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40 Under 40

Asia Inc. 500 · 40 Under 40 · The 2026 Edition

THE FINAL 40

The finalists announced so far. One generation shaping what comes next.

16of 40 announced
finalists
Enter the collection
01Vicky KaushalEntertainer
02Ananya Shree BirlaFinance
03KL RahulSports
04Karan AdaniEntrepreneur
05Akash AmbaniTechnology
06Nikhil KamathFinance
07Ritesh AgarwalBusiness
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The collection

Discover the finalists.

16 / 16 finalists

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Ritesh Agarwal

Business · 32

The Small-Town Boy Who Redesigned Global Hospitality

Founder | CEO | Thiel Fellow | Global Operator | Industry Disruptor

Ritesh Agarwal is the founder and CEO of OYO, one of the world's most recognised hospitality brands. Born in a small town in Odisha, he began his first venture at 17 and became the first Asian to win the Thiel Fellowship in 2013, growing a bold idea into a technology-led hospitality network serving travellers across the world.

Photo: YourStory (source) · Image details

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