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Techie Loses ‘38 Lakh in Stock Trading, Wife Leaves After School Fees Bounce

M
Moneycontrol•02-10-2026, 13:43
Techie Loses ‘38 Lakh in Stock Trading, Wife Leaves After School Fees Bounce
- •A 35-year-old tech professional earning ‘2 lakh monthly lost ‘38 lakh in options trading, wiping out ‘14 lakh in savings and accumulating ‘24 lakh in debt.
- •The individual, identified as H, was introduced to Zerodha by a colleague and initially saw quick gains, leading to a compulsive cycle of trading and chasing losses.
- •H's trading addiction led to him taking personal loans under false pretenses, and loan recovery agents eventually contacted his workplace and wife.
- •The situation escalated when his child's school fees bounced, prompting his wife to leave with their child to stay with her parents.
- •The experience is shared as a cautionary tale against speculative trading and leverage, emphasizing the importance of patience and discipline in wealth building.
Key Questions Answered
The 35-year-old tech professional lost a total of Rs 38 lakh after starting with an initial savings of Rs 14 lakh and a monthly salary of Rs 2 lakh.
He was introduced to Zerodha around two years ago by a colleague who showed him a dashboard where he had reportedly made Rs 12,000 in 45 minutes trading Nifty options.
His Rs 14 lakh savings were entirely wiped out, his salary was garnished by debt recovery, he accumulated Rs 24 lakh in debt, and his wife took their child to stay with her parents after school fees bounced.





