The monumental $2.5 billion initial public offering (IPO) by Indian fintech giant Paytm is set to mint new millionaires in the country. While the IPO marks a significant milestone in the Indian financial landscape, it’s also transforming the lives of hundreds of current and former employees, who are poised to become millionaires with this historic offering.
Siddharth Pandey, an electronics engineer, is one such individual who will join the ranks of millionaires thanks to Paytm’s IPO. However, his journey to wealth was not without challenges, including opposition from his own father when he decided to join Paytm nearly a decade ago, back when it was just a budding startup.
The upcoming IPO is expected to make approximately 350 existing and former Paytm employees millionaires, with a net worth of at least 10 million Indian rupees (approximately $134,401.38 USD) each, according to an insider source. In a country where the per capita income is below $2,000, these newfound fortunes are substantial.
Siddharth Pandey, now 39, has since moved on from Paytm and is currently engaged with another startup, the identity of which he chose not to disclose. However, his seven-year tenure at Paytm left him with a substantial number of shares in the company. Although he refrained from providing exact figures, the shares are valued at 2,150 rupees ($28.9 USD) each as of Friday, making Pandey’s net worth exceed $1 million.
Reflecting on his early days at Paytm in 2013, Pandey shared, «My dad was very demotivating. He said, ‘What is this Paytime?!’ He advised me to work for a more recognizable company.» However, Pandey’s father has since experienced a change of heart, and Pandey humorously mentioned that his father now advises him to stay grounded.
When Siddharth Pandey first joined Paytm, it was primarily a small payments company with fewer than 1,000 employees. Today, Paytm has grown exponentially, employing over 10,000 professionals and offering a diverse range of services, from banking and shopping to movie and travel ticketing, as well as gaming.
To celebrate his newfound wealth, Pandey treated his father to a luxurious five-day trip to Udaipur, a renowned tourist destination in the desert state of Rajasthan, spending approximately 400,000 rupees ($5,376 USD). He credited Paytm as a generous employer that has always emphasized the financial well-being of its employees.
Married with two children, Pandey intends to allocate part of his windfall to his retirement fund, with a significant portion earmarked for his children’s education. Moreover, the newfound financial stability will enable him to explore startups where income isn’t the sole focus and may even open doors to academic pursuits
Paytm’s groundbreaking IPO not only marks a pivotal moment in India’s financial history but also underscores the life-changing impact it has on employees like Siddharth Pandey. As the fintech sector continues to thrive in India, more success stories are bound to emerge, reshaping the nation’s entrepreneurial landscape.
