Under 40, over a billion: The ONLY Indian-based entrepreneur who cracked Forbes’ elite list

India has one clear name on Forbes’ prestigious 40 Under 40 Billionaires list—and it belongs to Nikhil Kamath. At 39, Kamath is the only entrepreneur based in India to feature on the elite global ranking, which tracks self-made billionaires who achieved the milestone before turning 40. 

Ranked 20th on the list, Kamath has an estimated net worth of $3.3 billion. He is the co-founder and chief financial officer of Zerodha, the Bengaluru-headquartered brokerage firm that transformed retail investing in India with its low-cost, technology-first model.

Founded in 2010 with his brother Nithin Kamath, Zerodha grew without external funding and was earlier valued by Forbes at around $8 billion. In recent years, Nikhil Kamath has also built a strong public persona, launching his podcast “WTF is” in 2024 and actively participating in conversations around entrepreneurship, investing, and policy.

While Kamath stands alone as India’s representative, three Indian-origin entrepreneurs based overseas have also made it to the coveted list—together pushing the combined wealth of the four past the $11 billion mark.

Also read: Meet Jayshree Ullal: The billionaire CEO who topped Hurun India rich list 2025

New York–based Ankur Jain ranks 19th with a net worth of $3.4 billion. The 35-year-old is the founder and CEO of Bilt Rewards, a home-rental rewards platform valued at $10.8 billion by private investors. A Wharton School graduate, Jain previously co-founded Humin, which was acquired by Tinder in 2016, and is regarded as one of the most influential young founders in the US tech ecosystem.

The youngest entrants are Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha, both just 22, who jointly rank 27th. They are co-founders of Mercor, an AI-powered recruiting platform launched in 2023 that helps leading Silicon Valley AI labs scale model training. Each is estimated to be worth ₹1,826 crore, placing them among the world’s youngest billionaires.

Together, the four names underline a defining shift in global wealth creation—where age, geography, and traditional career paths matter less than speed, code, and innovation.