They Started by Teaching India to Invest: The Story Behind NJ Wealth
In 1994, inside a modest home office in Surat, Gujarat, two fresh university graduates sat down with a vision that most people at the time found borderline absurd. The mutual fund industry in India was in its absolute infancy, and the general public viewed capital market investments with heavy skepticism. Yet, Mr. Neeraj Choksi and Mr. Jignesh Desai shared an unshakeable faith in a simple concept: the transformational power of disciplined, long-term investing. They didn't start by selling products; they started by teaching. Battling low awareness and immense initial hurdles, the duo traveled from neighborhood to neighborhood, focusing entirely on financial literacy and investor empowerment. By building a foundation rooted strictly in transparency and trust, they quietly laid the groundwork for what would become an empire.
As India's economy liberalised and equity markets matured, the grassroots network built by the two founders gathered momentum. What began as a local investor education initiative steadily evolved into NJ Group, today one of India's leading financial services groups. Over the past three decades, the organisation has diversified into asset management, insurance broking, NBFC, technology, FMCG, and other businesses. Its flagship financial distribution platform, NJ Wealth, today facilitates over 31,187 crore in assets mobilised across various asset management companies (Data as of 1 AUG 2026; Assets managed by various AMCs, mobilised by NJ). Supported by a workforce of more than 2,700 employees, the Group has established a presence across 250+ locations in 23 states while empowering a nationwide network of over 56,000 active independent financial distributors. Together, they serve more than 46,77 lakh investors, helping expand access to financial products and long-term wealth accumulation across India.
