Note: The information provided in the blog is only for educational purposes. We don’t claim the ownership of any brand-related word in this blog or website.
Have you ever pondered how a straightforward concept may revolutionize city travel? Meet Aravind Sanka, one of the driving forces behind Rapido, the popular bike taxi service in India that is expected to be worth $1.1 billion by 2024.
Many years before to the establishment of Rapido, Aravind most certainly had a seed of an idea for what would later become the company. “Back in the early days of work, I had realized that sharing a bike ride to work with my friend helped me save quite a bit of money, time, and effort,” the business owner posted on X (previously Twitter). Every time, we avoided traffic and found shortcuts that were exclusive to motorcycles!
Hold on tight as we delve into the complexities of his life and the epiphany that led to Rapido’s development. It’s more than simply a success tale; it’s a wild adventure filled with creativity, tenacity, and a touch of magic from entrepreneurship.
We’ll take you through Sanka’s incredible career in this candid piece, from his early years to his transformation into a transportation industry titan.
Aravind Sanka is from the Andhra Pradeshi village of Tirur. He once said in an interview, “I had never tasted pizza until I came to IIT.”
During the pivotal year of grade 9, Aravind’s parents suggested that he leave the hamlet in search of better possibilities. Aravind first heard the term “IIT Coaching” at that point. He had no idea at the time that this audacious move would shortly alter the course of his life. Even though he had never wanted to start his own business, everything appeared to be going in that direction. Sanka was a part of several “firsts” as the first class of IIT Bhubaneswar, including establishing campus culture, planning the first college festival and collecting funds for it, and locating mentors from other IITs, such as IIT Kharagpur. He would later, almost by coincidence, be among the initial group of people hired by Flipkart.
Aravind Sanka – CareerÂ
Between 2008 and 2012, Aravind earned his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in mechanical engineering from IIT Bhubaneswar. In 2011, he also spent three months as a summer intern at Tata Motors.
Sanka co-founded theKarrier in November 2015 with two other IIT alumni, Pavan Guntupalli and SR Rishikesh, following a brief stint at Flipkart as a Supply Chain Finance Business Partner, where he assisted with the financial planning and growth of Ekart’s logistics. TheKarrier was an intra-city truck and commodities transport vehicle aggregator that linked drivers and consumers in an unregulated sector by fusing technology with a network of owners.
They were aware that Ola and Uber had monopolized the market when they launched Rapido. However, the three were certain that ridesharing was necessary because the majority of Indians couldn’t always afford to reserve a taxi.
Aravind Sanka- Personal Life
When she’s not working, Sanka loves playing football. “I believe that managing a business and playing football have more in common than what catches the eye,” he wrote in a LinkedIn article. Both tasks necessitate determining each player’s primary skills and having faith in their ability to fulfill them. Each member of the team is given authority and duty, and they all work together to accomplish the goal or goals.
“I firmly believe that traveling is the best kind of learning,” the lifelong learner and frequent traveler wrote on Instagram. It humbles you and gets you ready for the outside world.
Additionally, he contributes to the community of entrepreneurs by offering pearls of wisdom to aspiring business owners. He discusses the significance of maintaining financial discipline and a positive outlook when handling money. In order to locate networking possibilities and determine the best practices for your business, Sankha also stresses the importance of having work experience prior to launching your own venture.
Aravind Sanka- Rapido
In 2015, Rapido introduced the bike taxi concept to India, providing a quicker and more affordable option for short distance travel compared to regular taxis and autorickshaws.
In addition to filling a significant void in urban mobility, particularly in crowded locations, the service excels in last-mile transportation and offers revenue potential to the thousands of bike owners who join its network as “Captains” (drivers).
Rapido is a comfortable option for passengers because of its user-friendly software, which makes booking simple and enables cashless payments and real-time tracking. By implementing policies like speed limits, helmet availability, and extensive background checks on drivers, the corporation has demonstrated its commitment to safety. By encouraging two-wheeler sharing, Rapido may help lessen traffic jams and carbon emissions in comparison to car-based alternatives.
Rapido grew its logistics business after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, offering last-mile delivery services for e-commerce and small enterprises. Rapido began offering on-demand car rickshaw hailing services in October 2020.
After receiving $180 million in a fundraising round, Rapido became a unicorn in January 2022. Rapido now has operations in more than 100 Indian cities. The startup’s operations and growth have impacted bike taxi regulations and conversations in several Indian states, helping to shape the industry’s changing regulatory environment.
Aravind Sanka: Disputations
A number of Rapido motorcycles were seized in Coimbatore in October 2018 because the company was not operating with a transport department permission. The Madras High Court suspended Rapido’s operations in Tamil Nadu in July 2019. The Rapido iOS app was taken down from the App Store due to local legal violations.
Rapido Co-Founder Aravind Sanka and Legal Advisor Shantanu Sharma were co-accused in a case filed by Pune City Police in December 2022 for operating unlawful bike taxis and failing to pay applicable taxes in order to defraud the Maharashtra state government and the regional transport office (RTO).
Aravind Sanka: Honors and Accolades
- Startup of the Year 2021: Given out at the Startup2021 Awards, which were presented by Franchise India and BusinessEx Entrepreneur.
- For being one of the 2021 young achievers, HT City, Hindustan Times, presented the 30 Under 30 award (Travel category).
- The Business World Young Entrepreneur Award 2020 presented the Young Entrepreneur Award.
- At the 2020 Entrepreneur Awards, Mobility Startup of the Year received this honor.
Aravind Sanka: Fascinating Information
Aravind may have been the first person from his small Andhra Pradesh town to attend IIT.
Sanka and his co-founders were on the verge of obtaining Series A funding for theKarrier when they made the decision to start Rapido. The following round was eagerly awaited by investors. All three, however, were in conflict behind the scenes; they had grown, but they lacked a sense of direction. Almost immediately, the company changed its focus from providing B2B logistics (theKarrier) to B2C (Rapido).
