There was a perfect blend of humor and pride when Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath reacted to his brother Nikhil's latest achievement – getting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his podcast.
“I had a question that Nikhil also failed to ask: What is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's skin practice? Jokes aside, this is epic! ” he wrote on X, shortly after going live on the podcast with PM Modi.
The podcast marks a major milestone, not only for Nikhil, but also for Prime Minister Modi, who made his first podcast on the show.
The episode is an intriguing mix of politics, business and personal reflections. On the podcast, Nikhil admitted his nerves: “I feel nervous. It's a difficult conversation for me.” The Prime Minister candidly responded, “This is my first podcast; I don't know how that will go over with your audience.
The conversation dives into serious topics including global conflicts, youth participation in politics and Modi's reflections on his leadership. Recalling his time as Gujarat chief minister, Modi said, “I said something in an insensitive manner. Mistakes happen. I am a man, not a god.”
Raising a question that many middle-class Indians ask, Nikhil asked, “Growing up in a South Indian middle-class household, we were always told that politics was a dirty game. What advice would you give to people who think the same way?” The Prime Minister responded, “If you believed what you said, we wouldn't be having this conversation.”
Zerodha, run by the Kamaths, is valued at Rs 64,800 crore ($7.7 billion) and manages over Rs 5.6 billion in assets. The Bangalore-based company reported an annual profit of Rs 4,700 crore for FY24, and the brothers own almost all the shares in the company.
Ranked eighth among India's top self-made billionaires according to the Hurun list, the Kamaths have proven their ability to make an impact beyond finance. Nikhil's podcast now hosts the Prime Minister, whose reach has expanded to thought leadership.