After spotting Nikhil Kamath at Mumbai cafe, AI startup founder gave him a handwritten note. Shares Zerodha founder’s reaction and the note

For most people, spotting a celebrity or billionaire in a café ends with a quick glance and hushed excitement. For Mumbai-based entrepreneur Yash Gawde, however, it turned into a lesson in seizing opportunities. Gawde, the founder of video AI startup BeHooked, recently shared on LinkedIn how he bumped into Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath at Subko Café in Bandra and decided to hand him a handwritten note about his venture.

An unexpected moment

Gawde had gone to the café with a venture capital acquaintance, Aakash Sood, for a casual discussion on pitching and storytelling. While they were deep in conversation, a group walked into a private room nearby—among them was one of India’s youngest billionaires, Nikhil Kamath.
“We were both starstruck,” Gawde admitted in his post, describing how he initially had no business card on him. Encouraged by Sood, he tore a page out of his diary and quickly scribbled a note introducing himself and his startup idea.

The note and the wave

Instead of walking up to Kamath directly, Gawde requested the café staff to pass the folded note along. The message, which he later posted online, included a brief introduction of his work in the video AI space along with his contact details.

To his surprise, Kamath not only read it but also looked up, smiled, and waved at him. “That 2-second wave made the entire day worth it,” Gawde wrote in his post, which has since sparked wide engagement online.

The handwritten note read-Hi nikhil,
Big fan and Huge Repect for what you have built and achieved.
I am Yash Gawde, an early stage Founder building in video Ai space. I built an AI agent that turns your ideas in social media ready videos.
Sorry to intrude. I know this isn’t the time or space but I just had to take a chance.
Would love to connect with you or your team.
Here are my contact details

Netizens applaud the courage

The story has struck a chord with LinkedIn users, many of whom praised Gawde for his initiative. One comment read, “This is literally luck meeting preparation. Hope you get a call back.” Another user described it as “a great example of turning a moment into an opportunity.” The encounter reflects the entrepreneurial spirit of taking bold chances, even in everyday settings. As Gawde concluded in his post, “Take your shots. You never know which one will land.”

About Nikhil Kamath

For the uninitiated, Kinhil kamath is the co-founder of Zerodha, India’s largest retail brokerage firm, as well as True Beacon and Gruhas. Known for his unconventional path after dropping out of school at 14, Kamath has since become a prolific investor. He also launched WTFund, a grant-based initiative that backs entrepreneurs under 25 with capital and mentorship without seeking equity.