Mukesh Ambani Retains Top Spot as India's Richest Person
Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, remains the richest Indian in 2025 with a net worth of $105 billion, according to the Forbes India Rich List. This marks his 14th consecutive year at the summit of Indian wealth. His fortune is more than double that of the third-ranked individual, Savitri Jindal, and reflects the dominance of Reliance Industries, a conglomerate spanning petrochemicals, telecom, retail, and green energy.
Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, holds the second spot with $92 billion. The infrastructure tycoon recovered from a severe market downturn in 2023, when Hindenburg Research's allegations wiped over $150 billion off the group's market value. In September 2025, India's securities regulator stated that the allegations could not be established, allowing Adani's wealth to rebound. Adani now aims to build up to 10 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2035 to support India's energy security.
India's Billionaire Landscape Expands
India now has 284 billionaires, the third-highest tally globally after the United States and China, according to Forbes. The Hurun India Rich List 2025 reports over 350 billionaires, with total wealth nearly half of India's GDP. The wealth gap among the elite is stark: the top-ranked Ambani ($105 billion) is worth over seven times the 15th-ranked Mehta brothers ($14.1 billion).
Among the notable entries, Savitri Jindal is India's richest woman with $40.2 billion, inheriting and expanding the O.P. Jindal Group after her husband's death in 2005. She is one of the few female industrialists leading a heavy-industry conglomerate globally.
Detailed Rankings of the 15 Richest Indians
15. Sudhir & Samir Mehta ($14.1 billion)
The Mehta brothers co-helm the Torrent Group, based in Ahmedabad, which includes Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Torrent Power. Torrent Pharma is a top generic drug exporter, while Torrent Power operates electricity distribution networks in Gujarat and other states. The brothers maintain a low media profile, making their empire one of the most underappreciated in India.
14. Uday Kotak ($14.6 billion)
Uday Kotak, founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank, built the institution from a small finance company into a major financial services platform. He stepped down as CEO in 2023 but retains a substantial founding stake. Conservative lending and a digital pivot have made Kotak Mahindra one of India's most trusted banks.
13. Kushal Pal Singh ($16.7 billion)
At 93, K.P. Singh is the oldest billionaire on the list. As chairman emeritus of DLF Limited, he transformed the company into India's largest publicly listed real estate firm, developing townships like DLF City in Gurugram. He joined DLF in 1960 and led its 2007 IPO, one of India's most lucrative.
12. Lakshmi Mittal ($20 billion)
Known as the "Steel magnate of India," Lakshmi Mittal chairs ArcelorMittal, the world's second-largest steelmaker. Based in London, he built his empire by acquiring struggling mills globally and turning them around. His operations touch India through supply chains and major investments.
11. Hinduja Family ($20.6 billion)
The Hinduja family's conglomerate spans banking (IndusInd Bank), trucks (Ashok Leyland), media, real estate, energy, and healthcare across 38 countries. Founded in the 1910s by Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, the group is now run by four brothers based in London, Geneva, Dubai, and Mumbai.
10. Kumar Mangalam Birla ($20.7 billion)
Kumar Mangalam Birla has chaired the Aditya Birla Group since 1995, taking over at age 28 after his father's death. The group is now a $65 billion empire with operations in 40 countries, including UltraTech Cement (India's largest) and Hindalco Industries. His telecom venture, Vodafone Idea, remains a challenge.
9. Cyrus Poonawalla ($21.4 billion)
Cyrus Poonawalla founded the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, producing over 1.5 billion doses annually. His fortune surged during the COVID-19 pandemic when the institute partnered with AstraZeneca to manufacture Covishield. His son Adar now manages day-to-day operations, with diversification into real estate and financial services.
8. Bajaj Family ($21.8 billion)
The Bajaj family, one of India's oldest business dynasties, controls Bajaj Auto, Bajaj Finance, and Bajaj Finserv. Bajaj Finance is a leading consumer-lending NBFC, while Bajaj Auto has expanded into electric vehicles and premium motorcycles like KTM. Niraj Bajaj's wealth jumped 43% in 2025, climbing four ranks on the Hurun list.
