He Dropped Out Before Class 10, Earned ₹8,000 At Call Centre — Today He Is India’s Youngest Billionaire With Luxurious 7,000 Sq Ft Kingfisher Tower...

In a country that worships degrees, rank lists and campus placements, Nikhil Kamath built his fortune by walking away from all three. Long before he became a familiar face on India’s rich lists, Kamath was

a restless teenager in Udupi, Karnataka, questioning the idea that success must follow a syllabus. Today, as the co-founder of Zerodha, India’s largest retail stockbroker, he represents a rare Indian success story where instinct, timing and grit trumped formal education. At 38, with an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion in 2025, Kamath is not just among India’s youngest billionaires; he is also one of its most unconventional. What makes his story compelling is not merely the money. It is the slow, scrappy climb: odd jobs, night shifts, family resistance, early losses, quiet wins, and a disruptive idea that changed how millions of Indians invest.

Where did Nikhil Kamath come from?

Born on September 5, 1986, in Udupi, Nikhil Kamath grew up in a middle-class household where academics were valued. His father worked as a banker and his mother was a teacher. Yet, classrooms never held his attention. By his own admission, he dropped out of school before completing Class 10, choosing the real world over report cards. At 14, Kamath tried selling mobile phones, an early sign of his entrepreneurial instinct. The experiment famously ended with his mother flushing the phones down the toilet, disapproving of what she saw as a distraction. The lesson did not deter him; it hardened him.

How did a call centre job shape his future?

By 17, Kamath was working night shifts at a Bengaluru call centre, earning ₹8,000 a month. During the day, while most peers slept, he studied stock markets. This period became his informal MBA. The call centre taught him how people think, react and panic, insights that later helped him understand investor behaviour. By 18, he was trading not just his own savings but also managing money for colleagues and even his boss. The markets made sense to him in a way textbooks never did.

When did Zerodha begin to take shape?

In 2010, Kamath teamed up with his elder brother Nithin Kamath to launch Zerodha. At the time, India’s brokerage industry was dominated by high commissions and opaque pricing, keeping small investors at bay. Zerodha flipped the script. Zero brokerage on equity investments and flat fees for intraday and derivatives trading sounded radical then. It worked. What followed was a quiet revolution. Without flashy advertising or venture capital funding, Zerodha grew through word of mouth, technology-led platforms and a relentless focus on costs. Today, it has over 10 million active users and commands the largest market share in India’s retail broking space.

What role did Nithin Kamath play?

While Nikhil focused on trading strategies and market insights, Nithin handled operations, compliance and long-term vision. The partnership worked because it was complementary. Together, the Kamath brothers built a business that challenged legacy brokerages and rewired India’s investing culture.

How rich is Nikhil Kamath in 2025?

According to Forbes estimates, Nikhil Kamath’s net worth stands at around $2.6 billion in 2025. Much of this wealth is tied to Zerodha’s profitability and market dominance. Unlike many unicorn founders, Zerodha remains bootstrapped, making its founders’ wealth both rare and resilient.

Nikhil Kamath House And Cars

Kamath’s lifestyle mirrors his personality: understated, deliberate and quietly luxurious. His 7,000 sq ft home at Bengaluru’s Kingfisher Towers reflects modern minimalism, with expansive balconies overlooking the city skyline. In his garage sit a black Audi A6 and a white Porsche Boxster S, a nod to his fondness for clean lines and performance engineering. Then there are the watches. Among his favourites is an FP Journe Octa Lune. In interviews, Kamath has spoken about his fascination with vintage timepieces, once remarking that a watch that may have witnessed World War II carries stories money cannot buy.

Is philanthropy part of his journey?

In 2023, Nikhil Kamath became the youngest Indian to sign the Giving Pledge, committing to donate at least half his wealth to philanthropy. His focus areas include education, healthcare and financial literacy, causes closely tied to his own life experiences. He also founded True Beacon, an asset management firm for high-net-worth individuals, built on transparency and low costs, principles that mirror Zerodha’s DNA.