India’s edtech star Alakh Pandey surpasses Shah Rukh Khan on rich list

Alakh Pandey, founder of India’s edtech unicorn PhysicsWallah, has rewritten the rules of wealth creation. According to the Hurun India Rich List 2025, Pandey’s net worth soared 223% in a year to ₹145,100 million ($1.79 billion), overtaking Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, whose wealth stands at ₹124,900 million ($1.54 billion).

The leap positions the Allahabad-born entrepreneur among India’s fastest wealth creators, making headlines as a remarkable success story amid the country’s booming edtech sector, according to NDTV.

PhysicsWallah’s financial growth

PhysicsWallah has reported strong financial gains alongside rapid expansion. Net losses fell sharply to ₹2,430 million ($30 million) in FY25 from ₹11,310 million ($140 million) the previous year, while revenue grew to ₹28,860 million ($355 million) from ₹19,400 million ($238 million), reflecting robust market presence and accelerated growth.

Co-founder Prateek Maheshwari also saw a 223% jump in wealth, reaching ₹145,200 million ($1.79 billion), highlighting the company’s rising valuation despite operating at a net loss.

“The duo’s wealth surge underscores the strong growth trajectory of PhysicsWallah, which started from Allahabad and Ajmer,” the Hurun report noted.

Shah Rukh Khan joins the billionaire club

According to the Economic Times, Shah Rukh Khan entered India’s billionaire club for the first time, registering a 71% increase in wealth compared with 2024. His growth was driven by Red Chillies Entertainment, co-owned with his wife Gauri Khan, which posted a net profit of ₹850 million ($10.5 million) in FY23.

Additionally, his blockbuster film Jawan grossed ₹6,402.5 million ($78 million) domestically and ₹11,600 million ($143 million) worldwide, further boosting his net worth.

PhysicsWallah’s IPO plans

PhysicsWallah has submitted updated documents to SEBI for a ₹38,200 million ($470 million) initial public offering (IPO), including a fresh issue of ₹31,000 million ($380 million) and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of ₹7,200 million ($88 million). Promoters Pandey and Maheshwari plan to sell shares worth ₹3,600 million ($44 million) via the OFS.

Backed by investors such as Hornbill, WestBridge Capital, and GSV Ventures, PhysicsWallah received SEBI approval after a confidential pre-filing.

From YouTube educator to edtech unicorn

Alakh Pandey’s journey reflects India’s evolving wealth narrative. A dropout from Harcourt Butler Technical University, Kanpur, he began teaching physics on YouTube in 2016, according to NDTV.

What started as a solo online channel transformed into PhysicsWallah, a multi-billion-dollar edtech giant with offline centers known as Vidyapeeths, reaching millions of students nationwide. Pandey’s rise from online educator to unicorn founder underscores the transformative power of talent, innovation, and perseverance in today’s knowledge-driven economy.