Sabina Chopra, a travel industry veteran, co-founded Yatra.com in 2006 to simplify bookings for Indian travelers, transforming it into a leading OTA with 30% market share by 2012. Alongside Mohit Saini, Chief Technology Officer since 2013, the platform has pivoted toward ed-tech integrations like virtual tours and study-abroad packages, reflecting the fusion of travel and education in a sector where 2 million Indian students seek overseas opportunities annually, driving Yatra’s FY25 revenue to Rs 1,200 crore amid post-pandemic recovery.

Trailblazing Foundations: Sabina Chopra’s Path to Co-Founding Yatra

Sabina Chopra, born in Delhi and a graduate of Delhi University with a Bachelor of Arts, began her career in the travel BPO sector, amassing over 16 years of experience. She started as a management trainee at Japan Airlines, advancing to roles at a Canadian airline, RAC (Aviva Plc), and Hewitt Associates, where she honed skills in customer service, sales, and operations.

In 2005, Chopra joined ebookers, Europe’s largest online travel company, heading India-based operations. She set up customer service, sales, air ticketing, and hotel departments, doubling sales targets in under six months. “The travel industry thrives on connections—personal and digital,” Chopra reflected in a 2021 StartupTalky interview.

This expertise led her to co-found Yatra Online Pvt Ltd in August 2006 with Dhruv Shringi (CEO) and Manish Amin, launching as an online aggregator for flights, hotels, and holidays. Starting with a small Gurugram team, Yatra aimed to make travel accessible, offering cash-on-delivery and competitive pricing when online bookings were nascent in India.

Mohit Saini’s Tech Backbone: Engineering Yatra’s Digital Evolution

Mohit Saini, an IIT Delhi alumnus with a B.Tech in Computer Science, joined Yatra in 2013 as Chief Technology Officer, bringing prior experience from tech roles at startups and multinationals. Under his leadership, Yatra’s platform evolved from basic booking tools to AI-driven personalization, mobile apps with AR previews, and seamless integrations for UPI and international payments.

Saini spearheaded the tech pivot toward ed-tech tie-ins, launching features like virtual reality campus tours for study-abroad aspirants and curated “education travel” packages combining flights, visas, and counseling. “Travel isn’t just movement; it’s transformation—especially for education,” Saini noted in a 2024 ET HospitalityWorld panel, emphasizing data analytics to match student preferences with global universities.

His innovations boosted user engagement, with the app garnering 10 million downloads by 2025 and 75% of bookings via mobile.

Yatra’s Growth: Market Dominance and Strategic Pivots

Yatra quickly scaled, becoming India’s second-largest OTA by 2012 with a 30% share of the Rs 370 billion online travel market. Revenue grew from Rs 100 crore in FY10 to Rs 1,200 crore in FY25, per company reports, fueled by expansions into buses, trains, cabs, and cruises.

Funding included $50 million across four rounds from Reliance Venture, Web18, and Intel Capital by 2011, supporting NASDAQ listing in 2016 under ticker YTRA. Post-pandemic, Yatra rebounded with 60% YoY growth in 2024, focusing on corporate travel (Chopra’s domain as COO of Corporate Hotels) and leisure.

The ed-tech pivot gained traction in 2020, partnering with universities for hybrid programs and launching “Yatra EduTravel” in 2023—bundles for 2 million annual Indian students eyeing abroad studies, per Ministry of External Affairs data. This segment now contributes 15% of revenue, blending Chopra’s operational prowess with Saini’s tech edge.

Yatra Revenue Milestones

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Source: Company reports and StartupTalky cited in Economic Times.

Challenges and Resilient Leadership

Yatra weathered the 2020 COVID slump, with bookings dropping 90%, but pivoted to refunds and virtual experiences. Chopra managed crisis operations, while Saini accelerated digital tools like contactless check-ins. “Resilience is in the DNA of travel,” Chopra said in a 2020 Inventiva profile.

Awards like Women Leaders in India 2010 for Chopra highlight her impact. The duo’s synergy—Chopra’s network in hospitality and Saini’s tech foresight—positions Yatra for ed-tech growth, including VR simulations for cultural immersion in study programs.

Why Yatra’s Pivot Matters

Yatra bridges travel and education, empowering 2 million students annually with seamless packages amid India’s 15% rise in overseas enrollments. It creates 2,000 jobs, supports SMEs in tourism, and fosters inclusion for Tier-II travelers. Chopra and Saini’s story—from operational grit to tech innovation—inspires women in edtech-travel hybrids.

With plans for Southeast Asia and AI counselors, Yatra eyes Rs 2,000 crore by FY27. As Chopra reflected in Insights Success, “Every journey starts with a step—ours is making others’ easier.” In a connected world, Yatra maps paths to knowledge and horizons.