3 min readNew DelhiApr 6, 2026 12:51 PM ISTKamath’s response blended humour with a dose of realismA sharp yet playful exchange between Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath and a student at Columbia Business School has gone viral, reigniting debates over whether an MBA is really worth it.Kamath, who was attending the school’s India Business Conference, was put on the spot by a student, Anaheez Patel, who brought up his earlier criticism of MBA degrees. “A few months ago, you said if you are 25 and getting your MBA, you must be some kind of idiot,” she said, pointing out that many in the room were business students and questioning why he chose to speak at such an event.Before she could finish, Kamath cut in with a grin, asking, “Were you the one who posted online?” When she said yes, he replied, “I saw that video.” Patel quipped back, “I’m glad the algorithm did its work, and it reached you,” before asking him directly why he was there despite his views.Kamath’s response blended humour with a dose of realism. “300 grand for your MBA course. So this room, if it has 500 people here, you have spent $90 million to be in this room. I hope knowing the rich kids of India of tomorrow has some value to me in the future. Hence, I’m here.”The room broke into laughter, turning what could have been a tense moment into a light, memorable exchange. Patel later shared the clip on Instagram, calling Kamath a “chill guy” and saying the “banter was pretty solid.”“PS: he did deliver an incredible speech and the banter was pretty solid. He also did agree that he would consider advocating for an MBA for the access. A partial win? Allll in good spirit,” she wrote.Watch the video: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anaheez Patel (@anaheezpatel) The video quickly picked up traction online, crossing a million views and sparking a flood of reactions. One user wrote, “It is true that rich families send their kids to prestigious schools and colleges mainly because of the network they get access to. I see it in prestigious boarding schools as well – the students form a tight network with profitable connections. If the education in the MBA is focused on practice and applicability to real-life scenarios, then MBAs may be surely a good investment. But an MBA without intention, is just expensive timepass.”Story continues below this adAnother user commented, “Omg, I’m screaming Anaheez! That was a whole new level of full circle.” A third person added, “That’s a solid question and a very solid response from Nikhil.”“But he is the guest and you all are students paying that much this is the difference in real world,” someone else commented.Notably, the interaction comes months after Kamath sparked a heated online debate with his comments during an AMA session at Zerodha. At the time, he said, “If you are 25 and going to an MBA college today, you must be some kind of an idiot,” arguing that traditional education models may lose relevance amid changing job markets.His statement had drawn mixed reactions, with some calling it dismissive and others agreeing that the role of an MBA is evolving. © IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...