In a recent LinkedIn post, Nithin Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, reflects on the origins and enduring success of Zerodha Varsity, highlighting the pivotal role of Karthik Rangappa and an ‘agenda-free’ approach to financial education.
Kamath recounts his initial meeting with Rangappa around 2005, when he was attempting to sell an international investing account. Their immediate connection led to Rangappa assisting with Zerodha’s first website, then known as Kamath Associates. Rangappa later joined the company before pursuing a master’s in finance in France, eventually returning in 2013 to build Zerodha’s financial education initiatives.
“The fact that Zerodha is known and respected for all our financial education wouldn’t have been possible without Karthik and Zerodha Varsity.”
Kamath emphasizes that Zerodha’s reputation for robust financial education is directly attributable to Rangappa’s dedication and the Varsity platform. He notes the remarkable commitment Rangappa continues to show, even after 13 years, by personally responding to queries on Varsity. Over the past three years, Rangappa has significantly enhanced Varsity’s impact through a multi-faceted approach incorporating text, video, live sessions, and offline initiatives.
The ‘All-Carry’ System and Academic Perseverance
Kamath also shared a personal anecdote from their shared past at Bangalore University, where both were part of a batch that utilized an “all-carry” system. This system allowed students to defer clearing subjects from earlier semesters, potentially carrying them through to final year exams. Kamath humorously admits he never addressed his backlog of 45-odd subjects by the 8th semester.
“Karthik had something like 36 left, but unlike me, he went back and cleared all of them after the 8th semester. 🥶 Full respect for that. You don’t find many people who can do that.”
This contrast highlights Rangappa’s distinct approach to academic and professional challenges, a trait Kamath clearly admires and respects.
The Secret Sauce: An Agenda-Free Approach
A core theme in Kamath’s post is the philosophy underpinning Varsity’s success. He states that discussions with Rangappa have never centered on how Varsity directly benefits Zerodha as a business. As Nithin Kamath points out, the platform has millions of registered email IDs, yet the company has not even investigated whether these users are also Zerodha customers.
“I guess that fact that we have no agenda has been the secret to Varsity’s success.”
According to Nithin Kamath, this deliberate absence of a commercial agenda has been crucial. By focusing solely on providing valuable financial education without immediate profit motives, Zerodha, through Varsity, has built trust and credibility. This approach, he suggests, is what has made the platform so effective and respected in the financial education space.
Kamath concluded by directing readers to the full conversation on the Zerodha YouTube channel.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Nithin Kamath on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on September 7, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →