3 LPA to 33 LPA: How Warikoo 10X’d His Pay in 5 Years

Image Source: India Today

Entrepreneur and author Ankur Warikoo has inspired thousands by revealing how he catapulted his salary from ₹3 lakh per annum to ₹33 lakh in just five years—a journey marked by risk-taking, relentless effort, and strategic upskilling.

Key Highlights:

Warikoo returned to India at 24 after dropping out of a US PhD program, with no MBA, limited connections, and little clarity about his future. He landed his first job at NIS Sparta, earning ₹14,746 per month, after 45 days of walk-in interviews and newspaper ads.

Observing his MBA colleagues’ edge, he decided to pursue an MBA at ISB, despite the financial risk and hefty loan—his family’s first ever.

The ISB experience opened doors: Warikoo secured a consulting role at AT Kearney with a ₹12 lakh package, and within 1.5 years, he was promoted—the fastest in the firm at the time.

By 29, his annual salary had soared to ₹33 lakh, a tenfold increase in five years, driven by hard work, gratitude, and seizing every opportunity.

Outlook:

Warikoo’s story is a testament to betting on oneself, embracing discomfort, and leveraging education and opportunity. For young professionals, his journey underscores the value of persistence, upskilling, and taking calculated risks to unlock transformational growth.

Sources: Indian Express, India Today, Economic Times, Warikoo’s LinkedIn