Nikhil Kamath (born 5 September 1986) is an Indian entrepreneur and investor. With his elder brother, Nithin Kamath, he co-founded Zerodha in 2010, which became India’s largest stockbroker without ever raising outside money. He also co-founded the asset manager True Beacon and the investment firm Gruhas, and he hosts the podcast WTF is with Nikhil Kamath. He dropped out of school at 14 and is one of India’s youngest self-made billionaires.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Nikhil Kamath |
| Born | 5 September 1986, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India |
| Age | 40 |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, investor |
| Known for | Co-founder of Zerodha and True Beacon |
| Sibling | Nithin Kamath |
| Based in | Bengaluru |
| Pledge | Signed the Giving Pledge (2023) |
Early Life
Kamath was born in Shivamogga and grew up in Bengaluru. His father, Raghuram Kamath, worked for Canara Bank, and his mother, Revathi, is a veena player and landscape designer. Bored by school, he left after the tenth standard without taking his board examinations. As a teenager he sold used mobile phones and at 17 took a night-shift job at a call centre, earning about ₹8,000 a month, while trading shares during the day.
Career
He began managing money for his colleagues and, with Nithin, set up Kamath Associates in 2006 as a sub-broker and adviser to wealthy clients.
The brothers launched Zerodha in August 2010. It charged a flat fee of ₹20 per trade and nothing for buying shares to hold, when other brokers took a percentage. Nithin ran the company while Nikhil looked after trading and risk. Growth exploded after 2016 with its Kite trading app and the Coin mutual-fund platform, and during the pandemic millions of first-time investors signed up. Zerodha has stayed profitable and privately owned by the founders.
In 2020 he started True Beacon, an asset manager for very wealthy investors that charges fees only on profits. He co-founded Gruhas, which invests in property and consumer start-ups, with Abhijeet Pai, and the venture fund WTFund for founders under 25.
His long-form interview show, launched in 2023, has featured guests such as Bill Gates and, in January 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first podcast appearance.
Philanthropy
In June 2023 Kamath became the youngest Indian to sign the Giving Pledge, promising to give away at least half his wealth. He and Nithin fund the Rainmatter Foundation, which supports climate projects.
Personal Life
Kamath was briefly married; the marriage ended in divorce. He lives in Bengaluru and plays chess as a hobby; in 2021 he apologised after admitting he had used computer help in a charity game against Viswanathan Anand.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Nikhil Kamath born?
Nikhil Kamath was born on 5 September 1986 in Shivamogga, Karnataka, India and is 40 years old.
What is Nikhil Kamath known for?
Known for: Co-founder of Zerodha and True Beacon.
Featured image: Nikhil Kamath at the Young Entrepreneur Awards, March 2015. Photo by Brian452, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
