Indian immigrants are making their mark on billionaires lists. India is currently the leading country of origin for billionaire immigrants in the U.S., Forbes noted the same in its “America’s Richest Immigrants 2025” list published on Wednesday.
Several Indian immigrants have become billionaires in the U.S., notably in technology, pharmaceuticals, and finance. Prominent figures include Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet (Google’s parent company); and Vinod Khosla, co-founder of Sun Microsystems and venture capitalist. Others like Rakesh Gangwal, co-founder of IndiGo Airlines, and Jayshree Ullal, CEO of Arista Networks, have made significant impacts.
These entrepreneurs and executives leveraged their education and innovative ideas to build global companies, contributing significantly to the U.S. economy and inspiring the Indian American community with their success stories.
READ: Indian Americans second-largest Asian group in the US: Pew (May 6, 2025)
Cybersecurity mogul and CEO of Zscaler, Jay Chaudhry, is the richest Indian American in the U.S., according to Forbes.
Chaudhry is an Indian-American entrepreneur and the founder of Zscaler, a leading cloud-based cybersecurity company. Born in a small village in Himachal Pradesh, India, Chaudhry grew up with limited resources, often studying under a tree and walking several kilometers to attend school. He earned a Bachelor of Technology degree from IIT BHU and later moved to the United States, where he completed multiple master’s degrees in industrial engineering, computer engineering, and marketing from the University of Cincinnati. He also attended an executive management program at Harvard Business School.
Starting his career at companies like IBM and Unisys, Chaudhry co-founded several cybersecurity firms including SecureIT, CoreHarbor, CipherTrust, and AirDefense, many of which were acquired by major corporations.
In 2007, Chaudhry founded Zscaler with the vision to create a cloud-native security platform suited for modern digital enterprises. The company went public in 2018 and now serves thousands of clients worldwide, positioning Chaudhry as one of the wealthiest Indian American billionaires in the U.S., with a net worth of around $17 billion. Beyond business, he lives in Reno, Nevada, with his family and supports philanthropic causes, especially in education and healthcare. His remarkable journey from a rural Indian village to a global tech leader embodies perseverance, innovation, and visionary leadership.
Forbes reported that there are a total of 125 foreign-born American citizens who currently live in the United States on its billionaires list. The tally was at 92 in 2022. The publication adds that these immigrants come from 43 countries and “account for 14% of the country’s nearly 900 three-comma fortunes.”
“These American immigrants are worth a record $1.3 trillion combined and hold 18% of America’s $7.2 trillion in total billionaire wealth,” Forbes noted.
Indian immigrants are making a profound impact on the landscape of American wealth and innovation, increasingly dominating billionaire ranks in the U.S. With India now the leading country of origin for immigrant billionaires, figures like Jay Chaudhry, Satya Nadella, and Sundar Pichai exemplify how education, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit can translate into global success. These leaders, especially in technology and cybersecurity, have built influential companies that contribute significantly to the U.S. economy and inspire the Indian American community.
The growing number of foreign-born billionaires, up from 92 in 2022 to 125 in 2025, highlights the crucial role immigrants play in driving economic growth and innovation. Together, they control a sizable portion of America’s billionaire wealth, underscoring the value of diverse talent in shaping the country’s future. Their stories of resilience and vision not only redefine success but also reflect the evolving American dream in a globalized world.