IN 2018, ARYAN BHASKAR was preparing for IIT JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) at one of the top coaching centres in Kota, Rajasthan. His parents had shelled out around ₹3.5 lakh for two years of test prep. He was doing really well in Physics, but not because of his coaching centre. Instead, it was thanks to a YouTube channel that his dorm mate introduced him to, where a teacher had uploaded all JEE Physics lectures for free. The teacher’s style was thorough; he was responsive to doubts in the comment section; and his content was precise. That teacher was Alakh Pandey.
Cut to 2020, and the Covid-19 pandemic had forced schools, colleges, and coaching centres to shut. Students and teachers were finding it hard to adapt to digital media. Major edtech firms were booming, but their products were not widely accessible because of their hefty price tags. The Founder of PenPencil, a start-up helping edtech companies with technological solutions, realised that this was a pivotal moment and that there was a need for players who could cater to the masses at affordable prices. That Founder was Prateek Maheshwari.
Maheshwari had first offered to build Pandey an app in 2018, but the latter refused because he was focussed on growing his YouTube channel. But in June 2020, the duo revisited the idea and decided over a phone call to incorporate Physics Wallah—named after the YouTube channel Pandey ran. “We did not meet each other for the first nine months after incorporating Physics Wallah. And when we did, over 150,000 students had already been studying with us,” Maheshwari tells Business Today.
This story is from the September 17, 2023 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 17, 2023 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Dark Side Of Gold Loans
There Has Been A Sharp Rise In Gold Loans In Recent Years. But There Is A Seedier Side To This, As Is Evident From The Red Flag The RBI Raised Recently. Will The Regulator's Move Protect Customers?
All That Glitters
The price of gold has been rising unabated. It has soared to more than 73,000 per 10 gm in 2024 from *31,000 in early 2018. Is the rally sustainable or is this a bubble?
"Hire for attitude, not ability"
Thryve Digital is a player in the healthcare technology sector delivering next-generation solutions
Road Warrior
For Khalid Wani, Senior Director of Sales at Western Digital India, life is much more than just the corner office. Biking across the world is one way he derives meaning for his life
WIDENING THE POOL
THERE HAS BEEN A JUMP IN INDIVIDUALS INVESTING DIRECTLY IN THE STOCK MARKETS, BUT MUMBAI AND AHMEDABAD STILL ACCOUNT FOR THE LION'S SHARE. THERE DEFINITELY IS SCOPE FOR IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF PENETRATION LEVELS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
CRISIS IN THE CLOUDS
INDIAN AVIATION IS IN CRISIS. AIRLINES ARE GRAPPLING WITH FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS, CREW SHORTAGES, AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT POOR SERVICE, ARE BLEEDING DUE TO RISING COSTS WILL THE FASTEST-GROWING AVIATION MARKET RECOVER?
"India should start privatising public sector banks"
Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, on growth, inequality, jobs, the banking sector, and more
"I LET MY WORK DO THE TALKING"
Megha Engineering & Infrastructures MD P.V. Krishna Reddy on being low profile, the infra opportunity and much more
"Core of insurance lies in long-term security"
Vibha Padalkar, MD & CEO of HDFC Life, on the insurance provider's performance, surrender charges, and future innovations
Distress in the Books
Bandhan Bank, the brainchild of Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, has made the journey from an MFI to a bank, but with many hurdles. Now with his resignation as MD & CEO, is the lender staring at more uncertainty?