Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath proves formal education isn't essential for success. Learn how he started his entrepreneurial journey at 14 and became India's youngest billionaire in 2024.
Nikhil Kamath's life exemplifies that formal education isn't necessary for success. The Zerodha co-founder started selling phones at just 14. Despite his mother's disapproval, which even led her to throw his phone in the toilet and be expelled from school for lack of interest in studies, Nikhil turned adversity into opportunity.
Founded Zerodha with his brother 14 years ago
In 2010, Nikhil and his brother Nithin Kamath co-founded Zerodha. Today, Zerodha boasts over 10 million customers and has earned a profit of ₹2,094 crore. This success made Nikhil Kamath India's youngest billionaire in 2024, with a net worth reaching $3.45 billion.
Nikhil Kamath worked at a call centre for ₹8,000 a month
Nikhil Kamath's story is a testament to the power of determination and self-reliance. He began his career with an ₹8,000 per month job at a call center before venturing into trading. Today, he and his brother have made their mark in the financial world through Zerodha.
Nikhil prioritizes experience over formal education
Nikhil believes that experience and real-world lessons are more valuable than formal education. He and his brother don't prioritize graduates from institutions like IIT and IIM at Zerodha, believing they are often overly concerned with their qualifications. Zerodha's success demonstrates that a lack of formal education cannot hinder an entrepreneur with self-belief and the ability to persevere.