Business Daily Starting a jet company against the odds
Mar 13, 2026
Kanika Tekriwal, founder and CEO of JetSetGo and a cancer survivor who built India’s largest private aviation marketplace. She talks about overcoming illness and family opposition. She describes battling sexism in a male-dominated industry. She reflects on changing customer trends in India and the hustle of starting up with limited resources.
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Cultural Roots Shaped Her Ambition And Constraints
- Kanika describes her Marwari community as highly entrepreneurial but traditionally male‑dominated, with cultural pressure against women working outside family norms.
- Her mother encouraged ambition while her father initially opposed women working for others, shaping a conflicted upbringing.
Prioritize Real Experience Over Costly Degrees
- Kanika values real-life experience over lengthy formal education and would prefer spending on hands-on exposure for her child rather than expensive degrees.
- She learned aviation skills by working long commutes and practical roles in the UK, which she says taught patience and real-world knowledge.
Cancer Diagnosis Fueled Her Resolve
- Kanika Tekriwal was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at 21 and told she had only months to live, then underwent 12 rounds of chemotherapy and radiation and went into remission.
- The turning point was a Mumbai doctor who gave hope, saying "40 years later we'll have a drink with each other," which changed her mindset and gave her confidence to fight on.