Buildit : Building Blinkit In An Evolving India
Review of Albinder Singh Dhindsa's book - Buildit: Building Blinkit In An Evolving India
Sometime in early 2014, Albinder Singh Dhindsa set out to build a better way to deliver groceries across India-driven by urgency and belief, and with no fallback plan. What followed was a crash course in navigating a complex social and economic landscape, rife with unreliable infrastructure and supply chains, the instability of a rapidly evolving gig economy, capital that arrived with its own risks, and pigeon poop problems in his warehouses.
With no playbook to rely
on, Albinder wrote his own in real time: pivoting fast, making high-stakes bets
and building systems where none existed. In doing so, he reshaped how Indians
get what they need every day, at speeds that have redefined consumer
expectations. Today, Blinkit processes over three million orders in over 200
Indian cities daily and has expanded far beyond groceries--delivering
everything from everyday essentials to iPhones and ambulances in under 10
minutes.
Buildit: Building Blinkit In An Evolving India Book #65 of 2026
Non-fiction #38
I really
enjoyed reading Buildit by Albinder Singh Dhindsa. It is much more than just
a startup memoir. The book traces the founder's journey from his student days
and early experiences abroad to the creation of Grofers and its transformation
into Blinkit.
I liked how honestly
and transparently the journey is presented. The author shares not only the
successes but also the many setbacks, failures, funding challenges, operational
problems, and lack of support that came along the way. The story shows how
difficult it is to build a business in India and establish strong roots in a
rapidly changing market.
Even though
the book talks about startups, funding, expenses, logistics, supply chains, and
management, the writing is simple and easy to understand. There is very little
business jargon, which makes it accessible even to readers who are not familiar
with the startup world. I particularly enjoyed reading about how the team found
the right partners, managed warehouses, worked with gig workers, solved
last-mile delivery challenges, and constantly adapted to changing
circumstances.
The
year-by-year storytelling format kept me engaged throughout. Every chapter felt
like a new episode with fresh challenges and creative solutions.
What stood
out for me was the focus on execution rather than glamour. Instead of
portraying entrepreneurship as an overnight success story, the author
highlights the importance of resilience, problem-solving, experimentation, and
perseverance. The journey is narrated in a very engaging manner.
Blinkit has
been my saviour on several occasions, and it was fascinating to learn about the
hard work and countless decisions that went into building the service.
The
photographs included throughout the book make the reading experience even more
interesting. They add a personal touch and help bring the story to life.
This book is inspiring and informative. Whether you are interested in startups, entrepreneurship, management, or simply enjoy reading real-life stories of determination and success, this is a book I would highly recommend.
Albinder is
the founder of Blinkit, a pioneer in India’s quick commerce retailing. Born in
Punjab, India, into a farming family, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in
engineering before turning to entrepreneurship. As someone who has benefited
from India’s economic growth, he is passionate about giving back to the
ecosystem, both with learnings and support, to create greater positive economic
impact for more people.
Albinder
lives in Gurgaon with his wife, Akriti, and their parents, and loves to spend
time in different cultures in India and around the world. Akriti and Albinder
also run the ACAD Foundation which supports causes focused on primary
education, healthcare and enhancing local infrastructure by working with
municipal governments across India.
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