Tilak Mehta Biography: India’s Youngest Entrepreneur

Traditionally, we relate business success as being directly proportional to age. The more you gather experience in life and understand the concept of a business, the closer you are to success. But, Tilak Mehta shattered these stereotypes and changed how we see the potential of a young mind in business forever.

The thirteen-year-old prodigy is known for his company, The Paper and Parcel Magic which is said to have a yearly turnover of 100 crA business idea that was born due to the lack of available resources is now helping others in a similar predicament.

Tilak is behind one of the most successful logistics startups in India, which is trying to bridge the gap between time and resource availability. Paper and Parcel promises to deliver your package within four hours. Not only that, it has an integrated network with the Mumbai Dabbawalas which makes its navigation and delivery capability the superior of them all.

In this article, we will talk about the genius that this young man is and how he built his empire. We will understand his future visions and also take some inspiration from his journey. So let us begin. 

Tilak Mehta Biography

Tilak Mehta: Early Life and Education

One thing about following a young prodigy is that we get to witness their every achievement live, rather than read about it later. Tilak is currently eighteen years old and has already been awarded with multiple accolades that people take a lifetime to achieve. He was born in 2006 in Aurangabad, Gujarat, and has a twin sister named Tanvi Mehta. 

Tilak conceived the idea of his business in July 2017 when he visited his uncle’s house and mistakenly left his math textbook at their place and there was a test approaching in two days. The sense of urgency to prepare for the approaching test changed his life forever.

He is a student of  Gurukul Olympiad School in Maharashtra and he plans to pursue his bachelor’s degree once he is done with his schooling. 

Personal Life and Interests

It is almost impossible to associate a child with a serious business demeanor. If you had no idea about Tilak until this article you might have been doing the same. But, let me tell you, it is not the case. He is like any other ordinary child who had a pampered childhood.

If you follow his Tedtalk you will find him gushing over Harry Potter and bowling. Even though he is now more successful than anyone can dare to dream of, he still is as humble and innocent as a child who just loves the little things in life.

He is well connected with his family and his father Vishal Mehta was the one who believed in him and gave him a chance to chase his dreams. Being from the logistical background itself his father was his guide and support throughout his journey.

Not only that, his uncle Ghanshyam Prekh is the co-founder of his company. needless to say, he comes from a very loving family who stood by him through every step of the way.

Career Journey

Tilak has been quoted saying a successful entrepreneur sees an opportunity in every challenge. Needless to say, this has been his career motto and gave him the confidence to jump into creating his own business. He founded the Paper and Parcel in July 18, 2018, and there has been no looking back since then.

His journey started one weekend when his father was convinced of  his business model.  He wanted to assert the need for a quick interstate delivery or courier system for dire situations. But the selling point of the idea was not only the urgency but to cater to that urgency with a tangible solution of quick delivery.

Hence, after pitching the idea to his father, he approached the most reliable, efficient, and ideal person to help his outcome, the Mumbai Dabbawallas. Known for their highly organized network of lunch delivery and the precision with which they arrive at a location took Tilak’s idea to new heights.

It all started with delivering small couriers within 24 hrs to more than 1000 people, which received a great response and slowly and gradually became the company that it is today.

There is no saying how far Tilak will go since he is just beginning and is at the prime of his youth. We can all just sit back and let him amaze us with every step.

Leadership and Achievements

Apart from building a company that has now a turnover of 100cr and changing the Mumbai startup story forever, Tilak has many other achievements in his kitty. He quickly became a role model; he demonstrated remarkable entrepreneurial spirit and leadership qualities, inspiring many aspiring businessmen and women to seek their dreams.

He has achieved what every businessman wishes to achieve in their business, that is to make technology and shared human experience exist symbiotically. Hence, using technology to judicially utilize the knowledge of the Dabbawalas was a business masterstroke.

Apart from this, he has received many prestigious awards which are as follows:

🏆Forbes 30 Under 30: An award that is given to young achievers across various fields who have done remarkable work before turning 30.

🏆Global Child Prodigy Award: An award that is given to any child who has done something remarkable in their field before becoming an adult. 

🏆Youth Icon Award: Needless to say, he is a youth icon with not only his achievements that he can show for but the way he motivates and uplifts the spirit of any young entrepreneur.

🏆He is also the youngest Forbes panelist and is also a certified TedEx speaker. 

Tilak Mehta’s Vision and Future Plans

There is no stopping this man who pledges to bring innovation in logistics and entrepreneurship. He wishes to expand his service to other cities in India and implement successful modeling throughout the nation.

This will also imply that he needs to tie up with local delivery options. Not only that, he plans to have 2000 to 5000 deliveries executed, regardless of their size or weight.

He intends to diversify this company to the point that it becomes a common household name. At this point, it is only safe to conclude, that this is just the beginning for a man who has a long way to go.

Tilak Mehta’s Social Media Accounts

Conclusion

It is very difficult to conclude an article on a prodigy like Tilak, since there is no correct estimate of how far this man can go. But it is always inspiring to discuss things like this and try to inculcate the same values in us. 

Not only that, it also reminds us that sometimes a miracle can be possible if you are positive enough, and you believe in yourself. One doesn’t need to be extraordinary to achieve great things.

Tilak has been extremely open about this kind of thing, if you look at his initial videos, you’ll see how skeptical he was to attend that important meeting with his father. The meeting that changed his life came with the worry that he might just miss out on his weekend plans.

So it is normal to have conflicting emotions while you’re working towards your goal. What matters is to never lose focus.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Papers N Parcels?

It is a hyperlocal delivery app that caters to courier and delivery in Mumbai.

2. How did Tilak Mehta come up with the idea for his startup?

Tilak Mehta realized there was a huge gap in Mumbai’s courier scene and logistics when he wanted to get a textbook from his uncle’s place that he had left behind.

3. What challenges did Tilak Mehta face in starting his business?

There were a lot of challenges for the young entrepreneur of 13 while establishing his business. He had to convince his father to jump in on the idea, next he had to map the routes in Mumbai. He also had to form an alliance with the Dabbawalas and convince them of the fruitfulness of the plan.

4. How successful is Papers N Parcels?

It has an annual turnover of 100 crores and has 200 direct employees and 300 dabbawalas.

5. What awards has Tilak Mehta won?

Tilak Mehta has won the following awards: Forbes 30 Under 30, Global Child Prodigy Award,  and Youth Icon Award.

6. How does Tilak Mehta inspire young entrepreneurs?

Tilak Mehta is a beacon of hope for young entrepreneurs. He proves that anything is possible, and age is just a number and nothing else. He encourages them to look at challenges as nothing but opportunities.

7. What are Tilak Mehta’s future plans for Papers N Parcels?

Tilak wishes to take Papers N Parcels to a national level and reduce any challenges that come its way. He also wants to increase the revenue prediction and attempt a larger number of deliveries.

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