Why India's startup founders aren't gamers, or won't admit to it

OYO's Ritesh Agarwal and some others love chess for its strategic lessons, but few founders want to be seen splurging time or money on gaming

Ritesh Agarwal, who finished high school 11 years ago and started OYO a year later, loves board games. And he swears by chess, even though, as OYO’s group CEO, he might not find a lot of time for it.

“I like playing the occasional board game. As a keen follower of chess, I have always been fascinated by the sport. A brilliant combination of strategy and intelligence, it greatly mirrors the problem-solving skills required in the entrepreneurial world,” Agarwal told Business Standard in a written communication.  

His interest in the game has only increased with India’s recent successes in it.