Revolutionising the Indian educational space, PhysicsWallah was founded in 2016 by Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari. Starting as a YouTube channel, it focused on providing free education to students preparing for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, and CBSE. After scaling their business, they launched their app in 2020, and there was no looking back.
Earlier this month, the company launched their IPO and registered itself as a listed company with the National Stock Exchange. After its debut in the trading session, a whopping Rs 12,354 crore was added to the investor wealth, reported Fortune. With both the founders holding a little more than 40% stake, the value of their holdings increased to more than Rs 11,315 crore. Pandey and Maheshwari then officially entered the billionaire club of India. Here’s a look at the stellar background of these ed-tech billionaires.
Alakh Pandey’s humility
Educator, entrepreneur, and with a newfound billionaire status, Alakh Pandey was born in 1991 in the humble town of Kanpur. Starting off his teaching career in a small coaching centre in Uttar Pradesh, he used to teach Physics. His humble background became his driving power towards building a student-centric approach. Rooted in empowerment and innovation, taking Physicswallah to the next step was the only practical solution.
His entrepreneurial feat transformed Pandey from small-town tutor to a billionaire, becoming the face of India’s digital education. Pandey’s several appearances on podcasts and media interactions have displayed how building his own business taught him the essence of leadership, empathy, and the ability to inspire millions. Today, he is one of the most respected tutors, known for his motivational speeches, and educational guidance.
Prateek Maheshwari’s tech-brain
An engineer by education, Prateek Maheshwari is the whole-time director of PhysicsWallah. He holds a massive role in scaling the business, alongside Alakh Pandey. With his strong hold over product management, Maheshwari leveraged his technical know-how to create the successful educational products and platforms today.
Maheshwari’s business acumen helped PhysicsWallah reach its billionaire status today with operational scaling. His principles are deeply rooted in customer-centricity, transparency, and integrity towards their shared goal of accessible education.
