Meet richest Indian in US, who didn't have access to running water, electricity till class 10, now has net worth of...

Success stories of individuals who rise from humble beginnings are powerful reminders that determination, hard work, and perseverance can help overcome even the toughest challenges. These stories show that success is not only for the privileged, but anyone who is willing to pursue their dreams with relentless effort. One such inspiring story is that of Jay Chaudhry, an Indian-American billionaire and the founder of Zscaler, a leading cybersecurity firm.

Born in Panoh, a small village in Himachal Pradesh, India, Jay Chaudhry came from a family that lived in poverty. His village, tucked away in the Himalayas, didn’t have basic amenities like electricity or running water until he was in the 8th and 10th grades, respectively. His parents were small-scale farmers, and he was the youngest of three brothers.

Jay Chaudhry’s journey toward success began when he earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from IIT BHU (Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University). In 1980, he moved to the United States to further his studies, where he pursued a master’s degree in engineering and marketing at the University of Cincinnati.

Today, Jay Chaudhry is the founder and CEO of Zscaler, a cybersecurity company that provides cloud security solutions. According to Forbes, his net worth stands at USD 11.7 billion. Chaudhry’s rise in the tech world began in 1996 when he and his wife Jyoti made a bold decision to quit their jobs and invest their life savings about USD 500,000, into starting their first company, SecureIT. This was the first step in his entrepreneurial journey that would change the tech landscape.

Before launching Zscaler in 2008, Chaudhry had already established and sold four other successful tech companies: SecureIT, CoreHarbor, CipherTrust, and AirDefense. By 2007, Jay and Jyoti were recognized as successful entrepreneurs, which set the stage for the creation of Zscaler. Zscaler went public in 2018, solidifying Chaudhry’s position as a key player in the cybersecurity industry.

Now, at 65 years old, Jay Chaudhry lives in Nevada with his family. He and his wife own about 40% of Zscaler, a company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Ranked 84th on the Forbes list of the richest people in America, Chaudhry’s success story, from a small village in India to becoming a billionaire in the tech world, proves that with vision, dedication, and hard work, anything is possible.

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