No Degree, No Funding, No Problem: How Nikhil Kamath Built a ₹64,800 Crore Stock Trading Giant

In a country where academic achievement is often equated with success, Nikhil Kamath took a path few dared to follow he dropped out of school at 14. No qualifications. No roadmap. Just an intense curiosity and an unshakable belief in his own instincts.

Two decades later, Kamath isn’t just a success story he’s the face of a new entrepreneurial India. As the co-founder of Zerodha, the country’s largest stock brokerage, Kamath helped reshape the financial landscape without venture capital, without elite degrees, and without permission from the status quo.

This is the story of how a school dropout rewrote the rules of wealth creation, built a billion-dollar empire, and is now investing in India’s next generation of bold thinkers.

From Dropout to Trailblazer

Born in 1986 in Karnataka, Nikhil grew up in a middle-class family. His father worked at Canara Bank, and the family eventually settled in Bangalore. Bright but restless, Kamath struggled to conform to the rigidity of traditional schooling. Denied the chance to sit for his 10th-grade exams, he chose to walk away from the system entirely a decision that became his first major turning point.

Hustling and Trading: The Early Years

At 17, Nikhil landed a job at a call center, earning ₹8,000 a month. By night he answered phones, and by day, he studied financial markets. With nothing but gut instinct and a hunger to learn, he began trading first with his father’s money, then for coworkers. Quietly but consistently, he turned profits, and a side hustle quickly became a full-blown obsession.

Zerodha: A Disruptor Is Born

In 2010, Nikhil and his brother Nithin launched Zerodha. The vision? Cut out the middlemen, reduce trading costs, and make investing accessible to everyday Indians. On August 15, 2010 India’s Independence Day Zerodha went live, symbolizing a new kind of freedom for retail investors.

Their strategy was radical: no external funding, zero brokerage fees, and a tech-driven platform. The gamble paid off. Zerodha now serves over 10 million users and handles a significant share of India’s retail trades nearly 15% without raising a single rupee from outside investors.

Beyond Zerodha: Investing in India’s Future

Kamath’s ambitions didn’t stop with one success. He co-founded True Beacon, a wealth management firm for ultra-rich clients, and Gruhas, a VC fund backing innovation in proptech and fintech.

But perhaps his boldest initiative is WTFund, launched in 2023. This grant-based fund supports entrepreneurs under 25 with no strings attached. No equity taken. Just belief in raw ideas and unconventional founders, many of whom mirror Kamath’s own unorthodox journey.

This isn’t charity it’s ecosystem building. Kamath is seeding the next generation of disruptors.

Podcasting Power: “WTF is”

To expand conversations beyond finance, Kamath launched “WTF is”, a podcast that quickly rose in popularity. In January 2025, the show made headlines when Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose it for his first-ever podcast appearance, discussing governance, leadership, and entrepreneurship with Kamath.

Personal Life and Interests

Though he tends to stay private, Kamath’s personal life has occasionally made news. He was briefly married to Amanda Puravankara, a real estate executive. Off the radar, Kamath is a chess enthusiast and an avid reader pursuits that reflect his strategic thinking and intellectual depth.

Achievements and Recognition

• Forbes India 30 Under 30 (2016)
• World’s Youngest Self-Made Billionaire – Forbes (2023)
• Hurun India 2024: Ranked 8th among self-made entrepreneurs
• Zerodha Valuation: ₹64,800 Crore
• FY24 Profit: ₹4,700 Crore (entirely bootstrapped)

Redefining Success in a Changing India

Nikhil Kamath’s story is not just about making money it’s about challenging the default narrative of success. In a country obsessed with degrees and pedigree, he proved that vision, courage, and persistence can outshine conventional credentials.

Through Zerodha, True Beacon, Gruhas, and WTFund, Kamath isn’t just building companies he’s cultivating a culture of innovation. For every young Indian who feels out of place in the system, his journey is proof that greatness doesn’t require permission.

In an era defined by disruption, Kamath stands as a unique force a high-school dropout who became a billionaire, not by following rules, but by rewriting them.