Forbes has released its 2026 list of the world’s billionaires, and India has produced a record 229 names this year. Among the newcomers are Alakh Pandey and Prateek Boob, co-founders of edtech company PhysicsWallah, who made their debut following the firm’s public listing last year.
A college dropout, Pandey joined the global rich list after a significant increase in his wealth from PhysicsWallah’s November 2025 IPO. As of March 10, 2026, his net worth is estimated at $1 billion.
At 34, Pandey enters the Forbes Billionaires list with a global rank of 3,332, joining five other entrepreneurs in their 30s who made the world’s richest ranks this year.
PhysicsWallah, headquartered in Noida, started in 2016 as a YouTube channel offering free educational content. Over the years, it has grown into a comprehensive platform providing test-prep courses, and its strong market debut contributed to Pandey’s billionaire status.
The company’s IPO in November 2025 was priced between ₹103 and ₹109 per share and raised a total of ₹3,480.71 crore through a combination of a fresh issue and an offer-for-sale. The IPO was well-received, with qualified institutional buyers subscribing 2.70 times, retail individual investors 1.06 times, and non-institutional investors 48% of their allotted portion. PhysicsWallah listed at a 33% premium over the IPO price of ₹109 per share.
Alakh Pandey had initially pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Harcourt Butler Technical University in Kanpur but dropped out in his third year. He launched the PhysicsWallah YouTube channel in 2016, which quickly gained popularity among students aiming for IIT admissions. According to LinkedIn data, he formally started the company in Uttar Pradesh in April 2014.
PhysicsWallah’s journey from a YouTube channel to a public company underscores the growing influence of India’s edtech sector and the rise of young entrepreneurs in the global wealth landscape.
