The name is Alakh Pandey, who now embodies success in a new age. Here, passion is coupled with teaching and digital disruption. He is the co-founder and once again, the CEO of the EdTech unicorn PhysicsWallah (PW), and thus has recently caught the nationwide attention, not for just his educational kingdom, but also towards his entirely shocking wealth growth.
According to Hurun India Rich List 2025, it is said that Pandey’s net worth shot up by an estimated 223% in just one year, worth approximately ₹14,510 crore. This extraordinary leap now puts him ahead of Bollywood’s ‘King Khan,’ Shah Rukh Khan, whose wealth stands around ₹12,490 crore, signifying the transition of India in wealth creation, cutting off from legacy sectors and celebrities, into disruptive technology and education.
From Humble Beginnings To Billion-Dollar Valuation
Alakh Pandey’s pilgrimage into life is quite inspiring, almost like a testimony to the democratization of knowledge and enterprise. Born in Prayagraj (then Allahabad), UP, Alakh had early financial problems, leading him to start tutoring in his 9th grade. He undertook the B.Tech course in Harcourt Butler Technical University but wished to follow his true calling-teaching.
He left after the third year of his studies. In 2016, Alakh launched the ‘Physics Wallah’ channel on YouTube with just a camera and whiteboard. His method of teaching is interactive and simple, holding a humorous approach that struck an instant chord with students preparing for competitive exams like JEE and NEET, creating a massive and loyal fan following that lovingly called him ‘PW Sir’.
The EdTech Unicorn’s Disruption
Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari, his co-founder, converted the YouTube channel into the PhysicsWallah official app in the year 2020. The platform brings education to affordable levels and imparts quality education under the Affordable Education Mission.
Such a move made PW a lifebuoy for millions of students from smaller towns and lower-income families. Unicorn status, that is, valuing itself over $1 billion, was acquired by the company in June 2022.
Further, the company has been fueling its valuation with relentless expansion into offline centers (Vidyapeeth) and other educational streams. One of the valuable impacts of making education accessible at scale is evident in the rise of his fortune, as the company reports tremendous revenue generation for FY25 with net revenues being set at ₹2,886 crore.
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A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
