Breaking conventional norms, these successful Indian entrepreneurs shattered the stereotype that a college degree is a prerequisite for success. Here are the stories of visionary individuals who, despite lacking formal education, carved their paths to entrepreneurial success.
1. Kunal Shah: CRED & Freecharge Co-Founder
Background: Kunal Shah, co-founder of Freecharge, dropped out of Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies.
Journey: Freecharge, started in 2012, revolutionised online recharge with cashback offers. Acquired by Snapdeal, it changed the recharge system.
Achievement: Kunal Shah's venture marked a shift in the digital payment landscape.
2. Rahul Yadav: Co-Founder of Housing.com
Background: Rahul Yadav, co-founder of Housing.com, left IIT Bombay just months before completing graduation.
Journey: Determined to solve housing issues, Rahul co-founded Housing.com, a portal simplifying property search and sales.
Achievement: Featured in Forbes' 30 under 30, Rahul Yadav's portal sold properties worth eight million in its first week.
3. Ankit Oberoi: AdPushup Co-Founder
Background: Ankit Oberoi, co-founder of AdPushup, dropped out of Maharaja Agrasen College after the first semester.
Journey: Founded in 2013, AdPushup optimizes website ads for publishers, using A/B testing to enhance ad performance.
Achievement: Ankit's fascination for the internet led to the creation of AdPushup, revolutionizing ad monetization.
4. Nikhil Kamath: Zerodha Co-Founder
Background: A school dropout, Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, transformed India's trading landscape.
Journey: Disliking school, Nikhil started selling used phones at 14. Leaving school after 10th grade, he worked at a call centre. His interest in stock trading led to the founding of Zerodha.
Achievement: Zerodha made a profit of Rs 2,000 crore in 2023. Nikhil's net worth is a staggering $1.1 billion.
5. Ritesh Agarwal: Oyo Rooms Founder
Background: Ritesh Agarwal, the mind behind Oyo Rooms, dropped out of college, and survived by selling sim cards.
Journey: Founded in 2012, Oyo Rooms boasts a network of 2,200 hotels across 154 cities, backed by prominent investors.
Achievement: Ritesh Agarwal, a high school graduate, is a recognised entrepreneur, speaker, and Thiel Foundation fellow.
6. Azhar Iqubal: InShorts Founder
Background: Azhar Iqubal, a dropout from IIT Delhi, founded InShorts, a content discovery startup.
Journey: InShorts delivers major news details in 60-word stories, catering to busy individuals.
Achievement: InShorts raised over $29 million in funds and became a prominent player in content discovery.
7. Kailash Katkar: Quick Heal Technologies CEO
Background: Kailash Katkar, chairman and CEO of Quick Heal Technologies, dropped out after 10th grade.
Journey: Quick Heal, founded in 1995, offers IT security solutions, simplifying security management for users.
Achievement: Rising from a village in Maharashtra, Kailash built a successful IT security company without any formal education.
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