Nithin Kamath was born in Shimoga, Karnataka, India. He is a name that shines in India’s business world today. Nithin is the co-founder and CEO of Zerodha, a company that changed how people trade stocks in India. His story is not just about money or success. It is about hard work, learning from mistakes, and chasing dreams with courage. This article tells the story of Nithin Kamath. It shows how a boy from a small town became one of India’s richest and most inspiring entrepreneurs.
Early Life And Family
Nithin grew up in a simple Konkani family. His father, Raghuram Kamath, worked at Canara Bank. His mother, Revathi Kamath, was a veena player and an environmentalist. She also ran her own event management business. Nithin’s family moved to many places because of his father’s job. By 1996, they settled in Bangalore. This is where Nithin finished his school and college. He studied engineering at Bangalore Institute of Technology. But he was not a top student. He loved numbers and trading more than books. At the age of 17, Nithin started trading in the stock market. He used his father’s trading account to learn how stocks work.
As a young boy, Nithin faced many challenges. He was not good at studies. He even dropped out of college for a while to focus on trading. But trading was not easy. Nithin lost a lot of money once—almost 5 lakh rupees. This was a big lesson for him. He learned that trading needs patience and knowledge. To make money, he worked at a call center in Bangalore. He worked long hours, from evening to late at night. During the day, he kept learning about stocks. This hard work shaped his future. It taught him how to face tough times.
Personal Life
In 2001, Nithin met Seema Patil at the call center. They fell in love and started dating. Seema later worked for Singapore Airlines, so they were in a long-distance relationship for four years. In 2008, they got married. They have a son named Kiaan. Seema is now the Chief of Quality at Zerodha. Nithin’s family gave him strength. His younger brother, Nikhil Kamath, also became his partner in business. Together, they dreamed of building something big. Their mother encouraged them to play chess from a young age. She believed chess makes the mind sharp. This helped Nithin think clearly and plan well.
Nithin Kamath Age, Wikipedia, Biography, Net Worth, Wife
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nithin Kamath |
| Date of Birth | October 5, 1979 |
| Place of Birth | Shimoga, Karnataka, India |
| Family Background | - Father: Raghuram Kamath (Canara Bank employee) - Mother: Revathi Kamath (veena player, environmentalist) - Brother: Nikhil Kamath (co-founder, Zerodha) - Wife: Seema Patil (Chief of Quality, Zerodha) - Son: Kiaan |
| Early Life | Grew up in a Konkani family; moved frequently due to father’s job; settled in Bangalore by 1996; loved numbers and trading from a young age; started trading at 17. |
| Education | Studied engineering at Bangalore Institute of Technology; not a top student; temporarily dropped out to focus on trading. |
| Early Career | - 1997: Freelance trader in Bangalore - Manipal Infocom (telesales executive) - Call center job in Bangalore - 2004: Managed investment portfolio - 2004: Started Kamath Associates (sub-brokers for Reliance Money) |
| Major Achievement | Co-founded Zerodha (2010) with Nikhil Kamath; built India’s largest stock brokerage (1+ crore users); introduced discount brokerage model. |
| Zerodha’s Key Platforms | - Kite (trading app) - Coin (mutual funds) - Varsity (financial education) |
| Net Worth | Approx. $3.9 billion (2025); Forbes Billionaires List (2023) with Nikhil Kamath |
| Health Challenge | Jan 2024: Suffered mild stroke (stress, over-exercising, father’s death); recovering and back to work. |
| Philanthropy | - 2015: Started Rainmatter (fintech fund) - Rainmatter Foundation (climate change, small orgs) - 2022: Donated ₹100 crore with Nikhil - Nikhil signed The Giving Pledge (2023) |
| Hobbies & Interests | Music (plays guitar, sings with son Kiaan), favorite song: “Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli” (Anand), enjoys basketball and poker, owns Messi-signed football jersey |
| Awards & Recognition | - 2016: Top 10 businessmen to watch (Economic Times) - 2019: Forbes India Leadership Award - 2020: Zerodha topped IIFL Wealth Hurun India 40U40 List - 2024: EY Entrepreneur of the Year |
| Personal Traits | Humble, hardworking, focused on learning, believes in financial education for all, inspired by Azim Premji, calls team the “Z team” |
| Life Lessons | Success doesn’t need a fancy degree; hard work and learning from mistakes matter; believes in solving problems and helping others through business and charity. |
Career Started
Nithin’s career started small. In 1997, while still in college, he worked as a freelance trader in Bangalore. He also joined Manipal Infocom as a telesales executive. In 2004, he got a big break. At the gym, he met a man who had returned from the US. This man trusted Nithin to manage his investment portfolio. Nithin had no degree, but he had skills and confidence. This was his first step toward success. The same year, Nithin and Nikhil started Kamath Associates, a small brokerage firm. They worked as sub-brokers for Reliance Money. This gave them experience in the stock market.
