Bihar’s Boldest Startup Story: A CEO Who Once Pulled Rickshaws
On a regular morning in Bihar, a young man named Dilkhush Kumar stood in a long queue, hoping to secure a job as a security guard. His qualifications were simple he had passed the 12th grade and needed work. But when his turn arrived, the employer told him he wasn’t educated enough. The man standing before him got the job; Dilkhush walked away rejected. Most people would have taken that as an ending. For him, it was the start of a new direction. He realised that if the world did not open doors for him, he would have to build his own.Lessons From the Road, Not the ClassroomLife pushed Dilkhush into driving an auto-rickshaw. As he rode through Bihar’s roads every day, he began noticing something no textbook could have taught him. Long-distance travel was broken. People struggled to find safe, reliable and affordable taxis. Intercity travel felt like a gamble. While others simply complained, Dilkhush began to think. His experience as a driver showed him a gap that no big business had cared to solve. He may not have had an IIT or IIM degree, but he understood the road better than any boardroom ever could.The Birth of Roadbez: A Dream Built on CourageIn 2016, Dilkhush took the risk that would change his life forever. With almost no money, but courage in abundance, he launched his own company: Roadbez. The idea was simple. Instead of owning taxis, the platform would connect passengers with trusted local drivers. It would be a system based on reliability in a space where trust hardly existed. Slowly, people across Bihar began to look at Roadbez as the dependable solution they had been waiting for. But the journey was far from smooth. RodBez is more than just a taxi app. It is a lifeline for people who live in small towns and villages where reliable travel is hard to find. The app connects passengers directly with trusted local drivers, making long-distance trips safer, cheaper, and easier. With options like one-way taxis and carpooling, families no longer have to pay double fares or worry about last-minute cancellations. Even travellers heading to airports or hospitals feel secure thanks to the company’s guarantee that protects them if a driver causes a delay. For the first time, people in rural areas have access to a service that understands their needs and respects their budgets. RodBez brings convenience, trust, and dignity to travel—something every person deserves, no matter where they live.Growing a Startup That Spoke the Language of BiharDilkhush shaped his business around the reality of the state he came from. People often needed one-way taxis, not round-trip charges. Families needed cheaper rides, so he encouraged carpooling and ride-sharing for long distances. In a place where affordability mattered as much as safety, Roadbez found its value. The service slowly began to change the way people across Bihar travelled. The company was not born from a business school; it was born from the lived experiences of the very people it served. In 2021, he took a bold step and launched an app linking every city in Bihar. Investors immediately noticed the clarity of his vision. He secured ₹40 lakh in funding not because he had degrees, but because he had insight. Soon after, he introduced one of the most extraordinary guarantees in the industry: if a Roadbez driver caused a passenger to miss their flight, the company would pay for a new ticket. That kind of confidence made the brand stand out instantly. People trusted Roadbez because its founder understood their fears and needs better than anyone.The Shark Tank India Moment That Stunned EveryoneWhen Dilkhush walked into the Shark Tank India studio, he wasn’t just another entrepreneur pitching an idea. He was a symbol of what sheer grit looks like. Facing a panel of brilliant minds, many from IITs and IIMs he presented his business with clarity and confidence. He asked for ₹50 lakh for 5% equity. The sharks were impressed not just by his numbers but by his story, his understanding of the market and his passion to solve a real problem. Ritesh Agarwal of OYO and Namita Thapar of Emcure Pharmaceuticals invested ₹50 lakh, sealing a deal that went far beyond business. Dilkhush’s journey reminds us that the biggest ideas sometimes grow from the smallest places. A man who once sold vegetables in Patna and pulled rickshaws in Delhi is today the CEO of a company that is connecting rural and urban India in ways never done before. His story is a testament to the power of insight, resilience, and the courage to act when life refuses to cooperate. He did not let rejection define him. He used it as fuel. And in doing so, he built not just a company but a pathway of belief for countless young dreamers across India.
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