CEO Insights India

The Indian E-commerce Industry is rapidly evolving, with new models appearing daily. The sale of diesel and other fuels on the online platform is one such development that has gained momentum. There are a growing number of firms using technology to provide instantaneous fuel throughout the globe. Although online fuel distribution is not yet a widespread practice in India, Rahul Reddy Kovvuri, an entrepreneur who recognized an opportunity in the fuel delivery market, in response, launched Anytime Diesel, India's best online marketplace oriented exclusively to the doorstep delivery of diesel.

M/S Royal Petro Park, a new age start-up is promoting the Anytime Diesel (ATD) brand. The promoters of ATD are experts in fuel industry in South India for over three decades, and the company itself is the result of their intense desire to launch a brand-new enterprise powered by innovative technology that would provide customers with the simplest possible means of ordering, managing, storing and receiving the unadulterated diesel, with high quality of standards directly from the oil terminal to their onsite.

Below is an excerpt of Rahul Reddy's exclusive interaction with CEO Insights magazine.

What factors influenced you to establish Anytime Diesel?
The fuel industry is more than a century old industry, which had never seen a touch of digital or technological innovation till date. In time, I returned to India after earning a Master of Business Administration and Masters in Business Intelligence with an emphasis on starting and running my own business.

I found that the Government of India had legalized the idea of doorstep delivery of Diesel, and I viewed this as a game changing opportunity for me to launch my business. And

fortunately, in the south Indianregion, my father and his friends own and operate around 24 fuel stations. I have seen bulk consumers purchasing and transporting fuel in an unorganized manner which is dangerous and also harmful to the environment by spillage during transfer through drums and barrels. Thus, I thought, why can't we find a solution to solve this real time problem. And then, I assembled a great team of industry experts here for the same. To that end, in 2020, my teammates and I started Anytime Diesel with an intention to disrupt and reconstruct the current procurement methods. And by Jan 2021, we are operational.

How has VIT contributed to your rise as a successful industry leader? Could you talk about the learnings and experience that you acquired from VIT (Vellore Institute of Technology) and how you apply them in your current role?
As an active member of the NCC and other groups, the people-management skills I gained at VIT proved to be useful. Having studied computer science at VIT, I was able to architect the overall framework of the software we are developing for Anytime Diesel. The knowledge and wisdom I gained at the university was put to use in the creation of our APP Anytime Diesel.

How would you define Anytime Diesel as an organization and its position in the market? What is the unique proposition that your organization offers to its clients?
Anytime Diesel is already well-equipped to face the challenges that are inherent to this sector. When compared to other Diesel delivery companies, ATD has one of the highest engagement rates in the country. Presently, 1.5 million liters of diesel is being transported by our company every month, making it the largest sales volume being delivered at a single city in the entire country. We were conscious of the competition we faced and the challenges that may arise from delivering on such a large scale at hyper local.

Our distribution strategies are quite different from the industry standard. We guarantee both quality and quantity to our clients without over-promising, and we do it in the most efficient way possible. Even though the only fuel we deliver today is diesel, we have a phase wise evolution plan to expand into every need a diesel machine would require by the end of 2024.

Going forward, what are the changes in market behavior that you anticipate, and what are the opportunities that you foresee?
The delivery industry has a lot of space for growth and development, it's a multi-billion dollar market, and it's crucial to adapt to the ever shifting market conditions. A lot of accidents and mismanagement occurs, when individuals procure fuel in large quantities and then transfer it from fuel station to work sites. They are losing money and time while also polluting the environment through dead miles and spillage therefore, everyone should rather have their purchases delivered right to their front door. Many other energies such as lubricants, battery swaps, energy supplies, and so on, may also reach the customer at their doorstep alongside diesel. In light of these future prospects, at Anytime Diesel we want to centralize all energy distribution operations on a single ecosystem. Never like before with a chance to reconstruct the core problem right from the oil terminal, we are committed to deliver the best possible experience this industry has ever witnessed.

Rahul Reddy Kovvuri, Founder & CEO, Anytime Diesel
Rahul completed his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering, from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and holds a dual degree, Master's in Business Intelligence and MBA Specialization in Entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado. In his professional journey, Rahul has been part of prestigious organizations like CES, and Indian Oil, and worked as GIS- Business Analyst for the State of South Dakota. In 2021, Rahul began his entrepreneurial journey and established Anytime Diesel.