In 2010, Nithin and Nikhil started Zerodha. The name Zerodha comes from “zero” and “rodha,” a Sanskrit word for barrier. They wanted to break barriers in trading. At that time, trading was expensive. Brokers charged high fees. Nithin saw a problem. Many people could not afford to trade. He and Nikhil had a new idea. They started a discount brokerage model. This meant low fees for trading. Zerodha made trading easy and cheap for everyone. Their idea worked. Zerodha grew fast. Today, it is India’s largest stock brokerage firm. It has over one crore users who trade daily.
Zerodha changed the stock market in India. It used technology to make trading simple. The company created a platform called Kite. This app is easy to use. It helps people trade stocks from their phones. Zerodha also started Coin, a platform for mutual funds. Another initiative is Varsity, a free resource to teach people about trading. Nithin believes everyone should learn about money. He wants to make financial education free for all. Zerodha’s success made Nithin and Nikhil billionaires. In 2023, they joined Forbes’ list of the world’s billionaires. Nithin’s net worth is around $3.9 billion as of 2025.
Health Challenge
Nithin’s journey was not always smooth. In 2024, he faced a health scare. He had a mild stroke in January. He shared this news on social media. He said the stroke happened because of stress, over-exercising, and his father’s death. But Nithin is strong. He is recovering and working again. Zerodha also faced challenges. New rules from the stock exchange regulator affected its business. These rules made trading harder for some customers. But Nithin and his team worked to solve these problems. They kept Zerodha strong.
Nithin is not just about business. He loves to give back to society. In 2015, he started Rainmatter, a fund to help fintech startups. Rainmatter supports new companies that work on money and technology. It has helped many startups grow. Nithin also started the Rainmatter Foundation. This group works on climate change and helps small organizations. Nithin and Nikhil also give money to charity. In 2023, Nikhil signed The Giving Pledge. He promised to donate 50% of his wealth to good causes. Nithin supports this idea. Together, they donated 100 crore rupees in 2022.
Hobbies
Nithin has many hobbies. He loves music. He plays the guitar and sings with his son Kiaan, who plays drums. His favorite song is “Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli” from the movie Anand. Nithin is also a sports lover. He enjoys basketball and poker. He owns a football jersey signed by Lionel Messi, which he bought at an auction. Nithin admires Indian businessman Azim Premji. He says if his life were a movie, he would want Hrithik Roshan to play his role. These small details show Nithin’s simple and fun side.
Nithin’s success comes from his hard work and vision. He did not have a fancy degree. He learned from life. He faced losses but never gave up. He saw problems in the stock market and found solutions. Zerodha is not just a company. It is a revolution. It made trading possible for millions of Indians. Nithin’s story inspires young people. It shows that dreams can come true with effort. He believes in learning every day. He reads books to gain knowledge. His favorite books are about finance and life.
Awards & Recognition
In 2016, The Economic Times called Nithin one of the top 10 businessmen to watch in India. He also won the Forbes India Leadership Award in 2019. Zerodha topped the IIFL Wealth Hurun India 40 and Under Self-Made Rich List in 2020. In 2024, Nithin was named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year. These awards show his impact on India’s business world. But Nithin stays humble. He says his team at Zerodha is his strength. He calls them the “Z team.” They work together to make Zerodha better every day.
Life Lessons
Nithin’s life teaches us many lessons. He shows that you don’t need a degree to succeed. Hard work and learning matter more. He also shows that success is not just about money. It is about helping others. Through Zerodha, Rainmatter, and his charity work, Nithin is changing lives. He wants every Indian to understand money and trading. His story is like a chess game. Each move is planned, and each step takes him closer to his goal.
Today, Nithin Kamath is a hero for many. He started with nothing but a dream. He faced losses, worked hard, and built an empire. Zerodha is not just a company. It is a symbol of hope. It shows that anyone can succeed with courage and effort. Nithin’s journey is far from over. He keeps dreaming and working. His story reminds us to never stop trying. With simple ideas and big dreams, Nithin Kamath is making India proud.
