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In a remarkable testament to the progress of Indian entrepreneurs, the recently released Hurun India Top 200 Self-Made Entrepreneurs of the Millennia 2024 Edition, in collaboration with IDFC FIRST Private Banking, showcases the diversity of age and innovation that defines the country’s entrepreneurship.
The list celebrates the achievements of nearly 400 founders in 200 companies, revealing an impressive age range, with the youngest entrepreneur at just 21 and the oldest at 81 – a 60-year age difference.
At the forefront of micro-entrepreneurs is Kaivalya Vohra, the 21-year-old founder of Zepto, a fast food delivery service that has revolutionized e-commerce in India. Launched in 2021, Zepto contributes to the growing demand for fast, reliable shopping, becoming a household name in India. Vohra is joined by his 22-year-old co-founder, Aadit Palicha, to make Zepto a brand of youth-driven innovation.
At the other end of the spectrum is Ashok Soota, 81, founder of Happiest Minds Technologies, which he founded in 2011 after a successful stint as Executive Chairman at Mindtree. Happy Minds focuses on digital transformation projects, and Soota’s leadership continues to inspire, showing that age is no barrier to business success.
Top 10 Youngest Self-Made Artists (2024)
| RANK | THE FIRST | COMPANY NAME | AGE | FIRST YEAR | HUGE |
|
1 |
Kaivalya Vohra |
Zepto |
21 |
2021 |
Mumbai |
|
2 |
Aadit Palicha |
Zepto |
22 |
2021 |
Mumbai |
|
3 |
Shashvat Nakrani |
BharatPe |
26 |
2018 |
New Delhi |
|
4 |
Dilsher Malhi |
Go ahead |
28 |
2018 |
New Delhi |
|
4 |
Karan Mehta |
Who are you? |
28 |
2015 |
Mumbai |
|
6 |
Siddhant Saurabh |
Go ahead |
29 |
2018 |
New Delhi |
|
7 |
Ritesh Agarwal |
Oyo |
30 |
2012 |
Gurugram |
|
8 |
Rajan Bajaj |
A slice |
31 |
2016 |
Guwahati |
|
8 |
Ankush Sachdeva |
share chat |
31 |
2015 |
Bengaluru |
|
8 |
Neetish Sarda |
Smartworks |
31 |
2016 |
Gurugram |
Top 10 Oldest Self-Made Artists (2024)
| RANK | BEGINNERS | COMPANY NAME | AGE | FIRST YEAR | HUGE |
|
1 |
Ashok Soota |
Happy Minds Technologies |
81 |
2011 |
Bengaluru |
|
2 |
Naresh Trehan |
Global Health |
78 |
2004 |
Gurugram |
|
3 |
Kirti Mehta |
Corona virus |
77 |
2004 |
Ahmedabad |
|
4 |
Shiv Prakash Mittal |
Greenpanel Industries |
75 |
2017 |
Gurugram |
|
5 |
Munuswamy Anandan |
Aptus Value Housing Finance India |
74 |
2009 |
That’s it |
|
6 |
Ashwin Desai |
Aether Industries |
73 |
2013 |
Surat |
|
7 |
Ashok Bomba |
Pure Science and Technology |
72 |
2003 |
Pune |
|
7 |
Sajjan Bhajanka |
Star Cement |
72 |
2001 |
Kolkata |
|
7 |
Jaithirth Rao |
Home First Finance Company India |
72 |
2010 |
Mumbai |
|
10 |
Devi Shetty |
Narayana Hrudayalaya |
71 |
2000 |
Bengaluru |
This year’s list showcases the diversity of India’s entrepreneurial talent, with Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Gurugram emerging as hotbeds of innovation. The average age of the founders is 45, and one-third of them are under 40, which shows the youth-led interest in the Indian ecosystem. Currently, 33 businesses with 60 or more years of experience are focusing on sustainable industrial design.
