Byju’s CEO – Byju Raveendran (Age – 46)

Important Update: Byju’s (Think & Learn Private Limited) is currently undergoing Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) under India’s Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code since mid-2024. Byju Raveendran’s role as CEO has been effectively superseded by a court-appointed Resolution Professional. In February 2025, shareholders voted to remove him as CEO, though Raveendran contested the validity of that vote. As of February 2026, the company’s future remains uncertain amid ongoing insolvency proceedings in India and bankruptcy litigation in the United States.

Byju’s, once India’s most valuable startup at a peak valuation of $22 billion, was founded in 2011 by Byju Raveendran and his wife Divya Gokulnath. Operating under the parent company Think & Learn Private Limited, Byju’s revolutionized education in India through its digital learning platform, serving over 150 million registered students at its height. However, the company’s rapid expansion through aggressive acquisitions and mounting losses led to a spectacular collapse. Once a Forbes-listed billionaire with a net worth of $2.1 billion, Byju Raveendran’s fortune has fallen to effectively zero as the company entered insolvency proceedings in 2024 and now faces liquidation or sale under court supervision.

Read on to discover Byju Raveendran’s net worth in 2026, salary, career history, education, wife & family, Byju’s company financials, and the full timeline of the edtech giant’s rise and fall.
Byju Raveendran Byju's CEO
Byju Raveendran, Founder & Former CEO of Byju’s (Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd.)

Byju Raveendran – Quick Facts

Byju Raveendran — At a Glance
Full Name Byju Raveendran
Position Founder & Former CEO (under CIRP since 2024)
Company Byju’s (Think & Learn Private Limited)
Age 46 years (born January 5, 1980)
Education B.Tech, Mechanical Engineering – Government Engineering College, Kannur
Net Worth (2026) ~$0 (down from $2.1B peak)
Previous Salary ~Rs 15 Crore (~$1.8M) per year
Founded Byju’s 2011 (with Divya Gokulnath)
Peak Valuation $22 Billion (2022)
Current Status Under Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP)
Email [email protected]
Twitter/X @ByjuRaveendran

Byju’s Competitors

Byju’s operated in India’s fiercely competitive edtech sector. Even as the company faces insolvency, its former competitors continue to battle for market share in the online education space. The key competitors of Byju’s include:

  • Physics Wallah (PW) – India’s newest edtech unicorn; affordable test prep
  • Unacademy – live classes for competitive exams (UPSC, JEE, NEET)
  • Vedantu – personalized online tutoring via live interactive classes
  • Extramarks – K-12 digital learning platform with adaptive technology
  • Toppr (acquired by Byju’s in 2021) – adaptive learning for school students
  • Coursera / edX – global MOOC platforms for higher education
  • UpGrad – online degree and upskilling programs for working professionals
  • Meritnation – CBSE/ICSE focused online study platform

Byju Raveendran Net Worth 2026 – Byju’s CEO Salary

As of 2026, Byju Raveendran’s net worth is estimated at effectively $0 (zero), according to Forbes, which removed him from its Billionaire Index in 2024. At his peak in 2022, Raveendran’s net worth was approximately $2.1 billion USD (around Rs 17,545 crore), derived primarily from his equity stake in Byju’s when the company was valued at $22 billion. The collapse of Byju’s valuation has wiped out his entire paper fortune.

According to company filings, Raveendran earned a salary of approximately Rs 15 crore (~$1.8 million) per year from Think & Learn Private Limited, which included salary, allowances, perquisites, and commission. However, as the company entered insolvency, he reportedly raised personal debt to pay employee salaries and reinvested approximately Rs 2,600 crore of his secondary share sale proceeds back into the company.

Byju Raveendran Net Worth Timeline

Year Net Worth (USD) Byju’s Valuation
2018 ~$500M $5.7B (Unicorn status)
2020 ~$1.5B $12B
2022 (Peak) $2.1B $22B
2023 ~$350M ~$5B (slashed)
2024 $0 ~$0 (CIRP)
2026 $0 Under insolvency
Key Insight: Byju Raveendran experienced one of the most dramatic wealth collapses in Indian business history — going from $2.1 billion to zero in approximately two years. Raveendran and the founders collectively reinvested approximately Rs 7,500 crore into the company to keep it afloat, with Raveendran’s brother Riju personally infusing Rs 1,600 crore for employee salaries.

Byju’s Net Worth 2026 – Is Byju’s Profitable?

No, Byju’s is not profitable and is currently undergoing insolvency proceedings. The company, once India’s most valuable startup, reported massive and widening losses in every audited financial year. Byju’s is under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) since mid-2024, with its day-to-day affairs managed by a court-appointed Resolution Professional under India’s NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal).

