For many students, success seems to follow a familiar formula: do well in school, earn a college degree, land a high-paying job, and climb the corporate ladder. Nikhil Kamath took a very different path. A school dropout who was a co-founder ZerodhaIndia’s largest retail brokerage firm, Kamath became one of the country’s youngest self-made billionaires without a conventional academic degree. Yet despite amassing enormous wealth before the age of 40, he says one of his biggest life lessons didn’t come from business, investing or entrepreneurship. It came from reading a book.
The book that changed his outlook on life
Around the age of 34, Kamath read The denial of deatha Pulitzer Prize-winning work Ernest Becker. The book explores an uncomfortable but universal idea: much of human ambition is shaped by our awareness that life is finite. After that was over, Kamath did a simple calculation. Based on the average human lifespan, he estimated he had about 36 years left to live. It was not a financial exercise or an investment projection. It was a reminder that time, not money, is the most limited resource we have. The thinking fundamentally changed the way he evaluated success, decisions, and priorities. For someone who had spent years analyzing markets, it was a lesson in understanding life rather than numbers.
Five books that shaped his thinking
Kamath has often spoken about the books that influenced his vision, arguing that reading helped him understand people better than balance sheets. Among its recommendations are The psychology of money for Morgan Housewhich explains that financial success depends less on intelligence and more on behavior. Patience, discipline and emotional control, he argues, matter far more than trying to predict markets. Another recommendation is Stillness is the keywhere Ryan Holiday explores how calm thinking often leads to better decisions, especially in uncertain times. He also recommended The selfish genein which Richard Dawkins examines how evolution influences human behavior and decision-making. On a completely different topic, Kamath suggested reading caste for Isabel Wilkersona Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose work examines social hierarchies and inequality between societies. Together, these books cover psychology, philosophy, biology, history, and human behavior—subjects that go far beyond finance.
Education does not end with a degree
Kamath’s journey should not be read as an argument against formal education. Instead, it highlights a different truth. Learning doesn’t stop after school or university. Whether someone earns a college degree or not, curiosity remains one of the most valuable assets they can develop. Reading widely exposes people to ideas that classrooms may never cover. It challenges assumptions, sharpens judgment, and often changes the way people approach work, relationships, and life itself. For students preparing for competitive exams or planning their careers, this may be the most lasting lesson in Kamath’s story.
The biggest investment is not always financial
People often ask successful entrepreneurs about the stocks they bought, the businesses they built, or the risks they took. Kamath’s reading list offers a different perspective. The books that influenced him are not get-rich-quick manuals. Instead, they explore why people make decisions, how emotions shape financial behavior, why societies work the way they do, and how recognizing life’s limits can help people focus on what really matters. Perhaps this explains why, despite building a billion-dollar company, one of the lessons Kamath talks about isn’t related to wealth at all. It was about time. Because while money can grow, time never does. Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available interviews, testimonials, and statements attributed to Nikhil Kamath. The books mentioned reflect your personal reading preferences and should not be construed as financial, investment or career advice.