{"id":1634,"date":"2025-03-26T13:16:11","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T13:16:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/?p=1634"},"modified":"2025-03-26T13:16:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T13:16:14","slug":"deep-kalra-founder-chairman-makemytrip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/deep-kalra-founder-chairman-makemytrip\/","title":{"rendered":"Deep Kalra: Founder & Chairman – MakeMyTrip"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Q: Thank you for joining us, Deep. Let\u2019s start with your journey. What inspired you to start MakeMyTrip?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep Kalra: <\/strong>Thank you for having me! The idea for MakeMyTrip<\/strong> came in 1999<\/strong> when I saw a huge opportunity in India\u2019s travel sector. At that time, booking travel was a cumbersome process\u2014long queues, unreliable agents, and limited transparency. I had experienced the convenience of online travel booking while working in the U.S., and I wanted to bring the same seamless experience<\/strong> to Indian travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially, we focused on NRIs booking tickets to India<\/strong>, but by 2005, with rising internet penetration, we expanded to the domestic market. The rest, as they say, is history!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: The dot-com bubble burst soon after MakeMyTrip was founded. How did you navigate through tough times?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep Kalra: <\/strong>Yes, the early 2000s were tough! The dot-com crash of 2000-01<\/strong> dried up funding, and many startups shut down. We had to cut costs, focus on profitability, and survive without external funding<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since NRIs were our initial customers, we concentrated on delivering great service, competitive prices, and a trustworthy platform<\/strong>. When the Indian economy and internet adoption picked up in 2005, we were in a strong position to scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What were some key challenges in building an online travel platform in India?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep Kalra: <\/strong>There were several:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Internet Penetration:<\/strong> In the early 2000s, internet usage in India was low, and people were hesitant to book online.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Building Trust:<\/strong> Customers were skeptical about online payments and digital transactions<\/strong>. We had to educate users<\/strong> and build credibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Competition:<\/strong> Once the industry started growing, we had to constantly innovate, improve service, and stay ahead of global players like Expedia<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Scaling Operations:<\/strong> Managing airline partnerships, hotel bookings, and travel logistics required strong technology and customer support<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Overcoming these challenges required patience, persistence, and adaptability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Q: MakeMyTrip went public on NASDAQ in 2010. What was that experience like?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Deep Kalra: <\/strong>It was a proud and humbling moment<\/strong>. We became the first Indian online travel company<\/strong> to get listed on NASDAQ. The IPO helped us raise capital to expand aggressively in India, improve technology, and acquire other travel businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, going public also brings higher expectations, financial scrutiny, and the responsibility to deliver consistent results<\/strong>. It was a big milestone but also the beginning of a new journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Q: The travel industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. How did MakeMyTrip navigate this crisis?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Deep Kalra: <\/strong>The pandemic was the biggest challenge we had ever faced<\/strong>\u2014travel came to a complete halt. Our priority was to support customers, process cancellations and refunds, and manage cash flow efficiently<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We also focused on post-pandemic recovery strategies<\/strong>, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Contactless travel solutions<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Staycations and domestic tourism promotions<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Partnerships with hotels for safety-certified stays<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      We used this time to strengthen our technology<\/strong> and ensure we emerged stronger<\/strong> when travel resumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Q: As an entrepreneur, what are the key leadership lessons you’ve learned?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Deep Kalra:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Customer First:<\/strong> If you focus on solving real problems, customers will trust your brand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Resilience Matters:<\/strong> Tough times will come\u2014how you navigate them defines your success.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. People are Everything:<\/strong> Hire great talent, empower them, and build a strong team culture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Adapt and Innovate:<\/strong> Markets change quickly\u2014stay agile, embrace technology, and keep evolving.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Q: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Deep Kalra:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        1. Start Small, Think Big<\/strong> \u2013 Validate your idea, test it with early customers, and scale strategically.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. Be Ready for Setbacks<\/strong> \u2013 Every entrepreneur faces failures. Learn, pivot, and keep going.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. Focus on Execution<\/strong> \u2013 Ideas are important, but execution is everything. Stay hands-on, work hard, and build a great team.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. Follow Your Passion<\/strong> \u2013 Entrepreneurship is a long and tough journey. If you\u2019re passionate about what you\u2019re building, the hard work won\u2019t feel like a burden.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          Q: What\u2019s next for MakeMyTrip?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Deep Kalra: <\/strong>The travel industry is constantly evolving. We are focusing on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Sustainable travel solutions<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • AI-driven personalized recommendations<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Expanding in Tier 2 & Tier 3 cities<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Enhancing customer experience with technology<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            We believe the future of travel is seamless, smart, and sustainable<\/strong>, and we\u2019re working towards that vision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Q: Thank you for joining us, Deep. Let\u2019s start with your journey. What inspired you to start MakeMyTrip? Deep Kalra: Thank you for having me! The idea for MakeMyTrip came in 1999 when I saw a huge opportunity in India\u2019s travel sector. At that time, booking travel was a cumbersome process\u2014long queues, unreliable agents, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-his-journey"],"blog_post_layout_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9-150x150.png",150,150,true],"full":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9.png",1022,578,false]},"categories_names":{"31":{"name":"His Journey","link":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/category\/his-journey\/"}},"tags_names":[],"comments_number":"0","wpmagazine_modules_lite_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9-150x150.png",150,150,true],"cvmm-medium":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9-300x300.png",300,300,true],"cvmm-medium-plus":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9-305x207.png",305,207,true],"cvmm-portrait":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9-400x578.png",400,578,true],"cvmm-medium-square":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9-600x578.png",600,578,true],"cvmm-large":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9.png",1022,578,false],"cvmm-small":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9-130x95.png",130,95,true],"full":["https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-UIACC-629-x-356-px-9.png",1022,578,false]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1634"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1634\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1636,"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1634\/revisions\/1636"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uiacc.org\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}