Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the visionary founder of Paytm, is a leading Indian tech entrepreneur who significantly impacted the country’s digital payment scene. Under his dynamic leadership, Paytm evolved from a mobile content platform to a versatile force in digital financial services, showcasing Sharma’s forward-thinking approach and commitment to enhancing financial inclusion. His achievements have solidified his position as one of India’s most influential and successful entrepreneurs.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma is best known as the founder, chairman and managing director of One97 Communications, the parent company of the iconic consumer brand Paytm. With his innovative approach to financial technology, Sharma has not only revolutionized the way India transacts but has also become one of the country’s most prominent and influential businesses figures.
Birth date: 7th June, 1978
Birth place: Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s journey towards entrepreneurship began in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, where he was born to Sulom Prakash, a school teacher and Asha Sharma, a homemaker. Despite humble beginnings, Sharma displayed an extraordinary intellect from an early age. He embarked on his college education at the astonishing age of 15 and achieved a B.Tech degree in engineering from Delhi College of Engineering (now Delhi Technological University) when he was just 19 years old. This early start was a harbinger of the exceptional career that lay ahead.
In 1997, while still a college student, Vijay Sharma founded the website indiasite.net. His entrepreneurial flair was evident as he successfully sold the website for an impressive sum of US$1 million within just two years. This early success was an evident to his vision and ability to identify promising opportunities in the emerging digital landscape.
In 2000, Vijay Sharma founded One97 Communications, a company that initially offered mobile content services, including news, cricket scores, ringtones, jokes and exam results. Little did he know that this venture would become the foundation for something much bigger.
In 2010, Sharma launched Paytm, a digital payments and financial services platform that would change the way India transacted. Paytm’s user-friendly interface and its ability to facilitate seamless digital transactions quickly gained popularity among Indians. Over time, Paytm expanded its services to include mobile recharge, bill payments, online shopping and even financial products like digital wallets and digital banking. The platform’s ease of use and convenience played a pivotal role in promoting digital financial inclusion across India.
In November 2021, Paytm made headlines by going public, raising a staggering $2.5 billion at a valuation of $19 billion. This milestone marked the largest initial public offering in India at the time, underscoring the trust and confidence investors placed in Sharma’s vision and Paytm’s potential to shape the future of India’s digital economy.
Vijay Sharma is not only a successful entrepreneur but also an angel investor who has supported numerous tech startups. His contributions to the startup ecosystem have helped foster innovation and entrepreneurship in India.
In addition to his business pursuits, Sharma has recently joined the board of management at Netaji Subhash University of Technology in Delhi, where he is actively contributing to the advancement of educational initiatives.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma received several awards and recognitions, these are:
| Year | Awards/ Recognitions |
| 2022 | Best Serial Entrepreneur Award |
| 2018 | Entrepreneur of the Year |
| 2017 | Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people |
| 2016 | ET Entrepreneur of the Year |
| 2017 | Dataquest IT Man of the Year |
| 2016 | Honorary Doctorate from Amity University, Gurgaon |
| 2016 | Yash Bharati |
| 2016 | Business of the Year at GQ Men of the Year Awards |
| 2016 | NDTV Indian of the Year |
| 2016 | Impact Person of the Year |
| 2015 | India’s Hottest Business Leader under 40 |
| 2015 | CEO of the Year |
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The founder of Paytm, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, is an Indian technology entrepreneur and business magnate who has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing digital payments in India.
In 1997, while still a college student, Vijay Sharma founded the website indiasite.net. His entrepreneurial flair was evident as he successfully sold the website for an impressive sum of US$1 million within just two years.
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