In several YouTube interviews, PhysicsWallah founder Alakh Pandey has recalled that his first monthly salary was Rs 5,000. More than a decade later, the Hurun India Rich List pegs his net worth higher than that of actor Shah Rukh Khan.
A YouTube video of Alakh Pandey talking to his students can be seen, where he describes how he got an offer of Rs 75 crore, and he turned it down. He further blatantly explains that he would not let investors in, as that would lead to an increase in the course prices. However, as of today, with several investors backing PhysicsWallah, the course prices have not experienced a massive change. According to their website, the course price range starts from Rs 2,500 and ranges up to Rs 32,000, with a mix of offline and online classes.
A few years ago, another well-known edtech startup, Unacademy, apparently offered Pandey a remuneration package of Rs 40 crore in an effort to bring him on board as a star educator. The offer, although considerably huge, did not materialise.
Even the son of a rickshaw driver should learn
In the video, Pandey says his objective is not personal wealth but ensuring that students from low-income backgrounds, ‘even the son of a rickshaw driver,’ as he puts it, can access affordable, high-quality preparation. He also urges students to ‘keep the cycle going’ by giving back to society once they succeed, including by returning to teach at the company. “The fees we take are not a contribution to society, but it is used to help the organisation build itself so more students can avail better facilities,” Pandey shared.
Pandey, who grew up in Prayagraj, had spoken publicly about his family’s financial constraints. In an interview with storyteller Neelesh Mishra, he recounted that his father sold part of their house and bought him a bicycle. Pandey began taking tuition classes when he was in the 8th grade. He went on to pursue engineering but dropped out in his third year.
The YouTube launch
In 2016, Pandey started the PhysicsWallah YouTube channel, recording lessons in a cramped room with a whiteboard for students preparing for exams. The channel initially attracted 10,000 subscribers in its first year and soon grew to be massively popular among JEE and NEET aspirants, particularly in tier 2 and government school segments. While the channel became one of India’s most followed physics teaching platforms, Pandey did not actively monetise it until 2019. The early online presence, however, laid the foundation for the company he would later formalise.
The low-cost strategy
PhysicsWallah Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated in 2020 by Pandey, who was joined by a co-founder, Prateek Maheshwari. Along with this came the company’s app and website, alongside an expansion of courses.
Their courses started from Rs 2,000, which was far less than the fees charged by leading platforms such as Byju’s and Unacademy, and certainly gave them an edge in the market. The low-cost approach contributed to high enrolments and early profitability. PhysicsWallah reported a profit of nearly Rs 7 crore in its first full financial year, according to MoneyControl, while larger edtech competitors widened losses on account of marketing and sales expenditures.
