Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath said Thursday that inherited wealth could be taxed without forcing business owners to sell shares, connecting the issue to his concerns about wealth inequality.
Kamath spoke at the NDTV World Summit 2026 in New Delhi, NDTV reported. He described a levy on wealth passed between generations as “not the worst idea in the world,” while distinguishing it from taxes on income people earn during their lifetimes.
Kamath said he did not favor taxing people for earning money during their lives, but considered taxation when wealth moves between generations a potentially efficient option. He left the method open and did not present a detailed proposal.
Any approach, he said, should not require a business owner to sell equity in a company to cover the tax. NDTV described inheritance tax as a charge paid by a beneficiary who receives money, property or other assets after someone dies.
Kamath also referred to the Gini coefficient, a measure of income or wealth distribution. He said the measure was worsening in most parts of the world but improving in some countries, and said he had been researching those exceptions.
He argued that wealth inequality cannot decline if wage growth does not keep pace with increases in asset prices. In his view, governments may need to intervene to improve the Gini measure. He presented the trend as a reason for intervention but did not specify what form it should take.
Addressing wealthy people at the summit, Kamath said tackling inequality could serve their own interests. “It could be self-serving to solve this problem when you can,” he said, adding that change could be more difficult if delayed. NDTV said he made the comments in conversation with its Editor-in-Chief and CEO Rahul Kanwal.
Kamath recalled facing online criticism after previously expressing support for inheritance tax, NDTV reported. He co-founded Zerodha, which the outlet described as one of India's largest stockbroking firms. NDTV also listed his investments in Licious, Nourish You, Pee Safe, Subko and Ather.
