Fifteen years ago, it would have been difficult to comprehend that news can be precise and to the point. It doesn’t have to be a tiring schedule of sitting through a bulletin of thirty minutes to get the major updates. But, Azahar Iqubal changed the way people approached news.
Azahar Iqubal, the co-founder of Inshorts, made it a household name and highlighted the need for a crisp attitude towards news. He made keeping updated with the news as easy as checking on social media.
So how does one get an idea of delivering the updates throughout the day in sixty words for the entire nation, and how does one succeed in it?
In this article, we will see what made Azhar Iqubal the man he is today and what made him reach the peak of glory.
Biography Highlights
| Category | Information |
| Name | Azhar Iqubal |
| Profession | Entrepreneur |
| Known For | CEO of Inshorts |
| Birth Year | 1993 |
| Birthplace | Kishanganj, Bihar, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, BTech dropout (2012) |
| Recent Achievement | Inshorts secured $119 million through six funding rounds as of October 2023,
Shark Tank India Judge in 2023 |
| Net Worth | 500 crores, INR |
| Car Collection | MINI Cooper, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, Porsche 718 Boxster |
Azhar Iqubal Early Life and Education
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The man behind Inshorts and Public had a very humble beginning. In fact, when we look at his early life, it makes it almost impossible to correlate it with this 31-year-old. Now deemed one of the youngest and most successful entrepreneurs India has ever seen, Azhar had a lower middle-class upbringing.
Born in the district of Bahadurganj in Kishanganj, Bihar, he completed his education up to class X. He then relocated to Delhi to finish high school and prepare for JEE to enroll at IIT Delhi. He had always dreamt of becoming an engineer to elevate his financial status, which eventually led him to that path.
Most of his education was based out of a curriculum in Hindi, but he started grasping the English language ever since it was introduced in the syllabus ever since he was in class 8.
He has never shied away from connecting with the youth of the country. He has always been vocal about his struggles with the English language or being unable to grasp the magnitude of the curriculum at IIT Delhi. It surely reflects on his humility a lot but also sends a message to them that your difficulties and challenges never define your worth.
Personal Life and Interests
Azhar has been a man of humorous and modest nature in all his media appearances. It only makes you think, how can a man achieve this kind of composure after going through such life-altering events?
He considers his modest background as the reason for his success. He has been heard quoting multiple times that all he ever wanted was to break out of the small town he was living in to unlock his true potential. Furthermore, he never considered any challenges in his personal life as a challenge per se, but only a way to upgrade himself.
He dreamt of being a part of Google or Microsoft so that he could finally upgrade his then-financial status. Even though he was meticulous enough to crack IIT, he never enjoyed its set curriculum, which he had expected from this life then. He aspired to top the class, but he noticed he was slacking majorly.
He left the prestigious institute in his third year, very well aware of the fact that if he stayed for another year he could finish his degree. But that is not Azhar’s way of living his life; he is a firm believer that the story of life when told on the fina lday should be extremely cinematic and inspiring.
However, it is very important to remember that he was never whimsical. He had always taken every life-changing step with a plan ahead, rather than just jumping on the bandwagon for some dramatic experience.
He has always credited his success to his sense of self and confidence rather than any heroic struggle to overcome self-doubt, which makes him a man who is not only practical but also a visionary in the truest sense.
Family Background
One of the most refreshing things about this tech entrepreneur is he has been very open about his journey. He is an inspiration for almost every youth in the country who is trying their level best to never let their family’s lack of financial success catch up with them.
Azhar still has its roots deeply attached to his native land, and he keeps visiting his childhood home during Eid or any occasion. His family is visibly attached to him too and his uncles and his immediate family live in the same vicinity as his childhood home. He is currently unmarried, and there is no such mention of his dating life on the internet.
Career Journey
This trailblazer of a Tech entrepreneur currently has a net value of 500cr and once thought thatall he needed in his life was to make sure he broke out of his financial struggle and lived a decent yet comfortable life. For Azhar, it was not only about the spirit of creating something that would help him achieve success, but also about doing it in the most unique way possible.
He was known for pitching his new ideas to his friends from his early college days and was known for his keen business eye. The journey of Inshorts started with a Facebook page, and it is now one of the most downloaded apps in the nation. Let us look into this remarkable feat in a bit more detail.
He started his career as an entrepreneur and a tech business marvel with his IIT classmates Anunay Pandey and Deepit Purkayastha in the year 2013. Even though the naysayers were ready with their doubt and skepticism, Azhar changed the news reading habit of an entire country.
Initially known as News in Shorts, Azhar wanted the millennials to get back into the habit of reading the news. So with this idea, they signed up with Tlab’s startup accelerator program and now it is valued at $550M.
