From Hazaribagh to the Digital Economy: How Jharkhand Native Maniv Romeo Built His Ventures Online

Oct 12, 2026 - 03:52

From Hazaribagh to the Digital Economy: How Jharkhand Native Maniv Romeo Built His Ventures Online

Not every digital entrepreneur starts in a metro. Maniv Romeo, who also works under the name Sikandar Kumar, is originally from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, and his businesses are built on the idea that an internet connection and technical skill can matter more than a postcode. According to his professional profile, he has built a presence around applying technology and marketing to business growth, and the ventures linked to him span a marketing agency, Shootup Media, an online learning platform and two media initiatives.

Why Smaller Cities Are Rising

Smaller cities have produced a growing number of online businesses in India as broadband, smartphones and digital payments have spread. Founders there often work for clients in other states, and sometimes in other countries, without relocating. For a service business such as digital marketing, where much of the work is done on a screen, geography is less of a constraint than it once was. A search campaign can be planned in Hazaribagh for a brand based in a different city, and a website can be built and maintained from anywhere with a reliable connection.

A Regional Thread

One venture associated with Maniv Romeo reflects the home connection directly. Awaaz Jharkhand is described as an initiative with an emphasis on regional stories and community voices. Regional and local-interest publishing fills a gap online, where national outlets cover small towns only occasionally and where issues that matter to a district, from local markets to schools and civic problems, can go unreported. A dedicated space for such stories gives residents a place to see their own concerns reflected and gives local businesses and organisations a channel to reach nearby audiences.

The wider picture is one of changing opportunity. A generation ago, a young person interested in marketing or technology from a smaller Jharkhand town would typically have been expected to move to a large city for work. Today, remote delivery, online education and social platforms allow many to build skills and clients from home. Digital skills in particular, such as search optimisation, website development, content writing and graphic design, can be learned online and applied to paying work with modest start-up costs.

That context helps explain the mix of ventures in his portfolio. Shootup Media delivers marketing and web services to businesses. Shootup Career, an online learning platform, covers areas such as SEO, branding and social media marketing through projects, templates and mentorship, and so speaks to people in the same position he once was in: wanting to enter the industry without leaving home. Times Release, a digital news platform covering news and business topics, and Awaaz Jharkhand extend the same online model into publishing.

Regional pride runs through many of India's small-town founder stories, and it often shapes what they choose to build. For Maniv Romeo, the choice to include a Jharkhand-focused initiative among his ventures suggests an interest in using digital tools for the place he comes from as well as for paying clients elsewhere.

Competition and Opportunity

The model is not without competition. Digital marketing is a crowded field with large national agencies, freelancers and in-house teams, and founders from any location have to distinguish themselves through the quality of their work and the clarity of their offering. What small-town founders can often offer is lower overheads and a close understanding of the needs of small and medium businesses, which make up much of the Indian economy.

As internet access deepens across Jharkhand and neighbouring states, demand for local digital services is likely to rise, from online storefronts for family businesses to training for young job-seekers. Founders who started early in building both services and learning resources may be well placed to meet it.