At an age when most kids are busy playing video games or watching cartoons, Tilak Mehta was already making waves in the entrepreneurial world. Born in 2006 in Aurangabad, Gujarat, Tilak’s journey to becoming a successful business owner began when he was just 13 years old and in the 8th grade.
Birth of an Idea: Books Emergency
It was in 2018 when the seed of an idea was planted in Tilak’s mind. He had urgently needed some books from his uncle’s place for an upcoming exam, but the delivery services he contacted were either too expensive or couldn’t provide same-day delivery.
As Tilak recounts, “I googled and realized there were very few courier companies that provided same-day delivery within the city of Mumbai, and all of them turned out to be expensive.”
Frustrated by this experience, Tilak began contemplating a solution that could provide efficient and cost-effective delivery services within the city. It was then that he drew inspiration from Mumbai’s famous Dabbawalas – a community of delivery personnel renowned for their swift and reliable food delivery system.
Support from Father: Launch of ‘Paper n Parcels’
With the support of his father, Vishal Mehta, who ran a logistics business, Tilak decided to partner with the Dabbawalas to launch his own venture, ‘Paper n Parcels’ (PNP).
As he explained, “I always marveled at the swiftness and the efficiency of the dabbawalas food delivery network. I thought if this system could be replicated for parcel deliveries as well, then it would make in-city courier services much more efficient and cost-effective.”
How It Works
PNP is an app-based platform that enables on-demand, hyperlocal delivery services. Customers can download the app and place orders for their parcels or documents. The app provides real-time tracking features and the contact details of the delivery person for enhanced safety.
The startup employs over 200 workers and has partnered with 300 Dabbawalas, who handle the last-mile delivery after completing their day’s work.
“Each Dabbawalla who doubles up as a courier boy, carries an Android phone loaded with the Papers N Parcels app to take orders for pick-up or delivery,” explained Ghanshyam Parekh, CEO of PNP.
Operations and Growth
PNP has a defined area of operation connected by Mumbai’s train network, with a central hub at Dadar. It handles parcels up to 3 kg and charges between Rs 40 and Rs 180 per parcel, depending on weight.
During the beta testing phase, the PNP app was efficiently handling about 1,000 to 1,200 deliveries per day. By 2021, the company had achieved an annual turnover of over Rs 100 crore (approximately $12 million), with Tilak’s personal net worth reaching Rs 65 crore (approximately $8 million).
Future Plans
Tilak envisions PNP capturing a 20% share of Mumbai’s intra-city logistics market and plans to expand the startup’s operations to other major Indian cities like Delhi, Bangalore, and more.
“Papers N Parcels is my dream, and I will work to ensure that the business becomes big,” Tilak stated.
