boAt, India’s number one audio wearable brand, officially announced its entry into the Nepali market on July 1, marking its first international expansion. The brand is now distributed nationwide by TeleTalk, a subsidiary of Ramesh Corp. Although boAt had made informal inroads in Nepal, it is now formalising its presence with its acclaimed Nirvana series. This premium range, which features top-performing active noise cancellation (ANC)-enabled earphones and earbuds, will now be available across leading offline and online retail platforms throughout Nepal. Aman Gupta, co-founder and chief marketing officer of boAt, was recently in Nepal for the official unveiling of key products. The Post’s Krishana Prasain met with Gupta to discuss boAt’s journey, vision, and global ambitions. Below are excerpts from the conversation:

boAt has grown into one of India's most recognisable lifestyle brands in a short span. What was your vision when you started, and how has it evolved?

boAt has been India's number one audio product brand for the past few quarters, and we’ve been doing really well. Even globally, boAt has performed impressively—we’ve been among the top five audio brands for the last four years. Now, we’re looking beyond India. We’ve expanded our business into Dubai, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Initially, we were just testing the waters, but now we’re deploying a full-fledged team to do business and provide Nepali consumers with high-quality audio products made with love.

Our original vision was to create sound systems catering to music lovers. As someone who appreciates good music, I felt the effort artists put into making music wasn’t matched by the quality of products available to consumers at a fair price. Most audio products were either overpriced or of poor quality. So we saw a gap in the market for well-designed, value-driven audio solutions. That’s how boAt was born. Fortunately, consumers have embraced the brand. Once people try boAt, they tend to stick with it.

Many tech brands focus on features, but boAt has built a strong emotional connection with young consumers. How did you craft a brand identity that resonates deeply with this demographic?

Every brand has its ethos. Ours has always been to cater to the young consumers of India. They’re our target audience—they're smart and tech-savvy, and they pay close attention to reviews and product quality. We targeted them intentionally, and they reciprocated with love and loyalty. That’s the reason boAt has reached where it is today.

The Indian audio and wearable tech space is highly crowded. What are boAt’s key differentiators, and how do you plan to stay ahead of the curve?

I wouldn’t say the market is crowded. I think the industry is just beginning to mature. There are still many unorganised markets out there. What we do at boAt is bring structure to that chaos. We offer high-quality products at reasonable prices, infuse aspiration into our product portfolio, and deliver cutting-edge technology to the consumer’s doorstep. That’s what defines boAt.

Of course, there’s competition everywhere, but we stay ahead by outworking others. We have a dedicated research and development lab that consistently innovates. Our team in India is outstanding, and our manufacturing process is equally strong. We’re confident that good times are ahead.

You’ve often spoken about making boAt a global brand. What are your next steps for international expansion, and what challenges do you anticipate in scaling globally?

Each country is unique and has its own set of dynamics. Nepal, for example, operates differently from Dubai. So, to expand globally, we must first understand the consumer in each market—what they need, the price points they expect, how to penetrate the market effectively, and how to ensure customer loyalty. It’s also about executing the marketing strategy correctly, setting up reliable distribution networks, and offering strong after-sales support, including warranty services. Every detail counts.

How do you assess the Nepali market for boAt products?

Nepal and India are closely connected—not just geographically but culturally, too. So, unlike other markets, we don’t feel the same level of pressure to understand Nepal. The two countries share many similarities. For instance, Nepali audiences have been long-time fans of Bollywood, and our cultural overlap helps us gauge what the Nepali consumer might want.

This perspective could help us grow beyond borders. We’ve seen a lot of love from Nepal already—many people from Nepal follow me on Instagram, and I’ve received numerous direct messages asking when I’ll visit and launch boAt officially. That kind of anticipation is heartening and validates our entry into the market.