Jay Chaudhry, an Indian-American billionaire and the driving force behind the renowned cloud security company Zscaler, is an example of how diligence and determination can help people achieve success
Jay Chaudhry was born in Panoh, a small village in Himachal Pradesh, India. His family lived in extreme poverty, lacking basic amenities such as electricity and running water until he reached Class 8 or 10.
His hard work paid off when he secured admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi where he pursued a Bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering. This was the first step in his remarkable journey.
After graduating, Jay Chaudhry moved to the United States to further his education. He earned a Master's degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, followed by an MBA. He also attended Harvard Business School to study Marketing/Marketing Management.
He founded SecureIT and CipherTrust, laying the groundwork for his future success. He also established AirDefense and CoreHarbor, all of which were eventually acquired, highlighting his knack for identifying and capitalising on emerging technology trends.
In 2008, Jay Chaudhry founded Zscaler, a cloud security company that has become a leader in its field. Zscaler began trading publicly on New York’s NASDAQ exchange in March 2018. Under Jay’s visionary leadership, the company has introduced innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for secure technology.
Today, Jay Chaudhry is not only the richest Indian in the United States but also one of the wealthiest individuals globally. According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, his net worth is approximately $11 billion (around ₹91,300 crore) as of June 14, 2023. This remarkable achievement makes him the wealthiest IIT alumnus, surpassing other notable figures such as Syntel founder Bharat Desai and Infosys founders Narayana Murthy and Nandan Nilekani.