Not only that, Azhar’s knack for innovation in digital media made him launch another app called the Public. It is a news app that is more focused on bringing the local news on your fingertips. Needless to say, it is slowly catching up with the users and has a valuation of $250M. It is also regarded as the most popular location-based social media in the country.
Recognition and Awards
Apart from the fact that Inshorts and Public have more than 10 million monthly active users, this 31-year-old marvel has many other recognitions in his name. The below list is not only impressive but can be inspiring for anyone who is trying to break out of their designated financial cycle.
- Business World Young Entrepreneur Award
- Most Enterprising Brands Award
- Leaders of Asia Award
- Fortune India 40 under 40 (2016)
- Business World 40 under 40 (2018)
- Forbes India 30 under 30 (2018)
- Forbes Asia 30 under 30 (2018)
- Entrepreneur of the Year (Media) by Entrepreneur India Magazine (2022).
Investments and Shark Tank India
Azhar became part of the prestigious panel of the Shark Tank India in its third season when he was approached by their team on Linkedin. The audience loves this new addition since Azhar brings a refreshing honesty and a dedicated focus to elevate the right investment.
Owing to his background, he is more relatable especially when he said “On Shark Tank India Season 3, I want to convey to the youth of India that your background and whether you possess a degree are not significant; what matters is your hunger, discipline, and focus. If you have these qualities, I am here to support you in achieving your entrepreneurial dream.”
He stood by his words in the series and funded multiple startups that captivated him, which are as follows:
- Turms: Invested Rs 1.2 crores for four percent equity individually.
- Chefling: Azhar invested 40 Lakhs along with other judges.
- Mintree: It saw an investment of Rs. 90 Lakhs collectively from the judges.
- Aroleap: Aroleap got a whopping amount of 1cr as an investment from the judges.
Net Worth And Future Vision
Azhar believes that people have the same fundamentals all over the world. The only difference is we have different constraints owing to our financial situation. As a business person in India, one must try to cater to the basic necessities first than luxuries.
There is no stopping this miracle man.He has very specific goals for his future where he wants to not only make InShorts and the Public app reach a global level but improve its monetization strategies also. Furthermore, he wishes and plans to expand the Public app and potentially expand its features to include more community-driven content.
Since he began his journey with nothing, he intends to nurture the new talent with investments, as he is seen doing in Shark Tank India. We can only sit back and watch this man grow because needless to say, he has more recognition and accolades waiting for him ahead.
Azhar’s, whose current net worth is estimated to be about INR 500cr, recently stepped down as the CEO of InShorts and became the chairman. He has been quoted on this, “After leading the company for 11 years as CEO, I have decided to step into the role of chairman of the company. My cofounder, Deepit, who has been an instrumental part of our journey from the beginning, will take charge as the CEO of the company, and I am excited to see him lead our company to even greater heights.”
Azhar Iqubal Social Media Handles
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Conclusion
Learning about a man like Azhar Iqubal not only fills you with awe but inspiration as well. His journey makes anyone think that if we put in enough hard work and are always dedicated to our goal, anything is possible.
We can typically find him talking about his shortcomings as freely, and as proactively, as his achievements. Hence we can surely take this as a lesson and understand that our failures don’t define us, and most importantly, it is very important to be resilient on our journey.
Furthermore, there is no designated way to achieve your goal or success. It is of utmost importance to carve your path to reach your desired destination.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Azhar Iqubal known for?
Azhar Iqubal is known as the founder of Inshorts and the Public App. But he is more popular as the new judge in the Indian reality TV series Shark Tank India.
2. How did Azhar Iqubal start his career?
He was initially pursuing computer science from IIT Delhi.
3. What is Inshorts, and why is it popular?
Inshorts is a news app that shortens the news in just sixty words for a quick read. It is popular due to its shortened and easier format of news.
4. What awards has Azhar Iqubal won?
Azhar Iqubal has won the following awards: Forbes Asia 30 under 30, Business World 40 under 40, Fortune India 40 under 40,Business World Young Entrepreneur Award, The Most Enterprising Brands and Leaders of Asia Award.
5. How did Azhar Iqubal transition from IIT Delhi to entrepreneurship?
He had dropped out in his third year of IIT Delhi to be an entrepreneur and work on his idea of Inshorts.
6. What is ‘Public,’ and how is it related to Azhar Iqubal?
Public is a localized news platform that keeps you updated with your local news as per your location. It was founded by Azhar Iqubal.
7. What role does Azhar Iqubal play in Shark Tank India?
He is one of the new judges in the third season of Shark Tank India.
8. What is Azhar Iqubal’s net worth?
His current net worth is 500Cr.
9. What are Azhar Iqubal’s future plans for Inshorts and Public?
Azhar Iqubal’s future plans for Inshorts and Public are straightforward. For Inshorts, he wishes to continue with his present pace. For Public, he wants more engagement, aiming to be the biggest location-based social network globally.