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Vijay Shekhar Sharma Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 16, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth8 July 1978

Age46 Years

BirthplaceHarduaganj, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

ProfessionEntrepreneur (Founder of Paytm)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseMridula Sharma

FamilySon - Vivaan Sharma; Father - Sulom Prakash Sharma; Mother - Asha Sharma; Brother - Ajay Shekhar Sharma; Two elder sisters

Net worth$2.1 billion (as in 2018)

Vijay Shekhar Sharma Biography

Vijay Shekhar Sharma is an Indian entrepreneur best known as the founder of Paytm and the parent company One97 Communications. Born in Harduaganj, Aligarh,

Early life and background

Vijay Shekhar Sharma was born on 8 July 1978 in Harduaganj, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. He completed his higher secondary education unusually early, passing at the age of 14. Sharma studied engineering at Delhi College of Engineering (now Delhi Technological University) and earned a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication.

He grew up in a household where his father, Sulom Prakash Sharma, worked as a school teacher and his mother, Asha Sharma, was a homemaker. He has two older sisters and a younger brother, Ajay Shekhar Sharma, who later served as a senior vice president at Paytm. Sharma is married to Mridula Sharma and they have a son, Vivaan.

Career

Sharma began experimenting with the internet and software while at college. He and friends developed a content management system that found use with several Indian news publications. After graduating he briefly worked for a multinational company but left after six months to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

In 2005 Sharma raised an initial round of funding for his first project, though that venture encountered significant setbacks related to partners and financing. He went on to found One97 Communications, conceived initially to operate across content, commerce, and advertising. A payments component was later added to the business, which evolved into Paytm (short for Pay Through Mobile). Paytm popularised mobile wallets and digital payments in India.

Under Sharma’s leadership Paytm attracted major investors, including Alibaba Group led by Jack Ma. The company’s profile rose sharply after India’s demonetisation announcement in late 2016, when Paytm reported substantial increases in traffic, downloads, and transactions. By May 2017 Paytm’s valuation was estimated at $7 billion.

Sharma himself was recognised on international and domestic lists for influence and achievement. He and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were the two Indians named to Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Forbes listed him among billionaires in 2017, and India Today ranked him among India’s most powerful people that year.

In institutional developments related to the Paytm group, Sharma stepped down as part-time non-executive chairman of Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) on 26 February 2024. Earlier in January 2024, the Reserve Bank of India had imposed restrictions on PPBL, including directives related to deposit acceptance.

Public profile

Sharma has been a prominent public figure in India’s technology and startup ecosystem. He has spoken about his admiration for entrepreneurs such as Masayoshi Son and Jack Ma. Personal interests reported in profiles include listening to music, reading, and adventure activities like bungee jumping and river rafting. Reports describe him as preferring simple attire; despite that, he has mentioned owning or aspiring to purchase a Rolex under certain circumstances.

His background includes an early academic contrast: strong performance at school and much lower grades and engagement during college, a shift he attributes to changing priorities and pursuits. He has also discussed the effort he undertook to improve his English after schooling in Hindi.

Latest updates

Several events and controversies involving Paytm and its leadership have appeared in public reporting. The company faced criticism over marketing decisions following demonetisation, and a viral company-event video in early 2017 generated media attention. In 2018 and 2017, public financial profiles noted Sharma’s billionaire status and the rapid growth of Paytm. In 2024 regulatory actions affecting Paytm Payments Bank Limited led to board-level changes, including Sharma’s resignation from the part-time non-executive chairman role on 26 February 2024.

Personal details and other notes

Sharma’s listed height is approximately 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) and weight about 85 kg (187 lbs). His eye and hair colour are reported as black. He is identified as Indian by nationality and Hindu by religion. Zodiac information lists him under Capricorn.

This biography summarises factual points about Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s family, education, career milestones with One97 Communications and Paytm, recognitions, and recent company developments as documented in public profiles.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Vijay Shekhar Sharma, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Stepped down as part-time non-executive chairman of Paytm Payments Bank Limited

Resigned from the part-time non-executive chairman position at PPBL amid regulatory actions affecting the bank.

2024
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Career Highlights

  1. Founder of One97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm
  2. Led Paytm as it popularised mobile wallets and digital payments in India
  3. Paytm attracted Alibaba Group as a major investor
  4. Named to Time’s 100 most influential people list alongside Narendra Modi
  5. Listed by Forbes among billionaires in 2017 and ranked on India Today’s powerful people list
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Net Worth

$2.1 billion (as in 2018)

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Vijay Shekhar Sharma born?

Vijay Shekhar Sharma was born on 8 July 1978.

What is Vijay Shekhar Sharma known for?

Vijay Shekhar Sharma is known for entrepreneur (Founder of Paytm).

What is Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s marital status?

Vijay Shekhar Sharma's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Vijay Shekhar Sharma married to?

Vijay Shekhar Sharma is publicly listed as married to Mridula Sharma.

What is Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s net worth?

Vijay Shekhar Sharma's net worth is commonly listed as $2.1 billion (as in 2018), based on available public profile information.