OYO appoints Paralympian Deepa Malik as independent director

Malik was a silver-medalist at the 2016 Paralympic Games

Hospitality firm OYO on Wednesday said it has appointed Paralympian Deepa Malik as an independent director on the company's board.

Oravel Stays Ltd (OYO) has appointed Deepa Malik, an Indian athlete and a silver-medalist at the 2016 Paralympic Games, as an independent director on the company's board of directors as of September 26, 2021, the company said in a statement.

"We are delighted to welcome Malik to OYO's board of directors. We have been working on making our company and the board more inclusive over the last couple of years. Malik's experience and her passion for travel and adventure would be invaluable for OYO for years to come," OYO Founder and Chairman, Ritesh Agarwal said.

She is not just an inspiration to a whole generation of Indians but also embodies the spirit of thriving in the face of adversity, a mindset which a company like OYO has to make an integral part of its thinking, he added.

On the development, in a tweet, Deepa Malik said, "Proud to join the board of @oyorooms that has shown its commitment to SMBs & holds high standards for workforce diversity, with strong environmental, social & governance agenda. Happy to work alongside @riteshagar & my fellow board members & continue the good work! #WomenonBoards". Malik joins the board of OYO that has three other independent directors and one nominee director, besides Ritesh Agarwal being the chairman, the statement said.

SoftBank Investment Advisers Managing Partner Munish Varma said, "We welcome Dr. Deepa Malik on the board of OYO. The combination of independent directors and the leadership, led by Ritesh Agarwal, truly sets up OYO well for the future.