7. Dilip Shanghvi ($26.3 billion)
Dilip Shanghvi founded Sun Pharma in 1983 with a ₹10,000 loan and five products. It is now India's largest pharmaceutical company by market capitalization. The 2014 acquisition of Ranbaxy Laboratories for $3.2 billion transformed Sun Pharma into a global generic drug powerhouse. Shanghvi is a Padma Shri awardee.
6. Radhakishan Damani ($28.2 billion)
Radhakishan Damani founded Avenue Supermarts, which operates 336 DMart stores across India. Known as "India's retail king," he started his journey in Mumbai in 2002. Before retail, he was a stock market investor and mentor to Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. Damani is famously reclusive, rarely giving interviews.
5. Shiv Nadar ($33.2 billion)
Shiv Nadar founded HCL Technologies in a Delhi garage in 1976, predating India's IT revolution. HCL now serves clients like Cisco, Microsoft, and Boeing. The company is riding demand for AI services and cloud infrastructure. Nadar stepped back from executive duties, handing leadership to his daughter Roshni Nadar Malhotra. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2008.
4. Sunil Mittal ($34.2 billion)
Sunil Mittal, founder of Bharti Airtel, was the biggest dollar gainer in 2025, adding $3.5 billion to his wealth. Airtel serves over 500 million customers across Africa and Asia. Aggressive 5G rollout and growing enterprise business drove his wealth recovery, reclaiming the fourth spot he last held in 2008.
3. Savitri Jindal ($40.2 billion)
Savitri Jindal inherited the O.P. Jindal Group after her husband's death in 2005 and expanded it into steel, power, cement, and infrastructure across India, the US, South America, Europe, and Africa. Her four sons manage various divisions. She is India's richest woman and a rare female leader in heavy industry.
2. Gautam Adani ($92 billion)
Gautam Adani, a high school dropout, founded the Adani Group in 1988 as a commodities trading firm. The conglomerate now operates in ports, airports, power, green energy, and cement. After the Hindenburg crisis in 2023, his wealth recovered following a regulatory reprieve. He plans to build 10 GW of nuclear power by 2035.
1. Mukesh Ambani ($105 billion)
Mukesh Ambani chairs Reliance Industries, a $125 billion revenue conglomerate. He inherited the oil refining business from his father Dhirubhai and expanded into telecom with Jio, which has over 500 million subscribers. Ambani plans to list Jio in 2026 in what could be India's largest IPO. He is investing $80 billion in green energy. His three children now serve on the board: Akash heads Jio, Isha oversees retail, and Anant handles energy. The family's 27-story Mumbai mansion, Antilia, is one of the world's most expensive homes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the Ambanis so rich?
The Ambani family's wealth stems from Reliance Industries, which Mukesh Ambani inherited from his father and expanded from oil into telecom, retail, and green energy. Jio's nationwide 5G, a growing green energy arm, and a vast retail footprint are key pillars.
How did Gautam Adani make his money?
Gautam Adani founded the Adani Group, which operates in ports, renewable and thermal energy, airports, logistics, and cement. Key companies include Adani Ports, Adani Green Energy, Adani Power, and Adani Enterprises.
Who is India's richest woman?
Savitri Jindal of the O.P. Jindal Group is India's richest woman, with a net worth of $40.2 billion. She inherited the empire and expanded it globally.
How many billionaires does India have?
India has 284 billionaires as of 2025, third globally after the US and China. The Hurun count exceeds 350, with total wealth near half of India's GDP.
Is Azim Premji still one of India's richest people?
Yes, Azim Premji remains wealthy, but his philanthropic donations of over $21 billion place him outside the Forbes top 15, which ranks current net worth. He ranked 8th on the Hurun India Rich List 2025.
