India has been one of the fastest growing economies of the last decade and this has seen an exponential increase in the number of billionaires in the country. As of 2024, 200 Indians have made it to Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list. So, who is the richest man in India, and what does the list of the top 10 richest men in India look like?
In this article, we take a look at the most richest man in India and take a sneak peek into their wealth.
Who is the Richest Man in India?
The title of the richest man in India is currently held by Mukesh Ambani – who is also the chairman as well as the managing director of Reliance Industries. He has a net worth of $115.6 billion – and not only tops the list in India, but is also ranked 12th globally. His wealth is primarily derived from his stakes in Reliance Industries – this can be seen in the diverse sectors like petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecom, and retail.
Top 10 Richest Men in India in 2024
Here in this article, we take a look at the top 10 richest men in India as of August 2024, as per Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires rankings:
Overview of the Richest Men in India
| Rank in India | Name | Global Rank | Net Worth (US$) | Company |
| 1 | Mukesh Ambani | 12 | $115.6 B | Reliance Industries |
| 2 | Gautam Adani | 21 | $85.2 B | Adani Group |
| 3 | Savitri Jindal & Family | 40 | $38.5 B | JSW Group |
| 4 | Shiv Nadar | 43 | $37.0 B | HCL Technologies |
| 5 | Dilip Shanghvi | 61 | $28.8 B | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd |
| 6 | Cyrus Poonawalla | 83 | $24.0 B | Serum Institute of India |
| 7 | Kumar Birla | 88 | $22.6 B | Aditya Birla Group |
| 8 | Radhakishan Damani | 90 | $21.9 B | Avenue Supermarkets |
| 9 | Kushal Pal Singh | 97 | $19.5 B | DLF Limited |
| 10 | Ravi Jaipuria | 113 | $16.4 B | Varun Beverages |
1. Mukesh Ambani
As can be seen from this list, Mukesh Ambani leads the list as the richest man in India. The revenue of Reliance Industries exceeds Rs 9.03 lakh crore ($109.4 billion). Reliance is essentially a conglomerate that has also diversified in petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecom, and retail.
Lesser known fact: Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia, his residence in Mumbai, is one of the most expensive private homes in the world, valued at over $1 billion. However, it is also designed to withstand earthquakes of up to 8 on the Richter scale.
2. Gautam Adani
Gautam Adani, with a net worth of $85.2 billion, is the second most richest man in India. He is the founder and chairman of the Adani Group – and operates in sectors like ports, airports, power generation, and green energy.
Lesser known fact: Despite his massive wealth, Gautam Adani survived a kidnapping and ransom situation in 1998. He was held at gunpoint but was released after a ransom was paid.
3. Savitri Jindal & Family
Savitri Jindal is the richest woman in India and her family ranks third with a net worth of $38.5 billion. The Jindal family takes care of the OP Jindal Group, a conglomerate involved in steel, power, cement, and infrastructure.
Lesser known fact: Savitri Jindal became the richest woman in India after the tragic death of her husband, Om Prakash Jindal, in a helicopter crash in 2005. She has since overseen the growth of the Jindal empire.
4. Shiv Nadar
Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL Technologies, is fourth with a net worth of $37.0 billion. Nadar is also a pioneer in India’s IT industry and is also very famous for his different philanthropic efforts.
Lesser known fact: Shiv Nadar is a prominent philanthropist and has donated over $1 billion to various causes, primarily in education. He founded the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which runs some of India’s most prestigious educational institutions.
5. Dilip Shanghvi
Dilip Shanghvi is the founder of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and is fifth in the top 10 richest men in India. His net worth is $28.8 billion – Sun Pharma is also one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in India.
Lesser known fact: Dilip Shanghvi started Sun Pharma in 1983 with just $200 borrowed from his father, initially focusing on psychiatry drugs. Today, it’s one of the largest specialty generic pharmaceutical companies globally.
6. Cyrus Poonawalla
Cyrus Poonawalla, the founder of the Serum Institute of India, has a net worth of $24.0 billion. Serum Institute of India is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. The company gained global recognition for its role in producing COVID-19 vaccines.
Lesser known fact: Cyrus Poonawalla founded the Serum Institute of India, which has become the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by the number of doses produced and sold globally, contributing significantly to global health.
7. Kumar Birla
Kumar Birla is the head of the Aditya Birla Group and ranks seven with a net worth of $22.6 billion. The group operates in sectors like cement, aluminium, and telecommunications.
Lesser known fact: Before founding Avenue Supermarts (DMart), Radhakishan Damani was a successful stock market investor. His minimalist lifestyle is in stark contrast to his billionaire status, often seen in simple white clothes.
8. Radhakishan Damani
Radhakishan Damani is called India’s retail king – it has a net worth of $21.9 billion. He is the founder of Avenue Supermarts, which operates DMart stores across India.
Lesser known fact: Kumar Birla took over the Aditya Birla Group at the young age of 28 after the sudden death of his father. He managed to grow the company into a global conglomerate operating in over 35 countries.
9. Kushal Pal Singh
Kushal Pal Singh has a net worth of $19.5 billion, is the chairman emeritus of DLF Limited – it is India’s largest real estate developer.
Lesser known fact: Kushal Pal Singh transformed DLF Limited into one of India’s largest real estate developers, and he was instrumental in developing Gurugram (formerly Gurgaon) into a leading financial and industrial hub..
10. Ravi Jaipuria
Ravi Jaipuria, with a net worth of $16.4 billion, is the chairman of RJ Corp. This operated Varun Beverages which is the largest bottling partner for PepsiCo in India.
Lesser known fact: Ravi Jaipuria, through his company Varun Beverages, owns one of the largest franchisees of PepsiCo in the world, with operations spanning across Asia and Africa. He also has a major presence in the fast-food industry, operating KFC and Pizza Hut outlets in India.
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FAQs
As of 2024, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, is the richest man in India.
Mukesh Ambani is perhaps the first richest man in India.
The term “most richest” is redundant, but Mukesh Ambani is indeed the richest man in India.
Gautam Adani, founder and chairman of the Adani Group, is the second richest man in India.
As of 2024, Nikhil Kamath, who co-founded Zerodha, is the youngest richest man in India.
