Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal has stepped away from the day to day workings of the company after 18 years in charge.
In a move that signals a significant shift for one of India’s most prominent tech conglomerates, Deepinder Goyal has announced he is stepping down as the Group CEO of Eternal (the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit). Taking the helm as the new Group CEO is Albinder Dhindsa, the founder and current CEO of Blinkit.
The transition, effective February 1, 2026, marks the end of an eighteen-year era for Goyal at the frontlines of day-to-day operations. However, Goyal isn’t leaving the fold entirely; subject to shareholder approval, he will transition to the role of Vice Chairman on the Board of Directors.
A Focus on High-Risk Frontiers
Goyal’s decision is rooted in a desire to explore “higher-risk exploration and experimentation” that sits outside the strategic scope of a public company. In his letter to shareholders, Goyal noted that while he possesses the personal bandwidth to manage both Eternal and his new ventures, the “legal and otherwise” expectations of a public company CEO in India demand a “singular focus.”
Goyal said that Albinder Dhindsa will take the day-to-day decisions at the group. Goyal’s unvested equity will return to the equity pool, giving the company’s future leaders a meaningful shot at wealth creation.
Beyond Food Delivery: Goyal’s New “Moonshots”
While Eternal remains his “life’s work,” Goyal has been quietly building a portfolio of ventures that push the boundaries of human biology and transportation. These initiatives—LAT, Continue, and Temple—provide a glimpse into the “higher-risk” ideas he mentioned.
- LAT Aerospace: “Buses in the Sky”
Co-founded with former Zomato executive Surobhi Das, LAT Aerospace aims to revolutionize regional air travel in India. The startup is developing short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft designed to carry 12 to 24 passengers. By utilizing India’s hundreds of underused airstrips and “air-stops” no larger than parking lots, LAT seeks to make flying as frequent and accessible as a bus journey. - Continue Research: Solving the “Core Bug” of Life
Goyal has committed $25 million of his personal wealth to Continue Research, a longevity-focused initiative. Framing short human lifespans as civilization’s “core bug,” Continue functions as a research team and seed fund rather than a traditional startup. It aims to support “conscious evolution” by exploring biological leverage points to extend healthy human function, potentially reshaping how humanity makes long-term decisions. - Temple: AI-Powered Brain Monitoring
Perhaps the most “DeepTech” of his recent projects is Temple, a wearable health device. Recently spotted as a small patch on Goyal’s own forehead, the device is designed to measure cerebral blood flow in real-time.
The New Guard: Albinder Dhindsa
The appointment of Albinder Dhindsa as Group CEO is a natural progression. Dhindsa’s “battle-hardened” leadership at Blinkit—taking the quick-commerce platform from acquisition to breakeven—has earned him the trust of the board. Goyal praised Dhindsa’s execution capabilities, stating they “far exceed” his own.
Under Dhindsa, Eternal’s decentralized structure will remain unchanged. Each business unit (Zomato, Blinkit, etc.) will maintain its own CEO with full ownership, while the “center of gravity” for operating decisions moves to Dhindsa.
What’s next for Eternal? As the company targets becoming India’s most valuable firm, the market will be watching closely to see if Goyal’s “outside” innovations eventually feed back into the Eternal ecosystem—or if this separation is the beginning of a new, independent DeepTech empire.