Who Is Albinder Dhindsa? Deepinder Goyal’s Successor as CEO of Eternal, Zomato and Blinkit's Parent Company

Albinder Dhindsa's elevation to the top job at Eternal marks a defining moment for one of India's biggest consumer internet groups.

Best known as the face behind Blinkit's rapid rise in quick commerce, Dhindsa has now been named CEO of Eternal, the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit. The leadership change comes after Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal decided to step down from the role, effective February 1.

From Patiala to the global business stage

Born in Patiala, Punjab, Dhindsa's journey into entrepreneurship began with a strong academic foundation. He studied engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, before heading to the United States to complete an MBA at Columbia Business School. Those years shaped his understanding of technology-driven businesses and large-scale operations, skills that would later prove crucial in the logistics-heavy world of on-demand delivery.

Before becoming a familiar name in India's startup ecosystem, Dhindsa was already focused on solving everyday consumer problems through technology, a theme that continues to define his career.

Building Grofers and reinventing it as Blinkit

Dhindsa co-founded Grofers in 2013 along with Saurabh Kumar, starting out as a hyperlocal delivery service that helped neighbourhood stores reach customers online. What began as a simple idea soon evolved into a full-fledged online grocery platform as consumer demand for convenience grew.

The turning point came in 2021, when Grofers rebranded itself as Blinkit. The new name reflected a sharper focus on speed, with the company betting big on quick commerce and promising delivery of groceries and essentials in as little as 10 minutes. The strategy changed how urban consumers shopped for daily needs and triggered intense competition in the instant delivery space.

To support this shift, Blinkit rapidly expanded its network of dark stores and micro-fulfilment centres across major cities, laying the groundwork for scale and faster deliveries.

The Zomato deal and a testing phase

In 2022, Zomato acquired Blinkit in an all-stock deal valued at around $568 million, bringing quick commerce firmly into its broader ecosystem. The integration phase, however, tested both leadership and operations.

Deepinder Goyal later spoke candidly about the challenges of merging the two businesses, admitting that the early period after the acquisition was far from smooth. At one point, he even considered asking Dhindsa to step aside from his role at Blinkit, a reflection of the pressure to align performance, culture and expectations.

Over time, those challenges eased. Blinkit went on to emerge as one of the most valuable verticals within the group, contributing significantly to growth and reinforcing the strategic importance of quick commerce.

Steering Eternal into its next phase

As CEO of Eternal, Dhindsa now takes charge of the group's entire portfolio, spanning Zomato's core food delivery business, Blinkit, cloud kitchens, grocery operations and newer ventures. His appointment signals a clear shift in priorities, with fast delivery and hyperlocal logistics playing a central role in the company's future plans.

Dhindsa's rise also mirrors a larger trend in India's digital economy. What was once seen as a niche experiment has become mainstream, with speed, operational efficiency and network scale emerging as key competitive advantages. How he balances these demands across Eternal's diverse businesses will be closely watched in the months ahead.