Unacademy co-founder Gaurav Munjal is stepping down as chief executive officer of the edtech company. He will move to the role of Executive Chairman, and Chief Business Officer Akhilendra Kumar will take over as the new CEO.
Munjal announced the change himself on Wednesday in a post on X, saying he was not leaving the company. “To be clear, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay fully involved in operations every day, work alongside Akhilendra and help with the upGrad IPO,” he wrote. “Akhilendra is one of the sharpest operators I know, and I’m proud to have him lead us into this next chapter. The best is still ahead.”
01. Who is Akhilendra Kumar?
Kumar’s appointment is an internal elevation. He has risen steadily inside Unacademy over the past few years, moving from assistant vice-president for business to vice-president for business and then to Chief Business Officer between 2022 and 2025.
He will now lead the company as it works on profitability and prepares for life inside upGrad, its new parent company.
02. Why the change matters
The leadership change comes just over two months after Ronnie Screwvala-led upGrad completed its acquisition of Unacademy in September 2026. The all-stock deal valued Unacademy at just over $200 million — about Rs 1,955 crore — roughly 94% below its peak valuation of around $3.4 billion in 2021. The Competition Commission of India had approved the combination in July.
The timing is earlier than many expected. The contours of the September deal had envisaged Munjal continuing as CEO of Unacademy’s businesses within upGrad for at least two years. Instead, the handover has happened within two months of the deal closing.
03. What happens next
Munjal said he will keep working on daily operations alongside Kumar and help with upGrad’s proposed stock market listing. For Kumar, the immediate task is to steady the business and push it towards profitability as Unacademy enters its next chapter under upGrad’s ownership.
