Bhavish Aggarwal leads 'kurta' movement, says, 'embrace tradition, young techies'!
Ola's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Bhavish Aggarwal, recently advocated for traditional Indian attire among young tech leaders. In a conversation with ANI, he passionately expressed his fondness for kurtas, a loose collarless shirt or tunic popular in South Asia and globally. Aggarwal emphasized the elegance of traditional wear and its representation of cultural sophistication and a relaxed fashion sense. He stated, "I feel all Indian CEOs, especially the younger tech ones, should wear a kurta."
'We can be more comfortable in our skin...right?'
Aggarwal elaborated on the elegance and comfort of Indian attire, emphasizing, "These days, I normally wear a kurta for public events. I think I'm also trying to communicate a certain image about how Indian CEOs can present themselves." "We can be more comfortable in our skin, quite literally, right? And a kurta is a very elegant dress, in my view. So, I feel all Indian CEOs, especially the younger tech ones, should wear a kurta," said the Ola honcho.
Looking up to Indian cultural heritage for inspiration
He further noted the impact of personal attire choices by influential figures like former Apple CEO Steve Jobs and NVIDIA President Jensen Huang. He said, "Over the years, especially in the Bay Area, they have made the attire statement...He (Jobs) had his turtleneck. And then now you have Jensen Huang...He wears a leather jacket at every event." "In India, in our startup ecosystem, we often look up to the West too much...I said, let's try our Indian sartorial options."
'Let's start 'kurta' movement': Netizens positively reacted to Aggarwal's advice
Aggarwal discussed the importance of blending traditional and Western styles to appeal to the younger generation. He revealed he "likes to mix," adding, "Sometimes I wear a bandi or an Indian-style jacket with jeans. I want to avoid looking outdated, you know, like those 70-year-old guys." Notably, the interview gained viral attention, with one user enthusiastically commenting, "Kurta: because our hearts beat in desi rhythm!" Another echoed this sentiment: "All Indian entrepreneurs, let's start the kurta movement together."
Check out the viral clip here
Meanwhile, we take a quick look at Aggarwal's business ventures
Aggarwal established Ola Cabs in 2010, which has grown into India's leading ride-hailing service, commanding more than half the market share. In 2021, he ventured into electric vehicles with Ola Electric, rapidly propelling both Ola Cabs and Ola Electric to a combined valuation exceeding $13B within three years. His latest initiative, Krutrim, launched in April 2023, achieved unicorn status as India's first AI unicorn.
