Indian-origin entrepreneur Jay Chaudhry, the founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm Zscaler, has been ranked as the richest Indian immigrant in the United States according to Forbes’ 2025 edition of America's Richest Immigrants list. With an estimated net worth of $17.9 billion, Chaudhry holds the 8th spot among 125 billionaires from around the globe who now reside in the US. He is the only Indian immigrant in the top 10, ahead of other notable Indian-origin tech leaders such as Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella, who rank at 119 and 120 respectively.

The 2025 Forbes list highlights a growing presence of Indian immigrants among America’s wealthiest, with a total of 12 Indian-origin billionaires featured this year. India, for the first time, surpassed Israel to become the country with the highest number of immigrant billionaires represented in the rankings.

Jay Chaudhry’s rise to billionaire status is a remarkable story of resilience, vision, and entrepreneurial grit. Born and raised in a remote Himalayan village in India, Chaudhry experienced a life of limited resources in his early years. His hometown did not have electricity until he was in the eighth grade and lacked running water until the tenth. In 1980, Chaudhry moved to the United States to pursue graduate education, boarding an airplane for the first time in his life. He went on to earn an MBA, an M.S. in Industrial Engineering & Management, and another M.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He also holds a B.Tech in Electronics Engineering from IIT BHU Varanasi, and later completed the Executive Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Now 65 years old, Chaudhry lives in Nevada, having relocated from the Bay Area. He founded Zscaler in 2008, and the company went public in March 2018. Chaudhry and his family currently own about 40 percent of the Nasdaq-listed firm. Zscaler has since become a global leader in cloud-based information security, serving numerous Fortune 500 companies and government organizations with advanced cybersecurity solutions.

Before Zscaler, Chaudhry had already built an impressive portfolio of successful startups. Over the years, he launched four companies—SecureIT, CoreHarbor, CipherTrust, and AirDefense—all of which were acquired. His first company, SecureIT, was launched in 1996 with his wife, Jyoti, after both of them left their jobs and invested their life savings into the venture. That leap of faith marked the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey in the American tech industry.

Chaudhry’s ascent reflects a broader trend of Indian-origin professionals making a significant impact on the global technology landscape. Yet, his story stands out not just for financial success but for its humble beginnings and unwavering focus on innovation in cybersecurity. Unlike many tech leaders who climbed the corporate ladder, Chaudhry’s journey is one of multiple startups, each building on lessons learned and evolving market needs.

His success is also symbolic of the expanding footprint of Indian talent in the United States. While other Indian-origin CEOs such as Sundar Pichai at Google and Satya Nadella at Microsoft command global recognition and immense corporate responsibility, Chaudhry’s wealth trajectory illustrates the rewards of being both founder and majority stakeholder in a tech-driven enterprise. His accomplishments have made him a prominent figure among the South Asian diaspora and a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide.

Despite his achievements, Chaudhry is known to maintain a relatively low public profile. He often emphasizes the importance of security in an increasingly digital world, focusing more on the mission of his company than on personal accolades. Zscaler continues to expand its global footprint, investing in research and development, cloud infrastructure, and AI-driven security technologies.

The 2025 list of America’s richest immigrants not only reflects global migration patterns but also the shifting centers of innovation and wealth creation. With individuals like Jay Chaudhry leading this transformation, it is evident that immigrant entrepreneurs are playing a critical role in shaping the future of technology and industry in the United States.

His inclusion in the top 10 of the Forbes list further cements his place among the most influential Indian-origin figures in the US business ecosystem. For many, Jay Chaudhry's story is a powerful reminder that with determination, education, and courage to take risks, it is possible to rise from humble beginnings to global influence.