Ever look at someone and wonder, “How did they do that?” That’s the feeling you get when you hear about Sanjeev Bikhchandani.
Well, according to Forbes, as of today, his net worth is pegged at a mind-boggling $3.2 billion, making him a true titan in India’s tech world. But here’s the most incredible part: this wasn’t some overnight lottery win. It was built, piece by piece, with a brilliant vision, some seriously smart investments, and a relentless drive to create real, lasting value.
He’s the genius behind Info Edge, the company that gave us Naukri.com and completely changed how India finds jobs. But his story goes beyond boardrooms; he’s a co-founder of the prestigious Ashoka University and a recipient of the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors. So, let’s pull back the curtain and see exactly how Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s net worth went from an idea to a multi-billion-dollar empire that shaped India’s digital destiny.
Firstly, Let’s Know Sanjeev Bikhchandani
| Full Name | Sanjeev Bikhchandani |
| Also Known | The Father of Indian startups |
| Born | June 29, 1963 |
| Birthplace | Delhi, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | BA Economics, St. Stephen’s College; MBA, IIM Ahmedabad |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Investor |
| Organization | Info Edge (India) Ltd. |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2020), Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2008) |
| Net Worth | $3.2 Billion |
| Spouse | Surabhi Bikhchandani |
| Children | 2 |
Let’s Explore Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s Net Worth Journey
- The Genesis: From a Salary to a Vision (The 1990s)
This is where it all began. Not in a flashy office, but with a brave decision to walk away from comfort and chase a whisper of an idea.
- Leaving a Stable Career
Imagine this: you’ve graduated from IIM Ahmedabad in 1989, one of the best B-schools in the country. You land a great job, first as an account executive at Lintas India Ltd, and then as a product executive at Hindustan Milkfood Manufacturing (HMM) – you know them today as GlaxoSmithKline. You’re even working on the iconic Horlicks brand! Life is good, the salary is great.
But then, in 1990, Sanjeev did something most people would call crazy. He quit.
He chose the uncertain, rocky path of entrepreneurship. The early days were tough, really tough. For six of his first ten years as an entrepreneur, he didn’t take a single rupee in salary. It was his wife, Surabhi Bikhchandani, who held down the fort, supporting the household expenses through those lean years. Now that’s what you call a partnership!
- The “Aha!” Moment
So, what was this big idea that made him leave it all behind? It was sparked by a simple observation at his HMM office.
He noticed something peculiar. Every time the office copy of Business India magazine arrived, everyone would grab it and flip straight to the back. Why? Because that’s where 35-40 pages of appointment ads were printed.
Ping! A lightbulb went off. He realised that jobs were a super high-interest category, even for people who weren’t actively looking. He also knew that countless jobs were filled through headhunters and never even advertised publicly. The market was a mess!
That was his “Eureka moment.” The idea was simple yet revolutionary: what if he could collect all these job ads and put them on one single, centralised online platform? He would call it “Naukri.”
- The Bootstrapping Phase
With this idea burning in his mind, Bikhchandani started Info Edge in 1995. His startup capital? A humble ₹2,000. His office? His father’s servant’s quarters, right above the garage.
Talk about starting from scratch!
This was the ultimate bootstrapping phase. He did whatever it took to survive – conducting salary surveys, offering consulting services, you name it. He didn’t even own a computer! He’d sneak into a friend’s office at night just to use theirs.
These tough times taught him to be incredibly frugal and disciplined with money, a lesson that would prove to be his secret weapon for years to come. He ran the business on customer advances and his own pocket money.
- The Cornerstone of Wealth: Building Info Edge & Surviving the Bust (1997-2006)
This is the chapter where the foundation was laid, brick by painful, glorious brick. It’s a story of launching a revolution, staring into the abyss of a market crash, and coming out stronger than ever.
- Launch of Naukri.com in 1997
Though Info Edge was officially born in 1995, Naukri.com went live commercially in October 1997. The idea had been bubbling since 1991, but it was the arrival of the internet in India in 1995 that gave it wings.
Initially, Naukri.com was basically a “floorless employment exchange”—a database of résumés, jobs, and recruiters. The team would painstakingly compile classified job ads from 29 newspapers and magazines and post them online.
It was an instant hit! It was solving a real problem that everyone faced. For the first six months, they didn’t charge a thing. Then, an automobile component company from Pune asked how much it would cost to post a listing. Just like that, the business model was born: ₹350 per job listing or ₹6,000 for a yearly subscription.
By March 1998, they were making about ₹2.35 lakh. A year later, that shot up to ₹18 lakh. It was clear where the future was, and they went all-in on the internet business.
- Surviving the Dot-Com Bust
Remember the 2000-2001 dot-com bust? It was a bloodbath for internet companies. But while others were crashing and burning, Naukri not only survived, it thrived. How?
