How a woman entrepreneur built a Rs 150 crore turnover aviation company starting on Uber model

 

When you have the courage to dream big, you enter the ranks of those who fly high. Kanika Tekriwal's actual story illustrates this point like nothing else. Nine years ago, 24-year-old Kanika, who had just survived cancer, ventured into the Indian aviation industry without owning a single plane. His plan was to start an aircraft rental business using an aggregator model like Ola and Uber.

“I invested Rs 5600 and created an application to book charter flights. During the first two years, I got customer advances and supplier credits to run the business” says Kanika, founder of Delhi-based Jetsetgo Aviation Services Private Limited.

"I also offered advice and advised people to buy planes according to their needs." In 2014 Sudheer Perla, a chartered accountant and management graduate from Oxford, joined the company as a co-founder. Today, Jetsetgo has grown into a Rs 150 crore business with around 200 employees and offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Year the company bought its own fleet of eight planes.“In 202021, we processed 1 lakh of flyers and operated 6,000 flights. Our customers are mainly businesses, celebrities, politicians and VIPs. We offer a range of charter flights, from a six-seater to an 18-seater plane ", explains Kanika.

Delhi Mumbai, Mumbai Bengaluru and Hyderabad Delhi are our most heavily flown areas. About five percent of our flights are used for medical emergencies. The airline has grown despite the overall negative impact on the economy from the pandemic.  

"We did not fire people. Or reduce any wages during COVID containment. Since we do not share our profits (with our employees), we do not have the right to reduce their salary, ” he reasoned. Kanika's concern for her employees was evident when she had to take a break from the interview she was on. Granting of assistance to an employee who fell from a plane, She personally handled the situation and only returned after making sure that the employee had received the necessary medical care. Jetsetgo is seeking a leading edge in nascent urban air mobility with its eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff) air service. EVTOL aircraft are capable of vertical takeoff and land and are expected to play an important role in urban mobility in the near future. It will be a shuttle service between two points in a city. We recently launched this service in Mumbai and the rates will be as cheap as an Uber and will vary from Rs 1000 to Rs 2500 depending on the distance, " she explains.

A helicopter is used for this service. We are testing the feasibility and pushing because we believe that air taxis will become the norm in the future. She has fought many battles to get to where she is now. She was born into a Marwari business family in Bhopal. The family owned Maruti dealers across the country. After the family business split, Kanika's father, Anil Tekriwal, started a real estate business. His mother Sunita is a housewife and has a younger brother, Kanishk. Kanika was admitted to Lawrence School, Lovedale, Ootty, in fourth grade when she was only seven years old. It was a boarding school, and she was the youngest girl in the class.

I had a double promotion,, so I was the youngest in the class. I felt all alone, on my own. Back home, a waitress would take care of all my needs," she says, about her days in boarding school. In Ootty, a hill station in Tamil Nadu, located about 1,700 km from his hometown. “I never really liked being in boarding school, but I knew my parents would think the best for me. After 10th grade, she returned to Bhopal and completed her 12th year in Commerce at Jawaharlal Nehru School in 2005. She then went to Mumbai to continue her studies in Visual Communication and Design at BD Somani Institute (200508). “Mumbai was easy because hostel life prepared me for the worst.

Dad gave me pocket money because he thought if I had too much money I would start drinking, smoking and using drugs, "she laughs." life then until then I was used to the drivers who drove me. I have become an intelligent and more human person. He also started working part-time.

“When I was 17 I attended a Disney event and got paid 300 Rs. It seemed like a lot of money at the time because my pocket money was pretty low,” says -he. “I gave this money to my mom, because the event organizers gave me Disney gadgets that I loved and that were more precious to me than money. Also worked in the design department of the real estate division of India. Bulls. She was then transferred to the aviation section of the company, where she had the opportunity to meet many people from the aviation industry. "J bought three planes and a helicopter

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