Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath becomes 4th Indian to join The Giving Pledge, commits to donate majority of his wealth

Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of India’s Zerodha, has become the youngest and fourth Indian to join ‘The Giving Pledge’, the initiative under which the world’s billionaires and wealthiest families pledge to donate the majority of their income to charity.  

Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha, who is only 35 years old, becomes the fourth Indian, following Azim Premji, Kiran Majumdar-Shaw, as well as Rohini and Nandan Nilekani, to join The Giving Pledge.

In his pledge Nikhil said, "As a young philanthropist, I am writing to express my gratitude for joining the Giving Pledge. Despite my age, I am committed to positively impacting the world and believe that the foundation’s mission of creating a more equitable society aligns with my values and aspirations."

Nikhil Kamath started to work full-time at the age of 17 and gained experience primarily in the stock market. After spending over 18–19 years in the world of stocks, he states his expertise is in investing and spends the same in both public and private markets.

Nikhil founded Zerodha in 2010, which is named after the combination of Zero and Rodha, implying a barrier in Sanskrit. The company has now become India’s largest stock broker with over $1 billion in clients through a powerful ecosystem of investment platforms, contributing over 15 per cent of all Indian trading volumes. Along with that, Zerodha runs a number of popular open online educational and community initiatives to empower retail traders and investors.  

Rainmatter, which is Zerodha’s fintech fund and incubator, has been investing in several fintech startups with the target of growing the Indian capital market. Rainmatter Foundations also supports the cause of climate-related non-profits.

Kamath’s decision to contribute to The Giving Pledge, a concept that was created by Warren Buffett, Melinda Gates, and Bill Gates in August 2010, aims to invite billionaires to publicly commit to giving the majority of their wealth to philanthropy, either during their lifetime or in their wills. The valuable contribution addresses society’s most pressing problems. Those who are willing to join The Giving Pledge are encouraged to write a letter that explains their decision to engage publicly in philanthropy and describes the cause of their motivation.