Pithoragarh student launches travel startup Namaste Saarthi platform

THE NEWS: A BBA student from Pithoragarh, Kartik Pandey, launched Namaste Saarthi – an online platform that bundles hotel bookings, transport and local‑guide services for tourists visiting Kumaon, after receiving entrepreneurship training and mentoring under Uttarakhand’s Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana.

DETAILS:

• Namaste Saarthi aggregates accommodation, transportation and guide options into a single digital service for visitors to the Kumaon region.
• The startup was founded by Kartik Pandey, who studies BBA at LSM Government Postgraduate College in Pithoragarh.
• Pandey grew up accompanying his father, a taxi driver, and observed tourists in Pithoragarh and Champawat struggling to find organized services.
• The entrepreneur received training and mentoring through the state‑run Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana scheme.
• The platform aims to address the service gaps that Pandey witnessed while traveling across the region with his father.

FAQ

Who founded Namaste Saarthi and what does the platform provide?
Kartik Pandey, a BBA student at LSM Government Postgraduate College in Pithoragarh, founded Namaste Saarthi. The platform offers an online marketplace that combines hotel reservations, transport arrangements and local‑guide services for tourists traveling in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region.

Which government program helped the founder develop his business?
Pandey received entrepreneurship training and mentoring under Uttarakhand’s Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana, a state initiative designed to support new ventures and promote entrepreneurship within the region.

What problem did the founder notice that led to creating the startup?
While traveling with his taxi‑driver father, Pandey saw that many visitors to Pithoragarh and Champawat faced difficulty accessing coordinated accommodation, transport and guide services, prompting him to create a single‑stop digital solution for tourists.

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