Once celebrated as the face of India’s edtech revolution, Byju Raveendran’s journey from a small village in Kerala to building a $22 billion startup has now turned into one of the country’s biggest corporate downfalls.
Born in Azhikode village in Kerala on January 5, 1980, Raveendran grew up in a family of teachers. His father taught physics while his mother was a mathematics teacher. Despite reportedly being more interested in sports than classroom discipline during childhood, he excelled academically and later studied engineering at Government College of Engineering, Kannur.
How BYJU’S became an edtech giant
Raveendran’s teaching career began unexpectedly while helping friends prepare for the Common Admission Test (CAT) in 2003. His teaching methods quickly became popular, attracting thousands of students across Indian cities.
In 2007, he launched Byju’s Classes and later co-founded Think & Learn Pvt Ltd with his wife Divya Gokulnath in 2011. The company introduced the BYJU’S learning app in 2015 and rapidly expanded during India’s digital education boom.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, BYJU’S saw explosive growth, acquiring multiple education platforms and attracting global investors. In 2022, the company achieved a valuation of $22 billion, becoming India’s most valuable edtech startup.
From success to legal troubles
However, delayed financial filings, mounting debt, layoffs and investor concerns soon triggered a crisis. Legal disputes involving a $1.2 billion US loan further intensified scrutiny around the company.
By 2024, Forbes reportedly removed Raveendran from its billionaire list, estimating his net worth at zero.
The latest setback came after a Singapore court reportedly sentenced Raveendran to six months in jail in a contempt of court case linked to asset disclosure proceedings.
Despite the controversies, Raveendran has continued to defend himself publicly and claimed that settlement talks with lenders are ongoing.
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