Breaking Barriers in Education: Insights from Diwakar Chittora, CEO & Founder of Intellipaat

An interview with Mr. Diwakar Chittora, CEO & Founder of Intellipaat, an ed-tech platform with over 10.7 million learners across 150 countries

In this insightful interview, Diwakar Chittora, CEO and Founder of Intellipaat, shares his vision for revolutionizing education.

With over 10.7 million learners across 150 countries, Intellipaat is at the forefront of online learning, offering diverse degree and certification programs that empower individuals worldwide.

Can you share the story behind the founding of Intellipaat and what inspired you to create an EdTech platform?

Diwakar Chittora: The idea behind Intellipaat came from a very personal experience. I wanted to learn Hadoop at a time when it was just emerging, and I realized that the available courses were extremely expensive—completely out of reach for most professionals like me.

So, I wrote a post on LinkedIn, asking if anyone else was interested in learning Hadoop so we could form a group and split the training cost.

To my surprise, the response was overwhelming. So many people were in the same situation—eager to learn, but unable to afford training.

That’s when it hit me: there was a huge gap in the market. People wanted to upskill, but the system wasn’t built for accessibility or affordability. That moment became the seed for Intellipaat.

We launched with a clear mission—to provide high-quality, industry-relevant education at a price people could afford, and to help learners get into better jobs in a shorter span of time. That mission still drives everything we do today.

Intellipaat has grown to serve over 10.7 million learners across 150 countries. What key strategies have contributed to this remarkable growth?

Diwakar Chittora: Honestly, we’ve followed just one strategy from the beginning:

Create the best content possible—content that truly helps learners succeed.

That’s it. No fancy hacks. No shortcuts. If your content is world-class and leads to real outcomes, learners will come, stay, succeed, and refer others. That’s been the backbone of our growth.

What criteria do you use to develop and curate the online degree and certification programs offered on Intellipaat?

Diwakar Chittora: We apply two main criteria while designing any program—whether it’s a degree or certification:

1. Job relevance: We first look at whether the program addresses active job opportunities in the industry.
2. Problem-solving focus: We ask ourselves—is there a real problem this course can solve for the learner?

Every program on our platform is built with the sole purpose of career advancement and employability. You won’t find generic or filler content like basic English skills unless it directly contributes to job readiness. Our goal has always been clear:

Equip learners with the skills they need to build and grow their careers.

What strategies does Intellipaat employ to keep learners engaged and motivated throughout their courses?

Diwakar Chittora: We follow a simple rule—stay connected and involved. From the start of their journey, learners are paired with dedicated learning managers, and we ensure frequent check-ins, real-time doubt resolution, project feedback, and live support—24×7.

We’ve built our entire learning experience around engagement and outcomes. All our programs are designed to be 90% hands-on. That means learners work on assignments, quizzes, case studies, mini-projects, and capstone projects—not just passive video watching.

We also track 20+ engagement metrics on the platform—things like video consumption patterns, time spent on each module, quiz participation, attendance in sessions, and more. These metrics help us monitor learner progress in real time.

On top of that, we have a dedicated learning management team that continuously supports and tracks every learner’s journey. If someone is falling behind or losing momentum, we intervene proactively to guide them back on track. This personalized attention ensures learners stay motivated from day one until they complete the program.

It’s about being present—not just as a platform, but as a learning partner who genuinely cares.

Can you discuss any partnerships with industry leaders or organizations that have enhanced the value of your programs?

Diwakar Chittora: Absolutely. We’ve built valuable partnerships with some of the most respected names in the tech industry—Microsoft, EC-Council, and others.

Each of these partners brings their own strengths—be it deep tech knowledge, certification credibility, or global standards. We combine that with our strong pedagogy, delivery style, and learner support to create a highly impactful learning experience.

These collaborations ensure our learners not only receive quality education but also gain certifications and skills that are globally recognized and directly applicable to the job market.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in the EdTech industry and how do you overcome them?

Diwakar Chittora: The following factors often prevent EdTech companies from achieving sustainability and profitability:

1. High CAC
2. Building credibility in education takes time.
3. The difficulty of standing out in a crowded market.
4. Maintaining high quality in a price-sensitive market.
5. Challenge of retaining and engaging learners.

However, Intellipaat is an exception. By staying rooted in the right strategy and strong fundamentals from day one, we’ve built one of India’s leading EdTech companies—entirely bootstrapped and profitable at scale.

How do you ensure that your platform remains accessible and relevant to learners in different countries with varying educational needs?

Diwakar Chittora: At the core, software development or data science doesn’t change based on geography. Whether you’re learning it in India, the U.S., or Europe, the course remains the same.

That said, we do adapt. We offer 24×7 support across time zones and make adjustments for regional and cultural nuances—such as language, instructor style, and localized content where needed. Our core curriculum remains consistent, but the delivery can be tailored depending on the learner’s background and geography.

This way, we ensure the learning experience remains relevant, accessible, and impactful—no matter where the learner is from.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the EdTech space?

Diwakar Chittora: My advice is simple:

Fall in love with the problem, not the money.

If your goal is only to make money, you won’t last long. But if you are passionate about solving real problems, especially in education, then you’re on the right path.

As an entrepreneur, you’ll face tough days—there will be nights where the problem you’re trying to solve won’t let you sleep. And that’s a good sign. That means you care enough. That’s when you know you’re doing it for the right reasons.

If that’s where your heart is, then welcome to EdTech. It’s a challenging space, but the impact you can make is unmatched.

Diwakar Chittora’s commitment to accessible education is reshaping the learning landscape. As Intellipaat continues to expand its global reach, his innovative approach and dedication to quality education promise to inspire countless learners, paving the way for a brighter future in the ed-tech industry.

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