Who is Jay Chaudhry? The Indian-Origin Billionaire Among America's Richest Immigrants

Jay Chaudhry is an Indian-American businessman. He is widely recognized as the founder and CEO of Zscaler. He ranks among the world's top cloud security firms. His journey from a humble Himalayan village to the high stakes of international tech riches is an inspiring testament to determination, creativity, and potential of the American dream.

Jay Chaudhry was born in 1958 in a small Himalayan village called Panoh in Himachal Pradesh, India. His childhood was tough—his family were small farmers, and the village did not have electricity or running water until he was a teenager.

Indian Education: Chaudhry overcame these difficulties notwithstanding. He received his Bachelor of Technology in Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) BHU Varanasi, which was previously known as Banaras Hindu University.

Move to United States: In 1980, when he was 22 years old, he took his first ever flight to study further in the U.S. and enrolled in the University of Cincinnati. There, he earned master's degrees in computer engineering, industrial engineering, and marketing, as well as an executive management program at Harvard Business School.

READ | What are the seven continents and their countries?

Entrepreneurial Journey

Chaudhry started his career at leading technology firms, such as IBM, Unisys, and NCR, in engineering, sales, marketing, and management functions.

Serial Entrepreneurship

Jay Chaudhry's entrepreneurial endeavors saw him creating multiple successful cybersecurity startups:

SecureIT: Founded with his wife Jyoti, their life savings. An indication of Chaudhry's capacity to recognize and close significant gaps in the industry is the fact that CipherTrust, CoreHarbor, and AirDefense all tackled novel security concerns before being acquired by larger tech companies.

Setting up Zscaler: The Revolution in Cloud Security

• Launch: Chaudhry founded Zscaler in 2008 with the goal of transforming cloud-based internet security. Zscaler unveiled the groundbreaking "Zero Trust" security architecture, enabling enterprises to securely link users to apps across devices and geographical boundaries.

• Growth and Impact: Since going public on the Nasdaq in March 2018, Zscaler has become a global leader in cloud security-based cybersecurity, safeguarding over 5,000 businesses worldwide.

• Leadership: As CEO, Chaudhry is actively engaged in the strategy and innovation of the company. His family and he hold approximately 40% of the shares in Zscaler, thus his ongoing influence on its direction.

Net Worth and Recognition

• Net Worth: Jay Chaudhry's net worth as of 2025 is estimated at $17.9 billion, making him the wealthiest Indian-American as well as the lone Indian-origin member in the top 10 of Forbes' richest immigrant billionaires list.

• Forbes Ranking: He is eighth among all immigrant billionaires in the United States, surpassing other tech stalwarts like Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella.

• Awards and Honors: Chaudhry has been recognized as an Ernst & Young "Entrepreneur of the Year," an Information Week "Innovator & Influencer," and an IIT BHU "Distinguished Alumnus."

Personal Life

• Family: Jay Chaudhry is married to Jyoti, and they have three children together. The family lives in Reno, Nevada.

Jay Chaudhry's story is a testament to the life-changing potential of education, determination, and vision. From learning under the shade of a tree in rural India to establishing a multi-billion-dollar cybersecurity empire, his rags-to-riches saga inspires millions worldwide. As a pioneer of tech innovation and a beacon of hope for immigrant entrepreneurs, Chaudhry still sets the tone for cloud security's future and upholds the principles of resilience and aspiration.

Related: India vs England Head-to-Head on Lord's Cricket Ground in Test Matches