As a teenager, books and computers fascinated me far more than cricket or bicycles. Growing up in a small city meant limited access to new titles, but in 2012, a trip to Mumbai changed that entirely. A friend introduced me to something he called awesome—Flipkart. For a year, it was simply an online bookstore, yet for me it was a treasure trove. Years passed, and Flipkart faded into the background of my memory until I stumbled upon The Big Billion Startup: The Untold Flipkart Story by Mihir Dalal. That moment felt like meeting an old friend through a new voice.
Mihir Dalal’s writing reflects the rigour of a journalist and the sensitivity of a storyteller. The book is meticulously researched, and its strength lies in the care with which Dalal handles detail: hostel room numbers, personality traits, subtle emotional undercurrents, and the evolving dynamics between people who would go on to shape India’s digital marketplace. The narrative traces Flipkart’s rise with precision and flair.
At its heart lie the two Bansals—Sachin and Binny—unrelated by blood but united by ambition. Tired of routine corporate jobs, they set out not to invent something radical but to fix something ordinary. An online bookstore was hardly a novel idea, yet their simplicity proved powerful. What began in a modest apartment quickly transformed into India’s most promising e-commerce venture, eventually becoming the fulcrum of India’s startup ecosystem.
Across 272 pages, Dalal goes far beyond the surface of a familiar success story. He traces decisions that pushed Flipkart forward, missteps that held it back, and the high-stakes battles that shaped its destiny. Success, chaos, growth, competition, and decline—all come alive with clarity. It is not just a business book; it is a study of vision, risk, timing, and the human will behind innovation.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone drawn to entrepreneurship, business strategy, or the makings of a digital revolution. It offers lessons, cautions, and encouragement—proof that even ordinary ideas, combined with persistence, can become extraordinary. However, readers seeking a purely narrative-driven novel may find it less engaging; this is a story grounded in facts, strategy, and industry insight rather than dramatic flourish.
The Big Billion Startup is both inspiring and instructive—a reminder of how daring choices and humble beginnings can alter the trajectory of a nation’s economy.
