chairperson of IndiGo Airlines Group’s CSR committee)
Children: Son Arunanshu Bhatia Daughter Avantika Bhatia
Parents: Father – Kapil Bhatia (Executive Chairman of InterGlobe Enterprises Limited; former sales manager of an IATA agency)
Siblings: Rahul Bhatia has a sister.
Wife: Rohini Bhatia
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Awards: • Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2010) • The Economic Times Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2011) • The Outstanding Start-Up Award at the Forbes India Leadership Awards (2011) • Featured on the Forbes ‘Global Game Changers’ list (2016)
MONEY FACTOR
Net Worth (approx.): $7.3 Billion (Rs. 73,000 crores) (as of May 2024)
OTHER INFORMATION
Hobby: Playing Golf
Holiday Destination: British Columbia, Canada
INTERESTING BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Rahul Bhatia is a prominent figure in the aviation and hospitality industries, serving as the Group Managing Director of InterGlobe Enterprises and as the Promoter and Managing Director of InterGlobe Aviation Limited, commonly known as IndiGo, as of 2024. Born in the picturesque town of Nainital to a family with roots tracing back to Rawalpindi, he spent his formative years in Delhi, where he cultivated his educational and professional ambitions. His family’s journey led them from Rawalpindi to Lucknow before eventually settling in the bustling capital city, setting the stage for his future endeavors.
After completing his schooling in 1977, Rahul ventured to Toronto to pursue an engineering degree at the University of Waterloo, a choice motivated primarily by a desire to please his mother, despite his lack of enthusiasm for the field. During his time at university, he excelled academically, earning a spot on the Dean’s Honour list. Rahul gained practical experience working with IBM for two years, contributing to a project that aimed to establish a fully automated screen manufacturing plant. He also briefly worked in the Information Technology Department of United Airlines, where he crossed paths with Rakesh Gangwal, a connection that would prove pivotal in his later career.
Returning to India in 1984, Rahul initially sought to establish a telecom venture with Nortel, aiming to introduce digital telephone exchanges. However, his aspirations were stymied by government resistance to foreign technology. During this period, he assisted his father in running Delhi Express, an air travel business founded in 1964. When his father’s health began to decline in 1988, Rahul stepped in to support the family enterprise. Shortly thereafter, his father sold his share in Delhi Express, and together they launched InterGlobe Enterprises on October 6, 1989. This venture soon diversified into various sectors, including civil aviation with the inception of IndiGo, hospitality, and airline management.
Under Rahul’s leadership, IndiGo Airlines was co-founded with Rakesh Gangwal after much persuasion, leading to the acquisition of an airline license in 2004. InterGlobe owned a majority stake in the airline, which swiftly grew to become one of the fastest-growing low-cost carriers in the world. With an aggressive expansion strategy, Rahul ordered 100 Airbus A320-200 aircraft at the Paris Air Show in June 2005, and the airline commenced operations with its inaugural flight on August 4, 2006. By the end of 2007, the airline had further bolstered its fleet, achieving sales of Rs. 2,664 crore in 2010 and revolutionizing the Indian aviation landscape. Following a brief tenure as Interim Chief Executive Officer in 2018, Rahul navigated a series of challenges, including conflicts with Rakesh over operational strategies, which eventually led to Rakesh stepping down from the IndiGo board in 2022.
In recent years, Rahul has expanded his business portfolio, launching a joint venture called Movin with logistics company UPS in 2022, aimed at enhancing logistics solutions in India. His commitment to innovation continued into 2024, when he partnered with former Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnani to establish AIonOS, a company focused on delivering AI-powered SaaS solutions across the travel, transportation, logistics, and hospitality sectors. As of early 2024, IndiGo boasts a remarkable 62% domestic market share and operates a fleet of over 350 aircraft, servicing 118 locations, including 32 international destinations. Furthermore, with 21 hotels in India in collaboration with the French hospitality group Accor and 13 abroad, Rahul’s influence in the hospitality industry continues to grow. Known for his casual style, often opting for kurta pajamas over business suits, Rahul Bhatia embodies a unique blend of tradition and modernity in the corporate world.
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Note: All biographical information compiled from publicly available sources.