In the world of online matchmaking, Shaadi.com is one of India’s finest platforms, helping countless couples to unite over the years. With millions of people all around the world turning to its services in the hope of finding the perfect match for their loved ones, Shaadi.com has become a symbol of a successful startup addressing the unique needs of the Indian market.
Founded in 1996 by Anupam Mittal, Shaadi.com was born from his vision to transform the matchmaking experience by expanding the scope of potential matches. Through dedicated efforts, Anupam and his team have transformed this venture into a globally recognized platform, helping people find their life partners.
Anupam Mittal, launched this platform at the age of 24, at a time when the internet was just starting in India. Anupam saw the potential of the Internet to bring people together in the middle of all the informational websites out there. Today, Shaadi.com has 35 million members worldwide and was chosen for The Best Hindu Matrimonial Website category in About.com’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards.
But what inspired Anupam Mittal to create this platform, and how did he scale it to such heights? Let’s dive into the remarkable journey of Anupam Mittal to uncover the story behind the man who digitalized the matchmaking process in India.
Early years – Studying in the US
Born on 23 December 1971 Anupam Mittal comes from a middle-class Marwadi family. After finishing his early schooling in India, he went to the United States to get an MBA from Boston College, after which he started working as a Product Manager at a business software company called Micro Strategy.
While working in the US, Anupam would visit India once a year to spend time with his family. To pass the time during his visits, he started taking on web development projects for other companies while sitting at his father’s office in the mid-90s.
During one of his visits, he met a traditional matchmaker in India. This matchmaker was quite persistent in trying to find matches for people, even if it meant pressuring Anupam to get married. Anupam found this quite annoying, but the incident left an impression.
After completing his studies, Anupam returned to India and continued working on web development projects at his father’s office. It was during this time that the memory of the pushy matchmaker resurfaced, inspiring Anupam to create a platform that changed his life forever.
Sagaai.com: Early days
Anupam had a brilliant idea: What if there was a website acting like a virtual matchmaker for weddings? What if all the matchmaking information of prospective life partners could be posted on the internet for anyone looking for a bride or groom? This would make finding a life partner easier, removing inefficiencies and geographical barriers.
So, in 1997, Anupam launched the first version of Sagaai.com, more as an experiment than a serious business. He juggled this venture with his full-time job, investing all the money he had into developing the website.
In 2000, when the dot-com bubble burst, many companies, including the one Anupam worked for, faced financial collapse. This made Anupam reconsider his experiment. He saw an opportunity to turn it into a real business, especially as he risked losing his job.
Deciding to focus on his matrimonial website, Anupam left his job in the US and returned to India. Initially targeting NRIs (Non-Resident Indians), who wanted to marry in India but lived abroad. Anupam initially tailored the website according to their needs. Soon, people started finding their life partners through his website, marking the early success of Shaadi.com.
In 2001, Anupam shifted his attention to the US market after observing the demand for lifemates among individuals there. He rebranded Sagaai.com to Shaadi.com and redirected all his efforts towards its growth.
Realising the potential among NRIs and expats from the UK, US, and Canada, who wanted to marry within their communities but faced geographical challenges, Shaadi.com became their solution. With the stock market uncertainty in the US, Anupam saw the need to focus entirely on Shaadi.com.
And so, the journey of Shaadi.com began, starting from a simple idea to a globally recognized platform, changing the way people find their life partners.
The Journey to becoming a Leader in the Industry
Shaadi.com encountered significant challenges in the early days due to the limited adoption of internet in India. Many people were unfamiliar with online matchmaking, which made it challenging to attract users. Another big challenge was convincing conservative parents to trust an online platform for arranging marriages. As Shaadi.com expanded, finding skilled talent became a challenge, and hiring people skilled in technology, marketing, and customer service became crucial for the platform’s success.
Despite facing some early difficulties with its staff, Shaadi.com found success over the next fifteen years as more people turned to the internet for matchmaking. By 2008, it had become the top matrimonial website for Asians worldwide. By 2011, it boasted a massive twenty million users.
In addition to its online matchmaking platform, Shaadi.com operates more than one hundred Shaadi Centres, retail outlets that help in providing services related to marriages. The very first Shaadi Centre was established in Mumbai back in 2004.
In 2009, Shaadi.com teamed up with StarPlus to create India’s first reality television show based on marriages. Additionally, in 2012, Shaadi.com became popular by launching the Facebook game Angry Brides, designed to raise awareness about the issues of dowry abuse in India.
“The only difference between successful and unsuccessful people is perseverance.” Said Anupam
Shaadi.com also took a step towards social responsibility in 2014 with the launch of Shaadi Cares, an initiative aiming to educate people about marital problems, including issues such as dowry and domestic violence.
In 2016, Shaadi.com expanded its reach by acquiring Thrill Group, which included two dating products, Frivil and Fropper, founded by expat entrepreneurs Josh Israel and Devin Serago.
The People Group: Expanding Beyond Shaadi.com
After the success of Shaadi.com, Anupam Mittal started venturing into new territories by launching Mauj Mobile, India’s first mobile gaming company, and Makaan.com, India’s online property marketplace. His aim was simple: to address pain points and offer solutions that could make a difference.
Anupam also launched Mauj.com and People Pictures (known for producing the movie ’99’) for similar reasons. He believed in solving problems and saw these ventures as potential solutions to existing challenges. The decision to launch these sites was also influenced by the low competitive intensity at the time as Anupam wanted to explore new sectors and saw these ventures as a way to diversify and reduce risks.
“Life is never straight. The line of life is sometimes forward, sometimes backward, sometimes up, and sometimes down. You have to persevere in your work.” said Anupam.
While many believe that the People Group was started at the same time as Shaadi.com in 1996, the formal launch of the Group happened in 2004. This was done to explore more opportunities in the growing Internet and Mobile space.
Today, the People Group is a team of over 1197 employees spread across 12 regional and three global offices. The Group’s core businesses revolve around consumer Internet and mobile value-added services (VAS) and is divided into three companies—People Interactive, People Infocom, and People Pictures.
Shark Tank India: Making Waves in the Indian Startup Ecosystem
Anupam joined Shark Tank India in Season 1 as an investor and has continued his participation in all the seasons thereafter. Across the show’s seasons, Anupam has been a key figure, investing in numerous startups and sharing valuable business insights, showcasing his expertise and approachability.
His involvement has not only helped startups thrive but also inspired many viewers to pursue entrepreneurship.
He has become a well-known figure in Shark Tank India where he has invested around ₹54,000,000 (US$680,000) each in Seasons 1 and 2. In the latest Season 3, he invested close to ₹80,500,000 (US$1.0 million) in promising ventures.
Looking Ahead
Anupam Mittal’s journey did not stop at Shaadi.com and he is now a successful angel investor, and has backed over 200 companies like Big Basket, Ola Cabs, Druva, and more. Additionally, Anupam also shares his expertise with India’s top venture capital firms, advising and investing in their growth.
Passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation, Anupam is recognized for his valuable insights in these fields. He also co-founded H2 India and played a crucial role as a founding member and past chairman of the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).
From being India’s top matchmaker through Shaadi.com to his diverse roles today, Anupam Mittal continues to inspire many founders.
“When you treat your struggle as a game, it will become fun for you. If you get wrapped up in yourself, you become unhappy.” said Anupam Mittal.