Lucknow: In the bustling streets of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, where the Ganges carries dreams and dust, a young Alakh Pandey wove through the chaos on a simple bicycle. It was the early 2000s, and the Pandey family’s world had shrunk to a rented room in a slum. Alakh’s father, Satish, a private contractor, had sold their home to keep the family afloat, while his mother, Rajat, taught at Vishnu Bhagwan Public School. Money was scarce, but Alakh, barely in Class 6, carried a spark no poverty could dim. At an age when most boys chased kites, he tutored younger students, earning Rs. 200 a month to ease his family’s burden. Each ride to his students’ homes was a silent vow: he would carve a path forward.
Alakh’s love for teaching bloomed early. By Class 8, he coached Class 5 kids; by Class 11, he stood at Achievers Academy, explaining science to Class 9 students for Rs. 5,000 a month. School wasn’t always kind—Mathematics tripped him up—but he shone brightly, scoring 91% in Class 10 and 93.5% in Class 12. His eyes were set on the IIT-JEE, India’s gateway to engineering glory. Yet, despite his grit, the exam slipped through his fingers. The sting of failure lingered, but Alakh pressed on, enrolling at Harcourt Butler Technical University in Kanpur to study Mechanical Engineering. The classroom, though, felt like a cage. In his third year, he made a choice that stunned his family: he left college to chase his true calling—teaching.
In 2016, with a second-hand camera and boundless passion, Alakh launched a YouTube channel called “PhysicsWallah – Alakh Pandey.” He poured his heart into breaking down physics for JEE and NEET aspirants, his voice clear and warm, shaped by years of local theater. At first, the videos reached only a handful, but Alakh’s knack for making gravity and motion feel alive drew students in. By 2019, millions subscribed, hanging on to every lesson from the “Physics Guy” who made learning feel like a story.
The world shifted in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic locked students indoors. Alakh saw a chance to change lives. With his friend Prateek Maheshwari, a tech-savvy partner, he launched the PhysicsWallah app, offering affordable courses that rivaled the sky-high fees of coaching giants. Within days, 35 lakh students signed up, overwhelming the servers. Alakh and Prateek worked tirelessly to keep the app running, their vision unwavering: education should never be a privilege. The app became a lifeline for students across India, from small towns to bustling cities, all chasing dreams through Alakh’s lessons.
PhysicsWallah soared. In 2022, it became India’s 101st unicorn, valued at $1.1 billion after a $100 million funding round from Westbridge Capital and GSV Ventures. Alakh opened PW Vidyapeeth, an offline coaching center in Kota, Rajasthan, and expanded to over 180 centers nationwide. With 31 million YouTube subscribers across 61 channels and courses in eight languages, PhysicsWallah wasn’t just a company—it was a revolution. By September 2024, a $210 million funding round pushed its valuation to $2.8 billion, with 12,809 employees and courses spanning JEE, NEET, chemistry, MBA, GATE, and UPSC.
The journey wasn’t without shadows. In 2023, three senior teachers—Tarun Kumar, Manish Dubey, and Sarvesh Dixit—left PhysicsWallah, sparking debates online. Alakh stayed focused, letting his work silence the noise. In 2024, when NEET-UG exam irregularities rocked the nation, he filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court, fighting for 1,563 students caught in the chaos. The court’s ruling in their favor cemented Alakh’s role as a voice for justice.
At 33, married to journalist Shivani Dubey and with a net worth of Rs. 4,500 crore, Alakh Pandey stood as India’s richest teacher. His sister Aditi, a quiet pillar of support, watched proudly as PhysicsWallah grew. From a boy pedaling through Allahabad’s slums to a leader empowering millions, Alakh’s rise was more than a success story—it was a beacon. He didn’t just teach physics; he taught a generation to dream without limits, proving that a teacher’s flame can light up the world.
