Nikhil Kamath, the billionaire co-founder of Zerodha and a noted high school dropout, was invited as the guest of honour at the Class of 2025 graduation ceremony of Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS), founded by Nita Ambani.
The event, held in Mumbai, marked the 21st graduation of DAIS, one of India’s most prestigious private schools. Nikhil Kamath, 38, joined Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani on stage, where both delivered inspirational speeches to the graduating students.
Photos posted by the school on Instagram show Kamath being welcomed with a bouquet and addressing the audience alongside Nita Ambani. While students wore blue graduation robes, Nita Ambani opted for a cream-gold traditional outfit, and Kamath kept his look casual in jeans and a black shirt.
From School Dropout to Self-Made Billionaire
Kamath’s presence at the elite school ceremony drew attention because of his unconventional background. Having dropped out of school at the age of 15 or 16, Kamath later built one of India’s most successful fintech ventures, Zerodha, with his elder brother Nithin Kamath.
In a prior interview with the CEO of LinkedIn, Kamath admitted he had always disliked formal education. “I hated school,” he said, while also acknowledging the emotional challenges that followed. “Dropping out and not pursuing formal education came with drawbacks. I was quite insecure… to overcompensate, I read everything I could get my hands on.”
His journey from academic outsider to celebrated entrepreneur made him a fitting, if unconventional, role model for graduates stepping into a world increasingly open to diverse paths of success.
