Once a banker, here’s how Deep Kalra made MakeMyTrip a household name | Read his success story
After three years of service, Deep Kalra understood that banking was not something he was made for and decided to start his own business and add AMF bowling.
New Delhi: Every successful individual has humble beginnings. Such was the case with Deep Kalra, the Indian pioneer of internet travel booking, who founded MakeMyTrip in April 2000. Drawing on his experience while employed by GE Capital, AMF Bowling Inc. and ABN AMRO Bank, he has led MakeMyTrip to become the largest online travel agency and e-commerce company in India.
Deep Kalra, the chairman of the NASSCOM Internet Working Group, is a representative of the body’s executive council. In addition, he is a co-founder of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) and a member of the board of directors of TiE, New Delhi. Deep is a member of the CII’s Tourism Subcommittee and a frequent speaker at internet and travel conferences around the world, according to his LinkedIn profile.
As a banker at ABN Amro Bank
Deep Kalra started his career at ABN Amro Bank. After serving for three years, he understood that banking was not what he was made for and decided to start his own company AMF Bowling. This was an attempt to start the bowling revolution in India, but unfortunately it did not succeed.
Deep was forced to return to the corporate world and join GE Capital. Because his former American supervisor did not provide any form of mentoring, his work at AMF Bowling was unsuccessful. Even with the addition of 200 lanes, bowling failed to connect with the Indian public, according to a report from StartupTalky.
Here’s how deeply grounded MakeMyTrip
Deep wanted to get rid of greedy and expensive travel agents and streamline travel and vacation planning to make it easier for travelers to organize cheap vacations, and this led him to found one of the most famous websites of the moment, MakeMyTrip, with the help of co-founders Keyur Joshi, Rajesh Magow and Sachin Bhatia and $2 million funding from eVentures, the report said.
About MakeMyTrip
MakeMyTrip is a pioneer in India’s online travel industry. The company was born with the premise of “providing the traveler with convenient and instant travel bookings and extensive choices.” Founded by Deep Kalra in 2000, MakeMyTrip leveraged cutting-edge technology and 24-hour customer service and started by providing the US-India travel market with the best goods and services, the company’s official website said.
“After successfully consolidating its position as a customer-centric brand known for its trustworthiness and transparency, MakeMyTrip launched its business in India in 2005,” the company said of the launch.