Meet richest Indian in US, grew up in village without water, electricity, now has net worth of USD 17900000000, his business is…, name is…
Jay Chaudhry success story: India is home to some of the wealthiest people in the world, including industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam who are in the upper echelons of the global rich list. However, apart from Indian residents, a good number of Indian-origin individuals, or Non-Resident Indian (NRIs), have also made their mark in the business space across the globe, amassing wealth that rivals some of wealthiest on the planet.
One such individual is Jay Chaudhry, the richest Indian-origin individual in the United States, who comes from humble beginnings back home in India. Let us delve into the remarkable story of Jay Chaudhary, from living without water and electricity to one of the richest men in the world.
Who is Jay Chaudhry?
Born in a poverty-ridden farming family in Panoh, tiny village in Himachal Pradesh, Jay Chaudhry spend his childhood struggling for basic amenities as his native village lacked electricity and running water till he was in his early teens in Class 10th. However, the hardships did not deter Jay from pursuing a quality education, and making something significant of his life.
Despite financial constraints, Jay’s father supported his education, and urged all his children to pursue studies. After his schooling, Jay Chaudhry earned a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, BHU (IIT-BHU), and later moved to the United States in 1980 where he pursued a master’s degree in engineering and marketing at the University of Cincinnati.
How Jay Chaudhry became richest Indian-American?
After earning his master’s degree, Jay Chaudhry began his career working for various companies, before establishing his first startup, SecureIT in 1996, which was funded with savings of Jay and his wife, Jyoti Chaudhry. However, Jay’s big break came in 2008, when established Zscaler, a cybersecurity firm, which is today worth a whopping $46.86 billion.
The company went public in March 2018 and is listed on the Nasdaq. Jay Chaudhry and family own a 40 percent stake in Zscaler, which contributes a major chunk to his overall wealth.
Besides SecureIT, Jay Chaudhry also established CoreHarbor, CipherTrust, and AirDefense. All four companies have been acquired by different business entities.
What is Jay Chaudhry’s net worth?
Jay Chaudhry has a net worth of $17.9 billion, making him the richest Indian-American, according to the America’s Richest Immigrants 2025 list compiled by Forbes. As per the list, the number of immigrant billionaires surged from 92 in 2022 to 125 in 2025, including Google’s Sundar Pichai and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella.
India tops the list with 12 Indian-American billionaires, followed by Israel (11), Taiwan (11), and China (8), Forbes reported. “These American immigrants are worth a record $1.3 trillion combined and hold 18% of America’s $7.2 trillion in total billionaire wealth,” it said.
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