On May 18, 2025, Byju Raveendran, the founder of Byju’s, made headlines again. He admitted that taking a $1.2 billion loan in 2021 was a mistake. This news shows his ongoing struggle to save his company. Byju Raveendran is a well-known name in India. He built Byju’s, an education technology company. His journey is inspiring but also full of challenges. This article tells his story in simple words. It covers his early life, education, career, success, and recent troubles.
Early Life and Family
Byju Raveendran was born in 1980. His birthplace is Azhikode, a small village in Kerala, India. He grew up in a simple family. His father was a physics teacher. His mother was a homemaker. Byju was a bright child. He loved learning from a young age. He was curious and hardworking. His parents supported his education. They taught him the value of knowledge. Byju was good at studies and sports. He enjoyed playing football and cricket. His childhood was simple but happy.
Byju went to a local school in Kerala. He was a top student. He loved science and mathematics. Teachers noticed his talent. They encouraged him to study hard. Byju was not just a bookworm. He was active in school events. He liked solving problems and helping friends. His early years shaped his love for teaching. He often explained lessons to classmates. This habit later became his career.
Education and Early Career
Byju studied engineering. He joined a government engineering college in Kerala. He chose mechanical engineering. He graduated in 2001. Byju was a brilliant student. He scored high marks in college. After his degree, he got a job. He worked as a service engineer. His job was to fix machines for a shipping company. He traveled to many countries. This job gave him money and experience. But Byju was not happy. He wanted to do something bigger.
While working, Byju prepared for exams. He took the CAT exam. This is a test for business schools in India. Byju scored very high. He got 100 percentile. This means he was among the best. Top business schools invited him. But Byju did not join. He had a different plan. He wanted to teach. He started helping friends prepare for exams. His teaching was simple and clear. Friends loved his classes. They told others about him. Soon, Byju became a popular teacher,
Byju Raveendran Age, Wikipedia, Biography, Net Worth, Education,
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Byju Raveendran |
| Date of Birth | 1980 |
| Place of Birth | Azhikode, Kerala, India |
| Family Background | Father: Physics teacher Mother: Homemaker |
| Childhood | Grew up in a simple family. Loved studies and sports like football, cricket. |
| Education | Studied mechanical engineering at a government college in Kerala. Graduated in 2001. |
| Early Career | Worked as a service engineer in a shipping company. Traveled to many countries. |
| CAT Exam Achievement | Scored 100 percentile in CAT exam. Did not join business school. |
| Teaching Beginnings | Started teaching friends for CAT exam in 2006. Held classes in Bengaluru. |
| Company Founded | Founded Think and Learn Pvt. Ltd. in 2011, later named Byju’s. |
| Byju’s Launch | Created Byju’s app with video lessons, animations, and quizzes. |
| Key Partner | Wife, Divya Gokulnath, co-founder and teacher. |
| Byju’s Growth | Became a unicorn in 2019 ($1 billion). Valued at $22 billion in 2022. Reached 21 countries. |
| Job Creation | Hired 215,000 freshers over nine years. |
| Major Mistake | Took a $1.2 billion loan in 2021, causing financial troubles. |
| Financial Challenges | Byju’s value fell to zero. Faced insolvency in 2024. Could not pay debts. |
| Legal Issues | Lawsuits in India and US (2024-2025). Accused of misusing $533 million. Filed case against lenders for fraud. |
| Recent News (May 2025) | Admitted loan mistake on May 17, 2025. Announced “Byju’s 3.0” plan. Joined X in March 2025 to share updates. |
| Personal Sacrifices | Sold his home to save Byju’s. Family reinvested all money. |
| Current Vision | Plans to relaunch Byju’s with AI tools. Focus on teachers and students. |
| Personal Life | Married to Divya Gokulnath. Has one son. Private about family. |
| Awards and Recognition | Won many awards as an entrepreneur. Called a visionary. |
| Legacy | Inspires young Indians. Shows importance of learning from mistakes. |
Starting Byju’s
In 2006, Byju began teaching full-time. He held classes in Bengaluru. He taught students for exams like CAT. His classes were different. He used stories and examples. Students found his lessons easy to understand. Many students passed their exams. Byju’s fame grew. He started teaching in big halls. Sometimes, thousands of students came. Byju enjoyed teaching. He wanted to reach more students.
