The announcement of PhysicsWallah Ltd’s initial public offering price band of Rs 103–109 per share has made both of its founders, Alakh Pandey and Prateek Boob, billionaires. WestBridge backs the company. The company is worth up to Rs 31,170 crore.
Table of Contents
Who They Are
- Alakh Pandey started what is now PhysicsWallah as a YouTube channel in 2016.
- Prateek Boob (Maheshwari) joined the business side and helped start it, bringing in strategy and structural growth.
- Before the IPO, they each owned about 40.35% of PhysicsWallah
The Wealth Surge & “Billionaire Club” Status
- Before the listing, their company filed for an IPO of about ₹3,820 crore (a new issue of about ₹3,100 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of about ₹720 crore).
- The OFS lets each founder sell up to ~₹360 crore worth of shares.
- The value being talked about suggests that their shares are worth a billion dollars (USD) or very close to it, based on the size of their stake and the company’s value.
- For example, reports say that Alakh’s wealth grew a lot, even more than that of celebrities.
PhysicsWallah: The Company Story
- Started out as a YouTube channel for learning, but by 2020 it had grown into a full-fledged edtech company.
- They do both online and offline business, with test prep (JEE/NEET) and skill building in general.
- Performance metrics: In FY25, revenue grew by about 49% year over year, reaching about ₹2,886 crore, and losses went down.
- How the money from the IPO will be spent: a lot of it will go to offline and hybrid centers, infrastructure, and marketing.
Why This PhysicsWallah IPO and Wealth Event Matter
- The Indian edtech industry has had some problems, like funding slowing down and pressure to make money. A big listing like PhysicsWallah’s shows that people are confident.
- The founders will have cash flow and be seen as rich if they make money off their stake through OFS and a public listing.
- For students and customers, think about how the founders’ original goal of making education affordable and easy to get has grown and how wealth creation can show that.
- For investors and people who follow the market: The IPO will show how much interest there is in India’s new-age edtech companies.
PhysicsWallah Key Figures & Data Snapshot
| Item | Detail |
| Pre-IPO founders’ stake | Approx. 40.35 % each for Pandey & Boob. |
| IPO size | Approx. ₹3,820 crore total; fresh ~₹3,100 cr + OFS ~₹720 cr |
| OFS per founder | Approx. ₹360 crore each. |
| FY25 Revenue | Approx. ₹2,887 crore. |
| FY24 Loss | Approx. ₹1,131 crore. |
Who are Alakh Pandey and Prateek Boob (Maheshwari)
Alakh Pandey
- PhysicsWallah was started by Alakh Pandey, who is also the CEO and full-time director.
- He is from Prayagraj (Allahabad), which is in Uttar Pradesh. He went to school at Bishop Johnson Education School & College in Prayagraj.
- His early career: He is said to have started giving lessons in his hometown while still in the 11th grade to help support his family.
- He started his educational YouTube channel, PhysicsWallah–Alakh Pandey, around 2014–16. The channel focuses on physics concepts for JEE/NEET and board exams.
- It’s interesting that he built a big business but doesn’t have a formal university degree (he dropped out of his engineering course), which some people say could be a problem with governance or risk.
- His style, mission, and brand are very appealing, especially to people from smaller cities who want to be like him. This is because they are clear and affordable.
Prateek Boob (Prateek Maheshwari)
- Prateek Boob, who is also known as Prateek Maheshwari in some documents, is a co-founder and full-time director of PhysicsWallah.
- His education: He graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology-BHU in Varanasi with a degree in mechanical engineering.
- Before joining PhysicsWallah, he worked for companies like Caterpillar India Pvt Ltd (according to his bio) and had more than 10 years of experience in business and education technology.
- He joined PhysicsWallah on 1 July 2020 (in the official filings) and is credited with shaping the business growth side (scaling, structure, strategy) while Alakh focuses more on content/teaching.
The IPO and Wealth Implications:
PhysicsWallah IPO Details
- PhysicsWallah sent the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) an updated Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) in order to raise about ₹3,820 crore from the public listing. This includes a new issue of about ₹3,100 crore and an Offer For Sale (OFS) from promoters of about ₹720 crore.
- The price range for the IPO is about ₹103–109 per share. At the top of the range, the company’s value is about ₹280.73 billion (US$3.19 billion).
- Sale of founders’ shares: Each promoter (Alakh and Prateek) is selling shares worth up to ~₹360 crore through OFS.
Wealth Implications for Founders
- Each of them owns about 40.31% of the company, which means that at the IPO’s highest price band, their shares are worth about ₹11,458 crore (about US$1.29 billion) each, putting them in the “billionaire club.”
- Reports in the media say that Alakh Pandey’s net worth rose to about ₹14,510 crore, which is more than some famous people.
Conclusion
Finally, think about how the founders’ lives have changed since they started a tuition booth or YouTube channel and turned it into a multi-billion-rupee company. This journey also shows how India’s edtech ecosystem has grown. Point out that even though valuations are high, the real test will be whether they can turn those valuations into long-term profits and carry out their plans for growth.
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