Eternal’s new CEO Albinder Dhindsa: The man behind India’s quick-commerce boom

Albinder Dhindsa is set to take over as Eternal’s new Group CEO. Dhindsa is the co-founder and CEO of Blinkit, the quick-commerce company that has transformed India's grocery delivery landscape. Born in Patiala, Punjab, Dhindsa has emerged as one of India's most prominent entrepreneurs, pioneering the concept of 10-minute grocery deliveries that has reshaped urban consumer expectations nationwide. Now, as Deepinder Goyal steps down from his role as CEO of Eternal, Dhindsa is poised to take on new leadership responsibilities, with his appointment set to take effect from February 1, 2026.

Dhindsa pursued engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, where he developed a strong foundation in technology and logistics. Following his undergraduate studies, he earned an MBA from Columbia Business School in New York, which equipped him with global business perspectives and strategic thinking capabilities that would prove instrumental in his entrepreneurial journey.

Dhindsa began his professional career as a transportation analyst at URS Corporation, where he worked for two years. He then joined Cambridge Systematics as a Senior Associate in 2007, where he spent over three years analyzing logistics and transportation systems. During his MBA at Columbia, he briefly worked as an associate at UBS Investment Bank for approximately three months, gaining exposure to financial markets and corporate strategy.

Upon returning to India, Dhindsa joined Zomato as Head of International Operations, where he oversaw the company's global expansion efforts and gained invaluable experience in scaling technology-driven food delivery platforms. This role proved pivotal, as it gave him firsthand insights into the challenges and opportunities within India's burgeoning online services market.

In December 2013, Dhindsa co-founded Grofers with Saurabh Kumar, whom he had met while working at Cambridge Systematics. The startup initially operated as a hyperlocal delivery service connecting local stores with customers through a mobile application. Under Dhindsa's leadership, the company evolved into a full-stack online grocery delivery platform, securing significant venture capital from investors including SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, and Tiger Global.

The company faced considerable challenges in its early years, with significant operational losses stemming from a fragmented supply chain. Dhindsa demonstrated remarkable business acumen by pivoting the model to include company-owned warehouses and supply chain infrastructure, which stabilized operations and drove profitability.

In 2021, Dhindsa led a bold transformation, rebranding Grofers as Blinkit and shifting focus to the quick-commerce model, promising 10-to-20-minute delivery through a network of micro-warehouses and dark stores. In 2022, Zomato acquired Blinkit for $568 million in an all-stock deal, integrating the quick-commerce platform into its ecosystem. Today, Blinkit operates in over 150 cities across India, serving millions of customers and setting new standards for rapid delivery services.

Beyond leading businesses, Dhindsa also has a distinctly personal side. According to a Blinkit page, he is someone who is always seen juggling a few books, enjoys playing basketball, listening to French music, and eating meals prepared by his mother.