In 2011, Byju started Think and Learn Pvt. Ltd. This was the beginning of Byju’s. He wanted to use technology for education. He made videos of his lessons. Students could watch them anytime. This idea was new in India. Byju worked with his wife, Divya Gokulnath. She was also a teacher. Together, they built Byju’s. Their goal was to make learning fun. They created an app. The app had lessons for school students. It used animations and quizzes. Children loved it.
Growth of Byju’s
Byju’s grew fast. By 2015, the app was popular. Millions of students used it. Parents liked it too. Byju’s helped children learn at home. The company got money from investors. They saw Byju’s potential. In 2019, Byju’s became a unicorn. This means it was worth over $1 billion. By 2022, its value was $22 billion. Byju’s was India’s biggest edtech company. It had classes for all subjects. It even bought other companies like Aakash Institute.
Byju worked hard to grow Byju’s. He hired many teachers. He also gave jobs to young graduates. Over nine years, Byju’s hired 215,000 freshers. Each got a good salary. Byju wanted to create millions of teaching jobs. He dreamed of changing education in India. His company reached 21 countries. Byju became a famous entrepreneur. People called him a visionary. He won many awards. His story inspired young Indians.
Challenges and Mistakes
Byju’s success did not last. In 2021, Byju made a big mistake. He took a $1.2 billion loan. He thought it would help Byju’s grow. But the loan caused problems. The company could not pay it back. Byju later said this was a bad decision. He had other options, like raising money from investors. The loan led to financial troubles. Byju’s value fell to zero. The company faced lawsuits in India and the US.
In 2022, Byju’s grew too fast. Investors pushed for quick growth. Byju followed their advice. He bought more companies. But this cost a lot of money. Byju’s could not manage its debts. In 2024, the company faced insolvency. This means it could not pay its bills. Courts in India and the US got involved. Some lenders said Byju cheated them. They claimed he moved $533 million to a wrong place. Byju denied these claims. He said they were false. He even filed a police case against some lenders.
Byju faced personal challenges too. He sold his home to save Byju’s. He said his family reinvested all their money. But people were angry. Employees did not get salaries for months. Some called Byju’s sales tactics bad. They said the company pressured parents. Social media users criticized Byju. They called him a fraud. Byju felt hurt. He said he was not broken. He promised to fix Byju’s.
Recent News and Vision
In 2025, Byju is fighting to save Byju’s. On May 17, 2025, he shared a new plan. He called it “Byju’s 3.0.” This plan focuses on teachers and students. Byju wants to return to his roots. He said, “A good teacher never leaves students halfway.” He refused to shut down Byju’s. He believes in its mission. Byju is also active on social media. He joined X in March 2025. He shares updates about Byju’s. He says the truth lies between good and bad stories.
Byju faces many legal battles. In April 2025, a US court sued him. They said he misused $533 million. Byju called it a conspiracy. He shared a video on X. It showed people planning against him. Byju filed a case against some lenders. He accused them of fraud. In India, courts gave him some relief. In April 2025, a court dismissed a case against him. But Byju’s insolvency case continues. Creditors want their money back.
Byju remains hopeful. He says Byju’s will rise again. He plans to relaunch the company. He wants to hire former employees first. Byju believes in his team. He calls them “BYJUites.” He also talks about new products. Byju’s is making AI-based learning tools. Byju thinks these will change education. He admits his mistakes. He says he was too optimistic. But he believes in second chances.
Personal Life and Legacy
Byju is married to Divya Gokulnath. They met in college. Divya is a co-founder of Byju’s. She handles operations and content. They have a son. Byju is private about his family. He says they support him in tough times. Byju loves teaching. Even today, he makes videos for students. He wants to make learning affordable for all.
Byju Raveendran’s story is not over. He started as a teacher in a small village. He built a company worth billions. But he faced big problems. His journey shows success and failure. Byju teaches us to learn from mistakes. He says, “You have to be odd to be number one.” Today, he is fighting to rebuild Byju’s. His dream is to help students learn. Whether he succeeds or not, Byju’s story will inspire many. His life proves that passion and hard work can change the world.
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