Byju’s Financial Summary

Metric Value Status
Peak Valuation (2022) $22 Billion Historical
Current Valuation (2026) ~$0 Under CIRP
Revenue (FY2022) Rs 5,014 Cr (~$600M) ▲ 2.3x YoY
Net Loss (FY2022) Rs 8,245 Cr (~$1B) ▼ 20x wider
Total Funding Raised ~$5.5–6.3 Billion Across 27+ rounds
Registered Students (Peak) 150 Million+ Historical
Employees (Peak) ~50,000 Mass layoffs 2023–24
Company Status Under CIRP Since July 2024
What Went Wrong: Byju’s aggressive acquisition spree (Aakash Educational Services for $1B, Toppr, WhiteHat Jr, Great Learning, Epic!, Osmo) funded by massive debt, combined with accounting irregularities, delayed filings, and a post-COVID decline in demand, created an unsustainable business model. The company’s Android app was delisted from Google Play Store in May 2025 due to unpaid AWS bills.

Byju Raveendran Email Address | Contact Information

Below are the known contact details and social media profiles for Byju Raveendran. Note that since the company is under insolvency proceedings, official communication channels may be managed by the Resolution Professional.

Contact Information
Email Address [email protected]
Twitter/X @ByjuRaveendran
LinkedIn Byju Raveendran – Founder, BYJU’S
Corporate HQ IBC Knowledge Park, Tower D, 2nd Floor, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore 560029, India
Customer Support [email protected] | +91 924 133 3666
Company Website byjus.com

Career & Education – Company, University, & College

Byju Raveendran’s journey from a small village in Kerala to building India’s most valuable edtech startup is one of the most remarkable — and ultimately cautionary — tales in Indian entrepreneurship. Below is his complete career timeline:

Byju Raveendran Career Timeline

Period Role Organization
2000 B.Tech, Mechanical Engineering Govt. Engineering College, Kannur
2001–2007 Service Engineer Pan Ocean Shipping Ltd (UK)
2003 Scored 100% in CAT (twice) Common Admission Test (IIM)
2007–2011 Founder & Lead Instructor Byju’s Classes (offline)
2011–2024 Founder & CEO Byju’s (Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd.)
2024–Present Removed / Contested CEO role Company under CIRP

Born in the coastal village of Azhikode, Kerala, Byju Raveendran grew up as the son of two teachers — his father Raveendran taught physics and his mother Shobhanavalli taught mathematics. Despite their wish for him to become a doctor, young Byju chose engineering. After graduating from Government Engineering College, Kannur with a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering in 2000, he joined Pan Ocean Shipping Ltd in the UK as a service engineer.

In 2003, during a vacation, Raveendran helped friends prepare for the CAT exam (Common Admission Test for IIM) and scored a perfect 100 percentile himself — twice. Despite cracking the exam with flying colors, he declined admission to IIM and instead began teaching CAT preparation classes informally. By 2007, this had grown into Byju’s Classes, conducting large-scale workshops across India that attracted thousands of students.

In 2011, Raveendran and his wife Divya Gokulnath co-founded Think & Learn Private Limited, which launched the Byju’s – The Learning App. The app became India’s most popular education platform, attracting funding from marquee investors including Sequoia Capital, Tencent Holdings, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Tiger Global, Lightspeed India, General Atlantic, and Blackstone. The company made a series of major acquisitions, including Aakash Educational Services ($1 billion), WhiteHat Jr ($300 million), Toppr, Great Learning, Epic!, and Osmo.

Education

Institution Degree / Achievement Year
Government Engineering College, Kannur (Kerala) B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering 2000
CAT (Common Admission Test) 100 Percentile (scored twice, declined IIM admission) 2003
Kannur University campus, Kerala
Kannur University campus in Kerala — Byju Raveendran studied at the Government Engineering College affiliated with this university. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Byju Raveendran Wiki – Age, Wife, Family, & More

Byju Raveendran (age 46, born January 5, 1980) hails from the small coastal village of Azhikode in Kannur district, Kerala. He studied in a Malayalam-medium village school, where he was known for his love of sports — playing cricket, football, table tennis, and badminton. He taught himself English and developed a strong self-learning habit from an early age. His parents, Raveendran (physics teacher) and Shobhanavalli (mathematics teacher), wished for him to become a doctor, but he chose engineering.

Byju Raveendran married Divya Gokulnath, who was one of his early students in a GRE preparation class. Divya, born in 1987 in Bangalore, is a graduate of RV College of Engineering with a B.Tech in Biotechnology. She is a co-founder of Byju’s and previously served as Director of the company. The couple has two children — their first son was born around 2015, and their second child was born in early 2021. Byju’s brother Riju Raveendran also played a significant role in the company and reportedly infused Rs 1,600 crore of personal funds to help pay employee salaries during the crisis.

