Written By: Muskan Gupta | Published : October 31, 2025 3:56 PM IST
Nithin Kamath, the co-founder and CEO of Zerodha, has recently opened up about his own experience of a stroke that he experienced in January. He took to X on World Stroke Day and shared what he has learnt through his unpleasant lessons. His story is a major lesson on why the warning signs of a stroke can be easily overlooked, particularly by younger individuals who tend to think they are too healthy to be affected by such a problem.
Kamath disclosed that at the time the stroke occurred, he believed he could just sleep it off. "If there's one thing I wish I had done differently, it would be to go to the hospital immediately, instead of thinking I could just sleep it off," Kamath wrote.
Nithin Kamath on Stroke AwarenessHowever, he later discovered that that was a very risky decision. One thing, however, that he wished he could change has been to always be at the hospital once he catches the illness rather than believing that he can sleep it off. The golden hour is considered to be the first 4.5 hours following the stroke by doctors. It is not impossible to recover and maintain good health in the long run by visiting the doctor during this period.
Kamath replied that he should have acted promptly instead of thinking something serious had not taken place. His message is based on the fact that a slight delay in action is permanent and destructive since each minute matters when the brain is being denied oxygen.
Kamath said the common attitude is "nothing will happen to me", especially among those aged below 50 years. However, he cautioned that it is no longer only the old who suffer strokes. They are currently surging among the youthful people.
"Strokes are rising sharply, up to nearly 30% of all strokes in the last few years, among 30 to 50-year-olds," Kamath said. High levels of stress, sleep, lack of exercise and unhealthy diets are some of the key players in modern lives. He called upon individuals to take greater care of their health and not overlook their warning signs.
It is possible to save a life by understanding the early signs of stroke. Signs normally come out abruptly and may involve:
According to Kamath, time is brain as far as strokes are concerned. His story reveals that there should be awareness, prompt action, and a preemptive attitude to their health, particularly to people who believe that they are too young to be in danger.
