While the world quantifies success in foreign degrees, dollar paychecks, and a U.S. zip code, one man took a different route. For Vineet Goyal, success wasn’t about leaving India, it was about creating something here to last beyond him. Rather than pursue status overseas, he opted to cultivate communities locally. What started as a vision of personal comfort evolved into a mission of purpose, and in doing so, Youthville came into being.
Growing up in Pune, which has been the hub of education migration in India for decades, Vineet had a bird’s-eye view of thousands of students flocking to the city every year to pursue their aspirations. His family heritage with its roots in Kohinoor Group had inculcated in him knowledge of real estate, construction, and the process of building enduring value. Established in the 1980s by his father, Dr. Manohar Gopal Goyal, Kohinoor had become a well-known brand in realty, hospitality, and education.
Both Vineet and his brother, Rajesh Goyal, learned lessons both at home and overseas. They learned about Japanese building practices, respecting detail, discipline, and planning, and brought these lessons back into the business.
But Vineet’s defining moment came through mentorship. A course by life coach T.T. Rangarajan changed his outlook. “I used to think success was going to the U.S. and living a life of luxury,” he remembers. “But when I went through Rangarajan’s program, I understood success is not about you, it’s about impact.”
That epiphany sowed the seeds of a vision: Not just buildings, but communities where human beings could flourish.
India’s student migration issue turned out to be Vineet’s turning point. With more than 11 million students migrating between states every year to pursue higher studies, the need for quality accommodation was dire. But the supply was disjointed, hostel rooms were packed, PGs were inconsistent, and rental flats were insecure.
In an interview with The Times of India (2018), Vineet pointed to the gap: “Students encounter housing issues all the time, and it’s a huge problem in India where around 11 million students migrate from one state to another to seek higher education.”
This wasn’t a market fact to him. This was an imperative. What if there might be an opportunity to create a space where students got not only a bed, but a home away from home?
This vision was the basis of Vineet co-founding Youthville Hostels in 2017 as part of Kohinoor Group. Its initial property came up for Pune, featuring a capacity of about 125-150 beds (as noted in early listings and publicity). A humble beginning, but there was a revolutionary idea: A hostel with the feel of a serviced apartment, combining comfort, technology, and community.
Rather than dark dorms, Youthville provided well-thought-out spaces, study areas, shared lounges, event rooms, and fast Wi-Fi. Residents were able to navigate payments, attendance, and food choice through digital apps. Most importantly, Youthville crafted programming and events that promoted friendship, mentorship, and a sense of community.
Scaling a model so large wasn’t simple. In 2018, Kohinoor revealed it would invest Rs 100 crore in the Youthville brand in order to increase capacity in Pune and eventually in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Delhi. The Financial Express and The Times of India both covered this ambitious gamble, commenting on the high-growth potential of the student housing market.
Then, however, came the ultimate test, the COVID-19 lockdown. For a company founded on communal living, the lockdowns were catastrophic. Occupancy plummeted, operations halted, and the future hung in the balance. “COVID nearly destroyed us,” Vineet admits. Still, taking the cue from his guru, “Whatever happens, we will see. Focus on what you have, not what you’ve lost”, he decided on resilience rather than retreat.
Youthville doubled down on cleanliness, digitalization, and rethinking common areas to ensure safety. What might have been a breaking point ended up being a crucible that built a healthier, more resilient company.
Youthville has expanded across Pune and Mumbai to this day with several operating properties in choice locations. Numbers are different in various reports, but the company’s official website has a lofty target: 18,000 operational beds by FY 2025.
Recognition has ensued. In 2018, Vineet represented Indian student housing at NATCON in Berlin, placing Youthville’s model on a world stage. The brand is regularly ranked among India’s top private hostels, not only for infrastructure, but for the community experience it creates.
In a business where investors are getting yields of 15-18%, Vineet’s early gamble on student housing has paid off. But for him, the biggest return is undoubtedly something money cannot quantify: the anecdotes of friendships forged, careers begun, and youth whose second home is Youthville.
Even with all his responsibilities as Joint MD of Kohinoor Group and Founder of Youthville, Vineet is still accessible and very human. The residents tend to remember the way he never fails to listen to their stories, so that the brand never loses its student-first approach.
Friends close to him say he is a leader forged by two philosophies: Japanese attention to detail and Indian largesse. His family motto, “Sada Sukhi Raho” supports not just Kohinoor’s ventures but also Youthville’s guarantee to its dwellers.
Outside the workplace, Vineet is a family man, grounded in Pune’s culture but globally networked. His balance of vision with modesty makes him accessible to peers as well as the students he works with.
As Youthville prepares for its next phase of growth, the mission remains simple yet profound: to redefine student living in India and beyond. Whether scaling to thousands of beds or expanding into new cities, the heart of Youthville’s vision is community.
“Youthville isn’t just a place to stay. It’s where friendships are formed, dreams are chased, and lives are changed,” Vineet emphasizes.
For him, each brick set is more than property, it’s a vow: To a student who is entering a new city, to a parent who is leaving the future of their child in his hands, and to a nation whose youth will shape tomorrow.
His tale reminds us that success is not where you’re going, but what you create for others in the process. And as Youthville expands, Vineet’s legacy will not be captured in square footage, but in the thousands of lives that discovered a second home beneath his vision.