Notable Achievements & Recognitions

  • TIME 100 Most Influential People – Named to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world (2020)
  • Fortune 40 Under 40 – Recognized by Fortune magazine (2020)
  • Forbes India Tycoons of Tomorrow – Featured in Forbes India’s list (2018)
  • Forbes India Leadership Award – Received the Forbes India Leadership Award (2021)
  • EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Startup) award twice (2016 and 2020)
  • Highest FDI by Indian Startup – Byju’s brought in Rs 28,000 crore (~$3.4B) in Foreign Direct Investment, the highest by any Indian startup (2013–2023)
  • Chan Zuckerberg Initiative – Byju’s was the only Indian startup to receive funding from Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s foundation (2016)
  • CAT 100 Percentile – Scored a perfect 100 percentile in the Common Admission Test for IIM, twice — but chose teaching over an MBA

Despite these achievements, Raveendran’s legacy has been severely tarnished by the company’s collapse. A US bankruptcy court held him personally liable for over $1 billion for alleged movement and concealment of funds, though this judgment was later revised for a new damages hearing. He faces ongoing legal battles in both India and the United States.

About Byju’s (Think & Learn Private Limited)

Byju’s is an Indian edtech company headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Founded in 2011 by Byju Raveendran and Divya Gokulnath, the company operates under the parent entity Think & Learn Private Limited. At its peak, Byju’s was the world’s most valuable edtech company, valued at $22 billion, with over 150 million registered students and 50,000 employees.

Product / Brand Target Audience Description
Byju’s – The Learning App K-12 students Flagship app with video lessons, adaptive learning, and quizzes
Aakash Educational Services JEE / NEET aspirants India’s premier test prep institute (acquired for $1B)
WhiteHat Jr Kids (6-18 years) Online coding and STEM education platform
Great Learning Working professionals Professional upskilling & degree programs
Epic! / Osmo Children (US market) Children’s reading library & hands-on learning hardware

Byju’s raised over $5.5 billion in total funding from investors including Sequoia Capital, Tencent Holdings, Tiger Global, General Atlantic, BlackRock, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Lightspeed India, and Blackstone. However, the company’s aggressive expansion, massive debt load (including a $1.2 billion term loan), accounting irregularities, and the post-pandemic decline in online education demand led to its downfall. As of February 2026, Byju’s is under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) in India, with potential buyers including Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG) and UpGrad in the running for acquisition.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is the CEO of Byju’s?

Byju Raveendran founded Byju’s in 2011 and served as its CEO until the company entered insolvency in 2024. Since then, the company has been managed by a court-appointed Resolution Professional under India’s NCLT. In February 2025, shareholders voted to remove Raveendran as CEO, though he contested the validity of that vote. As of 2026, the company’s leadership remains subject to the ongoing insolvency proceedings.

What is Byju Raveendran’s net worth in 2026?

As of 2026, Byju Raveendran’s net worth is estimated at $0 (zero) according to Forbes, which removed him from its Billionaire Index in 2024. At his peak in 2022, his net worth was approximately $2.1 billion, derived from his stake in Byju’s when the company was valued at $22 billion. The collapse of the company’s valuation wiped out his entire fortune.

What is Byju Raveendran’s salary?

Byju Raveendran’s reported annual salary at Think & Learn Private Limited was approximately Rs 15 crore (~$1.8 million USD), including salary, allowances, perquisites, and commission. However, as the company entered financial distress, he reportedly raised personal debt to pay employee salaries and reinvested approximately Rs 2,600 crore of his own proceeds back into the company.

What is Byju Raveendran’s email address?

Byju Raveendran’s email address is [email protected]. He can also be reached through his Twitter/X handle @ByjuRaveendran. For student support inquiries, contact [email protected] or call +91 924 133 3666. Note that official communications may now be handled by the Resolution Professional given the ongoing insolvency process.

What happened to Byju’s?

Byju’s, once valued at $22 billion, collapsed due to aggressive debt-fueled acquisitions, accounting irregularities, delayed financial audits, and post-pandemic decline in edtech demand. In mid-2024, the NCLT initiated insolvency proceedings after BCCI filed a claim for Rs 158 crore in unpaid dues. The Supreme Court upheld the insolvency order in November 2025. In the US, a bankruptcy court held Raveendran personally liable for over $1 billion for alleged concealment of funds, though this judgment was later revised. The company’s app was delisted from the Google Play Store in May 2025 due to unpaid AWS bills.

How old is Byju Raveendran?

Byju Raveendran is 46 years old as of 2026. He was born on January 5, 1980, in the village of Azhikode, Kannur district, Kerala, India. His wife and Byju’s co-founder, Divya Gokulnath, was born in 1987 in Bangalore. The couple married in 2009 and has two children.

Article last updated:January 2026March 2, 2026

Disclaimer: All information presented in this article has been compiled from publicly available sources, including company filings, court documents (NCLT, NCLAT, US Bankruptcy Court), and reputable news outlets. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Net worth figures are estimates and may vary by source.