In a soft but steady voice, Founder of ThinkTrawell Tourism & Tech Pvt. Ltd., Ms. Subini Sasidharan Nair, answers my reportage questions.
Nascently founded in 2025, this startup is informed by her knowledge in agricultural engineering, international business, sales, shipping, corporate banking, and public service domains.
Belonging to a Kerala farming community, she vows to alter the landscape of travel from transactional to transformative. Ideated in 2023, Think Trawell orchestrates sustainable excursions within India, and internationally, in Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Kenya.
Tourism, if designed mindfully, has the potential to transcend its reputation as a service industry. Amid consumer-driven chaos, exploration creates livelihoods, supports robust economies, and spotlights culture, fostering missing human connections. Travel not only shows us the world, but also reimagines our value within it.
What shapes a successful travel endeavour? “Responsible tourism means different things to different people. Bringing together stakeholders (eg. eco-stays) that traditionally operate in isolation is a challenge. Conviction alone is not enough. I believe in creating meaningful experiences coupled with community centric opportunities.
Transparency for measurable outcomes, a scalable model, accountability, resilient partnerships requiring time and patience, localised collaborations, and continuously proving systems which make our intentions real, is paramount,” says Ms. Sasidharan Nair.
Places. People. Perspectives. These are the 3 pillars upon which the venture rests. While most travel organisations assist patrons in reaching global destinations, Think Trawell takes a few more steps forward. It reminds us that tourism is a network of interconnected spheres, all equally responsible for comfort, conservation, accountability, and a seamless experience.
When asked for travel advice for novices, Ms. Subini said, “you don’t need to cross oceans or continents to become a traveller. Start with a nearby village’s cultural landscape. Meet the people there. The greatest journeys in life begin with the willingness to approach the world with child-like curiosity.”
Below is a brief snapshot of the startup:
Founder: Subini Sasidharan Nair
Co-Founders: Anna Daniel, Sreeraj Purushothaman Nair, Saira Pavithran, Naina Abhishek Nair, Midhun Hari
Incubated / Started in: 2025
Industry: Travel and Tourism Technology
Number of team members: 6
Funding received: INR 2.5 lakh pre-seed innovation grant under Govt. of India’s 2024 MeitY TIDE 2.0 program
Claim to fame: Representing Andhra Pradesh’s emerging startup ecosystem as TiE Women Global semi finalist 2024
Market of operation: India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya
Company culture:
Aggressive Methodical Easy-Going
Person that inspires me (PTIM):
Dr. Verghese Kurien’s philosophy behind the AMUL model. I am inspired by people who create both commercially successful and socially transformative systems.
