Vijay Shekhar Sharma

Vijay Shekhar Sharma is a prominent Indian technology entrepreneur and the founder of Paytm, a leading digital payments platform in India. Born on June 7, 1978, in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Sharma demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit early in life, starting a website while still in college. He graduated with a B.Tech degree from Delhi College of Engineering at the age of 19 and founded One97 Communications in 2000, which initially offered mobile content services.

In 2010, he launched Paytm (short for "Pay Through Mobile"), which quickly became one of India's largest mobile-first financial services companies. In 2019, he expanded his vision by launching Paytm Payments Bank, aimed at providing banking services to underserved populations in India. Under his leadership, Paytm Payments Bank has grown to become the country's largest digital bank, focusing on financial inclusion for approximately 500 million customers who lack access to traditional banking services.14

Sharma has faced significant challenges as well. In recent years, Paytm Payments Bank has encountered regulatory scrutiny from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), leading to operational restrictions. In early 2024, he stepped down from his role as part-time non-executive chairman of the bank amidst these challenges.234 Despite these hurdles, Sharma remains a key figure in India's fintech landscape and continues to advocate for innovation in financial services.

He has received numerous accolades for his contributions to technology and entrepreneurship, including being named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2017 and receiving various awards for his entrepreneurial achievements.4 Sharma is also an angel investor and has been involved in promoting environmental awareness through initiatives with the United Nations Environment Programme.14

For more professional insights and updates about him, you can find him on LinkedIn under the username vijayshekhar.5