From Small Town to Digital Fame: Prashant Bhaiya Redefines How India’s Gen Z Learns

At a time when India’s ₹50,000 crore edtech industry is fighting to retain students, a teacher from a small town has quietly outperformed some of the biggest names — not with ads or funding, but with authenticity. Prashant Kirad, better known to millions as Prashant Bhaiya, has emerged as one of India’s most trusted online educators, transforming the way young Indians learn and connect.

With over 16 million subscribers on YouTube and live sessions drawing up to 700,000 students at once, Kirad’s digital classroom is now larger than most universities combined. What started as a self-shot science lesson has evolved into a nationwide movement centered on accessible, relatable learning.

A New Kind of Classroom

Kirad’s journey began in a modest town with just a whiteboard and a mobile camera. Today, his content reaches students from Delhi to Dimapur, from Kota to Kerala — cutting across regional and economic barriers.

His students affectionately call him Prashant Bhaiya — a teacher, motivator, and mentor rolled into one. His approachable teaching style has made complex concepts in Physics and Chemistry feel simple, while his emphasis on emotional support has made academics feel personal.

“When a child trusts you with his future, that’s a responsibility you can’t take lightly,” says Kirad, whose sessions often blend motivation with mentorship.

A Movement, Not a Channel

Unlike many commercial platforms, Kirad’s rise has been organic — powered entirely by student trust. His comment sections are filled with testimonials from teenagers who credit him with changing not just their marks but their mindset.

In a space often dominated by overproduced videos, his down-to-earth, honest approach has turned education into community-building. Students see him not as a distant tutor but as an elder brother guiding them through the pressure of competitive exams.

The Birth of Next Toppers

To scale his vision, Kirad co-founded Next Toppers, a hybrid learning ecosystem designed to provide structured study paths, live mentorship, and exam-specific strategies. The platform aims to balance technology with human touch — a formula that’s resonating strongly with India’s Gen Z learners.

Next Toppers focuses on affordable learning, transparent teaching, and personal mentorship, breaking away from the commercialization that plagues the edtech sector.

Why It Matters

Industry experts say Kirad’s success reflects a major cultural shift. In a market crowded with apps and AI tutors, students are now choosing authentic educators over brands. His rise marks a return to trust-based teaching — something India’s education ecosystem has been missing.

“Edtech firms built technology, but teachers like Prashant Bhaiya rebuilt trust,” says an education analyst based in Bengaluru.

What’s Next

Kirad plans to expand Next Toppers into a multi-language learning platform while integrating AI-based learning insights — all without losing the personal connection that defines his brand.

For millions of students, he remains more than a teacher. He’s proof that even in the age of algorithms and influencers, real teaching still commands attention.

About Prashant Kirad / Next Toppers

Prashant Kirad, popularly known as Prashant Bhaiya, is a science educator and co-founder of Next Toppers, India’s fast-growing online learning community. With over 16 million subscribers and 700,000+ concurrent learners, he has become a symbol of accessible, motivational, and human-centered education for India’s youth.