Son of media veteran Pavan Malhotra, a pioneer in the channels, movies, music, and publishing industries, Rayan was determined to make his mark on the world outside his father’s shadows. From a young age, he developed a strong fascination with technology. He recalls cutting and pasting relevant tech articles in his scrapbook as a child. During his school days, he began publishing articles on technology in various newspapers and magazines.

Rayan started working at the young age of 17, after a pivotal incident in his teens taught him the value of money. He wanted an expensive pair of boots, but his parents denied him. After this, he took up a summer internship far from home with the intention of earning money himself. He had to travel two hours each way and work over 10 hours daily as an intern. This experience made him realize how much effort and hard work are required to earn even a small amount of money—money he had initially planned to spend on shoes. This incident changed his outlook on life, money, and time as he also realized what it would take to fulfill his bigger dreams and goals.