Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of Zerodha, has recently shared his thoughts on parenthood, legacy, and philanthropy. When asked about his stance on parenthood, Kamath expressed that the traditional concept of having children to carry on one’s legacy does not resonate with him. He values his current pursuits and is not compelled to dedicate a significant portion of his life to raising children. Kamath elaborated on his beliefs, stating, “This is also partly why I don’t have kids. I’m going to ruin 18-20 years of my life babysitting this child and then if luck serves me right, the reverse will happen at some point. What if he says ‘scr** you’ at 18 and leave anyway,” as quoted by NDTV.
Regarding the notion of legacy, the 37-year-old entrepreneur shared that he does not adhere to the conventional idea of leaving behind a legacy. He believes that people tend to overestimate their own importance and that after death, everyone is ultimately forgotten. Kamath emphasizes, “I think we all feel that we are more important than we are… you are born and you die like every other animal on the planet and then you are gone and nobody remembers anybody.” He does not see the value in being remembered after death, but rather believes that the focus should be on living a fulfilling life and contributing positively to society.
Kamath’s values extend to his philanthropic endeavors. He is a signatory to The Giving Pledge, an initiative that encourages philanthropists to dedicate a significant portion of their wealth to charitable causes. Kamath attributes his involvement in philanthropy to the influence of notable Bengaluru entrepreneurs and fellow pledgers such as Nandan Nilekani, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, and Azim Premji. He explained, “So, there are four people in India who have signed The Giving Pledge — the other three happen to be really good friends of mine. And Bangaloreans will resonate with this — all of them are from Bangalore. All four of us are friends. Me and Kiran live in the same apartment… we all tend to meet once in a month for dinner or travel together.”
Kamath’s decision to allocate a substantial portion of his wealth to philanthropy stems from his understanding of mortality and the belief that there is little value in accumulating wealth for future endeavors. He prefers to channel his resources towards causes he cares about, rather than leaving it in banks or institutions. Kamath imparts, “I think everybody should realise the importance and understand the concept of mortality… I am 37 and if the average lifespan of an Indian is 72 years old, I have 35 years left. There is no value in leaving money in the banks… so I would rather give it to things I believe in. So rather than leaving the money I have earned in the last 20 years and what I would earn in the next 20 years to a bank or institution like that… I would rather make the most of it.”
