Earning ₹8,000 to Becoming a ₹28,000 Crore Tycoon, This Man Opens Up with PM Modi

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of the online brokerage firm Zerodha, is in the limelight following his recent podcast with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kamath, whose net worth is estimated at $3.1 billion (28,000 crore INR) according to Forbes' 2024 World Billionaires List, has built a reputation as a successful entrepreneur in India’s financial sector.

Kamath started his career in a call center while also engaging in stock market trading as a side business. In 2006, he became a sub-broker before co-founding Zerodha with his brother, Nithin Kamath. Zerodha revolutionized India’s brokerage market by introducing a discount brokerage model, enabling investors and traders to pay lower brokerage fees compared to traditional brokers. Today, Zerodha serves over 10 million customers, making it one of the largest brokerage firms in India.

In March 2023, Kamath launched his podcast, *WTF Is With Nikhil Kamath*, later rebranded as *People by WTF*. The podcast has featured interviews with industry leaders from sectors like startups, retail, e-commerce, and fintech. Notable guests include Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Ritesh Agarwal, Ronnie Screwvala, and Sunil Shetty. Kamath's latest podcast episode features an exclusive conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the two-minute trailer of the episode, Kamath admitted to feeling nervous and referred to the conversation as a challenging one.

On the social media platform X, PM Modi expressed his excitement for the episode, saying, “I hope you all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it for you.” Kamath, who began his podcasting journey to learn more about industries he wishes to invest in, also made headlines in June 2023 when he signed *The Giving Pledge*, committing to donate 50% of his wealth to philanthropic causes, including climate change, education, and healthcare.