Rakesh Ranjan, former CEO of Eternal-owned Zomato, has joined Allen Online, the digital arm of Allen Career Institute, according to sources.
Allen Career Institute, which is backed by James Murdoch and Uday Shankar’s Bodhi Tree Systems, had hired former Meta executive Abha Maheshwari as CEO of Allen Online in 2023. However, Maheshwari stepped down from the role last month.
Rakesh Ranjan, now leading Allen Online, earlier managed Zomato’s main food delivery business for two years before Aditya Mangla took over.
He stepped down in April and officially left the Gurgaon-based company earlier this month.
Allen Career Institute stepped into the edtech space in April 2022 by launching Allen Online, at a time when Byju’s and Unacademy were leading the market. This move came after Allen raised $600 million from Bodhi Tree Systems, one of the biggest funding deals for an Indian education company.
Commenting on his new role, Ranjan said, “At Allen, we are building on decades of proven pedagogy and success stories to bring personalised, reliable and high-quality learning experiences to millions of learners. The goal is not just to widen access but to ensure every student, regardless of background or geography, has the opportunity to realise their potential.”
Allen Career Institute CEO Nitin Kukreja said, “Rakesh has repeatedly scaled new-age technology businesses and solved complex problems. With him leading Allen Online, we will continue to be the gold standard for educational outcomes nationwide, combining 37 years of pedagogical excellence with next-generation, AI-powered technology.”
Allen was founded in 1988 by Rajesh Maheshwari. Today, it has more than 300 offline centers in 65 cities and helps lakhs of students prepare for JEE, NEET, Olympiads, and foundation courses.
Allen Online expands the institute’s reach with AI-based tools for assessments, study content, and student support. It answers over one million student queries every month with nearly 99% accuracy.
In 2025, its AI system scored the equivalent of All India Rank 8 in NEET. The platform has also helped thousands of students gain admission to IITs and top medical colleges, including AIIMS.
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