Nikhil Kamath is renowned as the co-founder of Zerodha, India’s largest retail brokerage firm. He is also one of the youngest to get the status of a billionaire at the tender age of 37. Nikhil Kamath’s entrepreneurial journey is an inspiration to all. He epitomizes excellent leadership, strategic foresight, and persistence.
As mentioned by the esteemed Forbes Billionaires List of 2024, Nikhil Kamath net worth is estimated to be $3.1 billion. In this article, we are going to share everything about Nikhil’s journey from a humble call center employee to his ascent to the ranks of billionaire status.
ADVERTISEMENT
Who is Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of discount brokerage Zerodha?
Nikhil Kamath was born on 5 September 1986, his age is 38 years as of 2025. Kamath hails from Shimoga, Karnataka, India, he was brought up in the small town of Udupi called Udyavara. Nikhil Kamath’s father is Raghuram Kamath who was an executive at Canara Bank, and his mother, Revathi Kamath, was a trained veena player.
Advertisment
He is an Indian entrepreneur and investor who co-founded a retail stockbroker, and True Beacon, an asset management company, of Zerodha along with his brother, Nithin Kamath. The Kamath brothers are also part of Forbes’ list of India’s 100 Richest for 2024. Nikhil has set an example that the youth of the nation are capable of shaping the nation’s economic landscape.
The Success Story of Nikhil Kamath – from dropping out of school after Class 10 to becoming India’s youngest billionaire
Early Life & Career Beginnings
Nikhil Kamath dropped out of school in 10th grade and began his professional life at a call center at the age of 16. He has no formal degree. During one of his podcasts, he was asked to clarify why he decided to quit school, he said,
ADVERTISEMENT
“I went to a terrible school. I hated my school, hated my teachers, grew up being scared of things I should not have been scared of. I was probably scared of my class teacher, this teacher, that teacher…stopped going to school beyond the 10th… I didn’t go to school, I started working and stuff like that.”
While working at the center, he started earning Rs. 8000 per month at the age of 17. He used to work there from 4 PM to 1 AM and learned about trading in the morning. His father gave him some of his savings to use in trading in the following years.
Then he started his career in equity trading. After he gained hands-on experience in stock trading, he became a sub-broker and began his brokerage firm with his brother Nithin Kamath named Kamath & Associates. The firm used to manage high-net-worth individual portfolios in the public market.
ADVERTISEMENT
Foundation of Zerodha – A Game Changer
Kamath launched Zerodha along with his brother Nithin Kamath. Zerodha provides brokerage assistance for dealing in stocks, currencies, and commodities. According to Forbes, Zerodha’s vision was to democratize stock trading, making it more accessible and cost-effective for retail investors. With Zerodha, Kamath introduced a discount brokerage model that reduces the commission charged for transactions, enabling the masses to invest.
The Kamath siblings observed that brokerage firms generally impose huge commissions, which makes trading difficult for smaller investors. Zerodha’s paradigm – zero brokerage charges on investments and a standardized fee structure for intraday and derivative trades, foreshadowed a paradigm shift within the Indian brokerage sector.
ADVERTISEMENT
Zerodha has left an unforgettable mark on the Indian financial landscape. With its intuitive interface and economical trading options, it is rapidly gaining a reputation. The platform was acclaimed by millions of users. Currently, the Bangalore-based Zerodha has more than 10 million clientele, making it one of India’s largest brokerage firms.
In 2020, Kamath also co-founded True Beacon – an asset management company that aids ultra-high-net individuals invest in Indian markets through privately pooled investment vehicles.
In 2021, Kamath co-founded Gruhas along with Abhijeet Pai – it is a real estate investment and prop tech company that invests in startups, incubators, and certain situations through its prop-tech, Clean Tech, AI, and consumer-focused fund.
In March 2023, Kamath started his podcast “WTF is” which hosted renowned public figures including Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Nikhil Kamath’s podcast on his YouTube channel called “WTF is” is quite popular. Kamath has even hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his podcast. His podcast featuring India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, was dropped on his YouTube channel on January 10, 2025. When PM Modi made his podcast debut with Nikhil, the social media went crazy.
The podcast made headlines, from Nikhil questioning Narendra Modi about the viral ‘Melodi memes’ to the Prime Minister saying,
“I am human, not God, mistakes happen”
You can watch the episode here
Other renowned people who were hosted are Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Tanmay Bhat, Suniel Shetty, Ritesh Agarwal, Bryan Johnson, Ronnie Screwvala, and other public figures and entrepreneurs throughout the year.
The Kamath brothers also have startups, incubator called Rainmatter
Recently, the Kamath brothers were featured by Hurun India in its list of top 10 self-made entrepreneurs of the millennia in India. Zerodha founders rank 8th on the list by Hurun India, with Zerodha’s market cap at Rs 64,800 crore.
Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Zerodha, launched the “WTF Fund” to support young entrepreneurs under the age of 22 in sectors including fashion, beauty, and home industries.
Philanthropy and Social Initiatives by Kamath
Kamath is also involved in philanthropy via initiatives concentrated on education, financial literacy, and environmental conservation. In June 2023, he became the youngest Indian to sign the Giving Pledge and dedicated to donating a minimum of 50% of his wealth to charitable causes like climate change, education, and health care. This is indeed a notable gesture, emphasizing the essence of contributing to the well-being of society and encouraging positive transformation.
Beyond Zerodha, Kamath is also the founder of True Beacon, an investment management firm catering to ultra-high-net-worth individuals. True Beacon aims to offer transparent and cost-effective investment solutions, mirroring the disruptive ethos of Zerodha. As per Business Standard, Kamath’s ventures continue to focus on leveraging technology to democratize financial services and provide better investment opportunities.
Kamath participated in an online charity chess match against five-time world chess champion, Viswanathan Anand in June 2021, to raise funds for those suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic. Kamath reportedly cheated against Anand by using the assistance of chess analysts and engines during the event. Kamath later apologized for the same, calling his behavior ‘quite silly’.
Following the match, Chess.com decided to ban his account. However, his account was restored within 24 hours with the statement –
“Chess.com has no reason to uphold anything given its rules and guidelines toward unrated games and exhibition events”
Nikhil Kamath Net Worth
As per Forbes 2024, Nikhil Kamath holds a position on the Forbes list is 1062, with a net worth of $3.1 billion.
Nikhil Kamath owns the Bengaluru franchise for Season 2 of the Global E-Cricket Premier League (GEPL), along with Ankit Nagori and Prashanth Prakash.
According to an ET report, Nikhil Kamath’s commitment to energy transition shows through his investments in various startups, including Ossus, Solar Square, Biorenewables, Buyofuel, and EMO Energy, supporting electric vehicle adoption and India’s transition to a decarbonised energy system.
ADVERTISEMENT
What are your views on Nikhil Kamath’s entrepreneurial journey? Let us know in the comments.
