Oyo founder Ritesh Agarwal recently took to the X platform (formerly Twitter) to share an emotional note as he announced his wife Geetansha Sood’s pregnancy. The entrepreneur expressed his love and gratitude for his wife while reflecting on their journey from being teenagers to becoming parents.
Agarwal’s heartfelt note read, “I met Geet eleven years ago, when I was just a teenager chasing dreams, trying to convince my family that I wanted to build my own company from scratch. There was only one constant who was by my side through it all, and it was her. The highs of happiness and milestones, the lows of pain and loss, we’ve been through so much together.
This year, we got married, which was one of the happiest moments of my life. And my family and I navigated through various highs and lows. Now, as Geet and I reflect on (and process) our transition from being children to teenagers to partners, to parents, I couldn’t be more excited. Our coming of age may have come and gone, but I’m glad I got to share it all with you.
It’s time to share parenthood!”
I met Geet eleven years ago, when I was just a teenager chasing dreams, trying to convince my family that I wanted to build my own company from scratch. There was only one constant who was by my side through it all, and it was her. The highs of happiness and milestones, the lows… pic.twitter.com/cJKY2xcXPF
— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) October 13, 2023
After sharing this wonderful news with his followers, the Oyo CEO sought recommendations for nappies, strollers, and toys, indicating his eagerness to embrace parenthood fully. He even expressed interest in innovative products from startups, saying, “And if you happen to be a startup with something innovative, even better. Seriously, I’m in the market for some dad-level wisdom here.”
Ritesh Agarwal and Geetansha Sood tied the knot on 7 March, and their wedding reception was a star-studded event attended by prominent figures from the business and startup world. Notable guests included Softbank Group founder Masayoshi Son, Lenskart CEO Peyush Bansal, Paytm head Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, and several others.
In the midst of this heartwarming announcement, Oyo Hotels, the hospitality company founded by Ritesh Agarwal, is in talks with Apollo Global Management Inc. to refinance a $660 million loan. This move comes as Oyo seeks additional time to reduce its debt following a delay in its initial public offering (IPO).
Oravel Stays Pvt, Oyo’s parent company, is working to extend the loan maturity to five years from the existing 2026 deadline, according to reports from Bloomberg news agency. Oyo’s journey towards its anticipated IPO has been longer than expected, with Agarwal striving to take the startup public for several years. Oyo is backed by Softbank Group and Airbnb Inc., and the delay in its IPO is being closely watched by the business world.
