If we just look at the cash in hand, this teacher from Uttar Pradesh is already richer than Shah Rukh Khan. And, it's quite possible, he’s going to bring a few more millions of rupees by his name. Get acquainted with Alakh Pandey, the man who has converted his one-sided passionate teaching into a trillion-dollar ed-tech revolution.
Alakh’s story from a tiny classroom in Prayagraj to the billionaire list of India is really phenomenally unusual, just in case you didn’t know, PhysicsWallah is preparing for its Rs 3500 crore IPO.
Alakh was born in 1991 in Prayagraj, a city in Uttar Pradesh, and his childhood was neither rich nor comfortable. Unfortunately, the family went through a financial crisis early on and had to sell the house.
However, these events turned around his resolve and also mirrored the way he taught- manner that was very much empathetic, raw, and real. Even as young as in the 9th grade, he was providing private lessons to younger students to raise money for his family. And in 11th grade, he was already imparting local coaching institutes with masterclasses as well as local teachers were hiring him for their classes. Although the money was less he earned more valuable experience.
Upon finishing his schooling, Alakh went to study at Harcourt Butler Technical University in Kanpur. However, after a while, he decided offline education was not for him. In an unexpected twist, the guy who eventually helped millions to pass IIT-JEE was unable to finish his own degree.
He came back to Prayagraj and took up teaching as a full-time profession. However, fate had a different plan in store for him. In 2016, with only ₹30,000, a whiteboard, and a mobile camera, Alakh made his YouTube channel - PhysicsWallah. The reason behind it was very straightforward: to create an accessible and affordable platform of good quality education useful to every Indian student.
The major change came during the COVID-19 period in 2020 when the country was in lockdown. Due to the shutdown of the physical coaching centers, students had no other option but to go for online classes. Alakh’s free but top-notch lectures were precisely what they needed to stay afloat. Indeed, his straightforward clarifications, typical Indian jokes, and warm attachment were some of the reasons for his overnight success on the internet.
Alakh decided that this was the right time to expand his business. So, he contacted Prateek Maheshwari to join him on the journey of transforming PhysicsWallah into a real business rather than just a YouTube channel. In a very short period of time, it became a startup with a valuation over a billion.
As of now, the worth of PhysicsWallah comes close to ₹28,000 crore, and the impending ₹3,500 crore IPO will be the company’s first step joining India's stock market elite. Therefore, Alakh Pandey’s net worth is about ₹14,500 crores which makes him officially one of the billionaires in India.
However, what makes his journey so extraordinary is that Alakh always kept his eyes on the goal – providing education to everyone. Alakh is still very much committed to this even after the expansion of PhysicsWallah by stressing on the factor of affordability. Hence students living in remote areas will be getting the similar learning exposure as the urban kids.
The tale of Alakh Pandey is not just another story from rags to riches; it stands as an argument that passion and a sense of mission can defeat privilege. From a rented room in Prayagraj to the moment of ringing the bell at Dalal Street, this teacher’s ascent symbolizes the New India where learning really pays.
While getting ready for its IPO debut, PhysicsWallah has one thing really clear in mind - Alakh the man who once had to teach for survival now is having power teaching an entire generation how to dream big.
