The M3M Hurun India Rich List 2025 has been released, and among the well-known names, there's a new and surprising addition that's drawing a lot of attention. Aravind Srinivas, the Chennai-born founder of Perplexity, has made it to the list. He started a company that's now becoming a strong competitor to big AI tools like Google's Gemini and ChatGPT by OpenAI.
At just 31 years of age, Aravind is now the youngest billionaire in India's history to make it to the rich list. With a net worth of Rs 21,190 crore, he has made his first appearance on the respected list, showing how quickly he has risen in the tech world. His inclusion is also a sign of how Indian innovators are starting to make a big impact in the fast-growing field of artificial intelligence.
Aravind Srinivas, along with Denis Yarats, Johnny Ho, and Andy Konwinski, founded Perplexity in 2022 as an AI-based search engine that directly competes with Google Search. Unlike rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot, Perplexity uses its AI models to create a search engine that gives conversational answers along with clear citations for verification. The idea worked, and more people have started moving away from the link-based Google Search to Perplexity's solution-based answers.
What Makes Aravind Srinivas an Influential Force in the AI World?
As the CEO of Perplexity AI, he is making a big impact in the artificial intelligence world. His conversational search engine is positioning itself as a top competitor to OpenAI's ChatGPT, with most credit going to the Indian-origin founder. Srinivas, who was a former Google researcher, left the tech giant to turn his vision into reality. He wanted to create a more transparent and verifiable AI-powered search experience.
Perplexity AI has grown very quickly since its launch, achieving a multi-billion-dollar valuation of $18 billion by July 2025. A major development for Perplexity came in May 2025 with a strategic partnership with Bharti Airtel, which gave free access to Perplexity Pro to 360 million Indian users. This collaboration has greatly expanded Perplexity's global reach, contributing to its current user base of over 30 million active users and 780 million monthly queries.
Perplexity AI has also launched an AI browser called Comet. The browser is designed for voice-first web interactions and is focusing on enterprise solutions and revenue-sharing models for publishers.
Who Is Aravind Srinivas?
Aravind Srinivas began his journey in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, where he was inspired by his mother’s wish for him to attend IIT Madras.
After graduating in 2017 with dual degrees in Electrical Engineering, he faced initial academic hurdles that prevented a direct switch to Computer Science at IIT. However, his passion for machine learning led him to self-teach Python and excel in Kaggle competitions. He interned under deep learning pioneer Yoshua Bengio, which led him to pursue a PhD in Artificial Intelligence at UC Berkeley.
Despite interest from major tech companies like Apple and Meta for an acquisition, Srinivas says he remains committed to Perplexity's independence.
He has plans for an initial public offering (IPO) after 2028. His story shows the power of ambition and a clear vision in transforming industries.