Alakh Pandey is an Indian teacher known for his work in the field of education, and he is the founder of Physics Wallah. Starting from humble ground zero in Prayagraj, he changed the competitive exam preparation landscape by providing low-cost conceptual education in simple Hindi. Alakh Pandey is the quintessential symbol of accessible and inclusive learning, a journey that began as a local Physics teacher and led to the building of one of India’s most trusted edtech platform.

Alakh Pandey – Early Life

Alakh Pandey was born on 2 October 1991 in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, India. Jas grew up in an average household with both parents valuing education, yet struggling to make ends meet. Alakh Pandey has been interested in science since he was a child, particularly physics and mathematics. Growing up, he was inquisitive, preferring to teach himself about topics and immerse himself in the knowledge as opposed to memorising it.

Alakh Pandey used to throw questions at traditional methods of teaching when he was in school. Many of the students who performed poorly were not actually dumb, but rather extremely inept at conceptualising clear ideas, and he would often share this. He later went on to base his teaching philosophy around this realisation. The initial financial distress made him disciplined and grounded, which made him relate to the students going through the same struggles.

Alakh Pandey – Age

Born on 2 October 1991, as of 2025, he is 33 years of age. At a very young age, he has accomplished great prosperity in educating India. His journey from being a passionate physics teacher to becoming the founder of Physics Wallah reflects his vision, hard work, and the impact he has made in the lives of millions of students in the country.

Alakh Pandey – Education

He attended Bishop Johnson School, Prayagraj, where he was a bright student, especially in science. Post school, he got into Harcourt Butler Technical University, HBTU, Kanpur, to study Mechanical Engineering, which he dropped out of till the 3rd year.

Nevertheless, his time at IIT was brief. Financial strains on his family and a newfound desire to teach led him to drop out of school.

IIT was quite a prestigious college , and leaving it for Sawaal was not a very easy decision but Alakh Pandey thought that formal degrees are not the only way to achieve success. In instead opted to teach students at a level that made complicated subjects understandable. It is a choice that was a little unconventional at the time but became one of the defining moments of his life.

Alakh Pandey – Career

Alakh Pandey started his career as a Physics teacher at a very young age. Initially, he taught small batches of students in local coaching institutes in Prayagraj. Right from the start, his teaching stood out as he focused on concepts, provided real-life examples, and taught us how to handle problems.

Alakh Pandey emphasised fundamentals, unlike traditional coaching approaches in which students rote learned from books. He became extremely popular among students who were preparing for competitive exams, as he used to teach hard physics concepts in Hindi in a very simple way. Eventually, though, through word of mouth, he began to gather a close following of students.

Even with a lack of resources, Alakh Pandey never stopped performing with zeal, often teaching for hours and re-explaining topics until students understood them properly.

Alakh Pandey – YouTube Channel and Application

In 2016, Alakh Pandey started a YouTube channel titled Physics Wallah and life changed for him altogether. When all educational content was either paid or English, he started free & quality physics and chemistry lectures in Hindi.

His YouTube videos quickly became a sensation, particularly amongst students appearing for NEET and JEE. In a matter of just a few years, the channel had crossed milllion subscriber mark and Alakh Pandey became one of the most influential online teachers in India.

To enhance accessibility further, he subsequently launched the Physics Wallah mobile app, which offers affordable paid courses, organised test series and doubt resolution features. This makes it a game-changing online education platform in India as it allows students from every economic background to prepare for competitive exams at a low cost.

Alakh Pandey – Physics Wallah

ContributorsPhysics Wallah, co-founded by Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari, had been in existence since 2016 but was legally incorporated as an edtech startup only in 2020. It was apparent what the company stood for: quality at the minimum cost.

At its current workplace, and under the leadership of Alakh Pandey, the company Physics Wallah reached to a number of people in a short span of time, providing courses related to NEET, JEE, UPSC, board exams, and government job preparations. It became a unicorn in 2022, which is a rarity in the education vertical in India.

Alakh Pandey continued to stay personally involved in content creation and student interaction (the same emotional reason behind Physics Wallah’s success), despite massive growth.

Alakh Pandey: The Voice For NEET Aspirants

Alakh Pandey has been hailed as a champion of NEET aspirants, especially from rural and lower economic sections of society. He has been vocal against sky-high coaching fees of coaching and inequality in education.

Alakh Pandey made the preparations for NEET accessible through Physics Wallah for just a small fraction of what traditional coaching institutions charge. His pricing model was transparent, and his approach was always student-centric, which gave them immense trust.

He has spoken out on social media and in public about issues such as exam pressure and mental health problems, and the need for reform in the competitive exam system in India.

Alakh Pandey – Challenges Faced

However, Alakh Pandey had a rough journey. During his nascent years, he struggled with poor funding, no tangible institutional backup and doubt from recognised coaching powerhouses. However, scaling Physics Wallah also had issues, such as some technical problems, a sudden surge in users, and re-orientation within the organisation.

Another consequence of his popularity was the growing public scrutiny around him. The controversies and criticisms did not stop Alakh Pandey from his mission. His grounded personality, along with his policy of utmost transparency, helped him face challenges and to make the Physics wallah brand уже even stronger.

Alakh Pandey – Family

Alakh Pandey’s father’s name is Satish Pandey, His mother’s name is Rajat Pandey, and he has a sister, whose name is Aditi Pandey. You see him speaking proudly about his sister, who was a big pillar of support through the hard times. Alakh, who is 31 years old is married to a journalist , Shivani Dubey, who is always supportive on an emotional level. Alakh Pandey has a personal life that he never chooses to share and maintains a clear dividing line between the two.

Alakh Pandey – TV Series

Let us tell you that Alakh Pandey is a guest shark on the TV show Shark Tank India, and he became a household name after appearing on this show. It was his honesty and student-centric perspective that were widely applauded in his appearance. He has also appeared in documentaries, interviews and web series covering the education revolution and startup ecosystem in India.

Alakh Pandey – Investments

Entrepreneur Alakh Pandey has invested in selective edtech, content platforms and learning startups. This is in line with his investment philosophy itself, where the core belief refers to value addition, not fast money.

Instead of over-diversifying, Alakh Pandey chose to redirect the funding towards Physics Wallah infrastructure, teacher training, and technology upgrades to improve learning outcomes.

Alakh Pandey – Awards and Achievements

Alakh Pandey Awards and Achievements: Some of the awards and achievements of Alakh Pandey.

• Selected as among the Top EdTech Entrepreneurs in India
• Forbes India has Chosen Physics Wallah: Here is How It Grew
• Mentioned in lists of youth leadership and education innovators
• Physics Wallah bags unicorn valuation

Alakh Pandey – Interesting Facts

• Alakh Pandey learnt to teach at the age of 19 years
• He left IIT to start teaching
• His lectures are typically held in Hindi to maximise the reach of the content.
• They used 0 VC funding and started with a YouTube channel called Physics Wallah
• He thinks teachers should have an educator, not an influencer
  
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Alakh Pandey – FAQ