In April 2000, just two weeks before the meltdown started, Info Edge raised $1.7 million from ICICI Ventures. Instead of going on a spending spree, Bikhchandani and his team did something incredibly wise (which he jokingly calls “sheer dumb luck”). They put the money in a fixed deposit.
That discipline, learned from their bootstrapping days, saved them. Competitors like JobsAhead.com had raised more money and had bigger ad budgets, but they burned through their cash and ended up laying off staff. Naukri, on the other hand, focused on customer money, not investor money. They made a product so valuable that people were happy to pay for it. After just two years of small losses, they hit profitability. Incredible, isn’t it?
- The IPO Gold Rush (2006)
Fast forward to November 2006. Info Edge was about to make history. It became the very first Indian internet company to be listed on the Indian stock exchanges. The IPO, with the now-famous ticker “Naukri,” opened on October 30, 2006.
The response was electric. The IPO was oversubscribed by nearly 55 times!
The shares, priced at ₹320, opened at ₹480—a stunning 50% premium. At the time of the IPO, Info Edge’s market cap was a solid ₹2,300 crore (around $570 million). This wasn’t just a success; it was a massive validation of their entire journey. It flooded the company with capital and cemented Bikhchandani’s place as a trailblazer.
- The Multiplier Effect: The Visionary Investor (2008-Present)
If building Naukri made him a millionaire, becoming an investor turned him into a billionaire. Sanjeev Bikhchandani proved he didn’t just have one great idea; he had an eye for spotting the next big thing.
- The Zomato Masterstroke
Back in 2010, Info Edge put ₹4.7 crore (about $1 million) as seed money into a little food-tech startup called Zomato. Seemed like a decent bet, right?
Well, by the time Zomato had its blockbuster IPO in July 2021, that initial investment had ballooned into an unbelievable ₹15,000 crore. That’s a 1050x return in just 11 years! Let that sink in.
Overall, Info Edge invested a total of ₹147 crore in Zomato, which turned into a staggering ₹18,300 crore. This wasn’t just a good investment; it was one of the greatest venture capital success stories in Indian history. Even after the IPO, Info Edge still held a 15.23% stake in Zomato. Wow!
- The Policybazaar Power Play
And he wasn’t done yet. In 2008, Info Edge spotted the potential in Policybazaar’s parent company, Etechaces, when it was just a PowerPoint presentation. They put in an initial ₹20 crore for a 49% stake.
Over the years, their total investment in Policybazaar grew to ₹64 crore. By the time Policybazaar had its IPO in November 2021, Info Edge’s 13.3% stake was worth over ₹7,000 crore!
Think about it: as of March 31, 2025, the combined value of Info Edge’s stakes in just Zomato and Policybazaar was ₹31,500 crore (around $3.7 billion), all from an original investment of ₹1,075 crore. That’s pure genius.
- Investment Philosophy
So, what’s his secret sauce? It’s refreshingly simple: “investing in founders” and making “long-term bets.”
He looks for founders who are deeply committed, super capable, and truly understand their customers. He’s a patient man, knowing that great companies can take 10-15 years to build.
He also looks for “natural traction”—when a product grows without a massive advertising budget. It’s a sign that it’s solving a real problem. He often asks founders two simple questions: “Where did your idea come from?” and “What salary are you paying yourself?” The answers tell him everything about their passion and motivation.
In 2019, they formalized this approach by launching Info Edge Ventures, an early-stage fund with a corpus of ₹3,422.94 crore across three funds.
- Portfolio Effect of Other Ventures
Beyond these two unicorns, Info Edge built a whole family of successful online platforms. You’ve definitely heard of them: 99acres.com (for real estate), Jeevansathi.com (for matrimony), and Shiksha.com (for education).
Each of these has contributed to Info Edge’s massive market capitalization. But even today, Naukri.com remains the heart of the empire, bringing in over 70% of the company’s income as of 2018. They continue to explore new areas and invest in the next generation of startups.
- Deconstructing the Billions: A Quantified Asset Breakdown
So where does all this wealth actually come from? Let’s break it down into simple terms.
- Primary Asset – Info Edge Stake
The lion’s share of Bikhchandani’s wealth is tied to his stake in the company he built, Info Edge (India) Ltd.
As of September 30, 2025, his publicly held shares in this one stock were worth over a whopping ₹26,218.5 crore. The promoters of Info Edge collectively hold 37.63% of the company as of June 2025, and Sanjeev’s direct stake is around 11.5%. Given that the company’s market capitalization is approximately ₹59,369 crore, you can see how the numbers add up!
- Secondary Assets
While the exact figures aren’t public, he also earns income from dividends. Info Edge is a consistently profitable company, reporting a consolidated revenue of ₹2,950.07 crore and a profit of ₹594.55 crore for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
He has also sold shares over the years, such as a sale of 50,000 equity shares at an average price of ₹1491.6, which adds to his liquid assets.
- Other Ventures & Real Estate
Sanjeev Bikhchandani isn’t just a businessman; he’s a builder of institutions. His role as a co-founder of Ashoka University is a huge part of his legacy.
While details of his private real estate holdings are not widely known, they form a part of his diversified portfolio. Plus, his journey as an angel investor continues with stakes in interesting startups like Slurrp Farm and Burger Singh, adding more layers to his financial landscape.
- The Legacy Builder: Accolades and Contributions Beyond Business
For Sanjeev Bikhchandani, it’s clearly not just about the money. It’s about building things that last and contributing to the nation.
- Padma Shri Award (2020)
In 2020, he was honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his incredible service in “Trade and Industry.”
In his typical humble fashion, he accepted the award on behalf of everyone at Info Edge, past and present, and for all the startups in India. It was a beautiful moment of recognition for his pioneering work that kick-started India’s digital economy.
- Co-founding Ashoka University
Beyond business, Bikhchandani is a co-founder and trustee of Ashoka University, a leading private liberal arts university. This is a project close to his heart, reflecting his deep commitment to fostering world-class education and intellectual freedom in India.
He has personally committed around ₹150 crore of his own wealth to the institution. His vision for Ashoka is to create a space for free-spirited inquiry and critical thinking, away from any political influence. This is a legacy that will shape minds for generations to come.
My Opinion
The story of Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s net worth isn’t just about big numbers; it’s a masterclass in smart, sustainable empire-building. His genius lies in a powerful two-part strategy.
First, he built a bootstrapped, profitable, and ridiculously resilient core business in Naukri.com. This wasn’t just a company; it was a cash-generating engine that survived the dot-com apocalypse. Second, he used the financial firepower from this core business to make bold, patient, long-term bets on startups like Zomato and Policybazaar.
This combination of a stable foundation and high-growth venture investments created a compounding effect that is simply breathtaking. He didn’t just build a company; he architected a launchpad for India’s entire startup ecosystem.
Here Are Some Lessons From the Master of Bootstrapping
- Play the Long Game: The Art of Patient Capital
The Zomato journey is the ultimate lesson. Info Edge held its investment for over a decade, turning a ₹4.7 crore seed into a ₹15,000 crore fortune by the IPO. In a world chasing quick flips, Sanjeev showed that true wealth is built by having sustained belief and giving great ideas time to grow.
- Profit Isn’t Just a Goal, It’s Your Shield
How did Naukri survive the dot-com bust? By being profitable. Sanjeev learned early on that being meticulous with expenses and focusing on revenue make a business tough as nails. It builds a shield that protects you when market storms hit.
- The Best Investor? Your Customer.
Bikhchandani lives by this mantra: “customer’s money is better than the investor’s money.” If people are willing to pay for your product, again and again, you have a real business. True value creation always wins, and when it does, investors naturally follow.
- Find the Itch, Be the Scratch
Naukri.com wasn’t born in a boardroom; it was born from observing a real-world problem—the chaotic job market. His investment philosophy is the same: back founders who are obsessed with solving a genuine customer pain point. Find the problem everyone is complaining about and solve it.
- Trust the Founder, Not Just the Plan
Sanjeev knows that a startup’s journey is unpredictable. A business model might change five times! He learned to embrace this ambiguity and invest in the quality and resilience of the founder. A great founder will always find a way to win, even if the path isn’t what they initially planned.
Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s story is a powerful reminder that amazing things can be built from the ground up. If this inspired you, think of one aspiring entrepreneur in your life who needs to read this.
Share this story with them. It could be the spark they need.
FAQs
- What is Sanjeev Bikhchandani primarily known for?
He’s famous for being the founder and executive vice-chairman of Info Edge, the parent company of huge digital platforms like Naukri.com, 99acres.com, and Jeevansathi.com. He’s also highly respected as an early investor in massive successes like Zomato and Policybazaar.
- How did Sanjeev Bikhchandani start his entrepreneurial journey?
It all started in 1990 when he bravely left his marketing job. He founded Info Edge in 1995 and, after a few initial ventures, launched Naukri.com in 1997. It went on to become India’s biggest online job site.
- What are some of Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s significant investments?
Through Info Edge, he made game-changing early investments in Indian unicorns like Zomato and Policybazaar. His sharp eye for potential also led him to back companies like Happily Unmarried, Myra Medicines, WOW! Momo, Burger Singh, Proklean, and Desmondji.
- What is Sanjeev Bikhchandani’s investment philosophy?
He believes in playing the long game. His philosophy is all about investing in strong founders and unique ideas that solve real problems. He values patience, great teams, and a deep understanding of the customer.
- Has Sanjeev Bikhchandani received any major awards or recognitions?
Absolutely! He was honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in January 2020 for his immense contributions to trade and industry. He also won the prestigious Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award way back in 2008.
