Zerodha founder Nithin Kamath named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024

Nithin Kamath, founder and CEO of Zerodha, received the award from Union minister Bhupender Yadav

Nithin Kamath, Founder and CEO of Zerodha, has been named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 for his role in reshaping India’s brokerage industry through a low-margin, high-volume strategy.

Kamath will now represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in Monte Carlo in June, EY said in a statement on March 5.

He has not only bootstrapped Zerodha into a billion-dollar company but has also actively supported fintech and climate-focused startups.

The awards ceremony in New Delhi was attended by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, who felicitated the winners. The event also saw industry veteran K.V. Kamath, Chairman of Jio Financial Services, honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to India’s financial sector, and former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath receiving the Special Jury Award for his role in advancing India’s space missions.

The EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme, now in its 26th edition in India, recognized winners across nine categories. Among them were Pradeep Rathod, chairman of Cello World (Consumer Products and Retail), Rajesh Magow, co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip (Services), Himanshu Baid, managing director of Poly Medicure (Lifesciences and Healthcare), Meher Pudumjee, chairperson of Thermax (Manufacturing), and Pirojsha Godrej, executive chairman of Godrej Properties (Real Estate and Infrastructure). Kamesh Goyal, founder of Go Digit General Insurance, won in the startup category, Sameer Nigam, co-founder of PhonePe, was recognized for business transformation, and Mahindra Group CEO Anish Shah was named Entrepreneurial CEO.

In a video address, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal commended the winners, stating, “This award is more than just an accolade, serving as a beacon of global innovation and a celebration of those who redefine the power of possibilities.”

The combined revenue of the EOY 2024 winners is nearly Rs 2 lakh crore and a valuation of more than Rs 15 lakh crore. Together, these companies employ nearly three lakh individuals worldwide.

"EOY winners reflect the tremendous impact Indian entrepreneurs are creating in India and globally. I congratulate the 2024 winners who are transforming their industries, scaling their businesses, and building an unbeatable moat to drive sustainable growth,” said Rajiv Memani, Chaiman and CEO, EY India.

The 10-member jury for the awards was led by Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of JSW Group, and included top industry leaders such as former SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara and HCLTech Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra.

The past Indian winners of the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year title include Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy, Uday Kotak of Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.