Puneet Kothapa: A Rising Star on Fortune India's 40 under 40 List

Every year, Fortune India's prestigious 40 under 40 list recognises exceptional young business personalities who have achieved remarkable success in their respective positions. This year, Puneet Kothapa, the President of Narayana Group, has been featured in the 2023 list alongside other notable figures such as Akash Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, and Karan Adani.
Puneet Kothapa, a Chartered Accountant by profession, joined the Narayana Group in 2012 following a five-year stint with Ernst and Young. In his role, he oversees various crucial aspects, including leading Group strategy, managing business expansion, implementing new initiatives, and handling digital technology, finance, general administration, and supply chain operations. Despite his young age of 35, Puneet adeptly manages multiple responsibilities through meticulous planning and decisive leadership. He emphasizes that the Narayana Group was established with the purpose of fulfilling the aspirations of middle-class parents.
Since Puneet's involvement, the Narayana Group, which was founded 44 years ago in undivided Andhra Pradesh, has experienced rapid expansion. Currently, the group operates in 60 districts, 21 states, and 2 union territories, with Narayana Schools having 354 branches, Narayana Junior Colleges having 241 branches, and Narayana Coaching Centres having 51 branches. Puneet envisions establishing schools in at least 500 districts, highlighting the group's commitment to widespread educational accessibility.

The Narayana Group ensures uniformity across all classrooms with a standardized micro schedule, delivering synchronized content simultaneously. Overseeing operations are three zonal coordinators for every 10 schools, ensuring efficient management. Puneet highlights that the group's centralized R&D team of 600 academicians meticulously plans lessons down to chapters and pages, providing teachers with quarterly advanced materials.
Supported by a dedicated central team of over 2,300 employees across various functions such as academic R&D, operations, finance, marketing, technology, and HR, Puneet drives the realization of the group's vision and mission. Their collective efforts positively impact the lives of more than 600,000 students across 640+ institutions. With operations spanning over 21 states, the Narayana Group has emerged as one of Asia's largest and fastest-growing educational conglomerates.
With investments from renowned institutions like Morgan Stanley and The Banyan Tree and an impressive turnover of ₹3,500 crores, the Narayana Group is poised for further growth under Puneet Kothapa's visionary leadership. The group's future trajectory looks promising as it continues to soar to new heights.