Mukesh Ambani is the wealthiest Indian globally.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Forbes Magazine released the names of the wealthiest individuals in the world, with 1,565 names populating its latest World Billionaires list that represents a staggering $6.4 trillion in accumulated wealth.
Indian American representation on the annual list was relatively low, with just six names appearing: Bharat Desai and family came in at #731, with $2.4 billion in wealth in the field of outsourcing; software mogul Romesh Wadhwani followed shortly behind at #796, with a net worth of $2.2 billion; John Kapoor was listed at #931, with the healthcare professional amassing a value of $1.9 billion; venture capitalist Kavitark Ram Sharma made the top 1000 at #973, with $1.85 billion in assets; venture capitalist Vinod Khosla placed #1154, with a total wealth of $1.5 billion, tying him with LG Chariman and CEO Koo Bon-Moon of Korea; and Workday Chairman and CEO Aneel Bhusri landing at #1284 with $1.3 billion.
Some NRIs from outside of America also made the list, such as the Hinduja Brothers of the UK; together, the heads of global conglomerate Hinduja Group have a net worth estimated to be about $10 billion. Singapore residents Raj Kumar and Kishin RK are a pair of real estate gurus with about $2.1 billion in assets, putting them at #828, while fellow Singaporean real estate entrepreneur Asok Kumar Hiranandani placed #1372 with $1.2 billion. Pakistani American Shahid Khan, the current owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team, was ranked #367 with a net worth of $4.1 billion.
A total of 58 Indian nationals made the list, with Mukesh Ambani emerging as the wealthiest Indian at #40 and $18.6 billion; his brother, Anil, was far behind, placing #281 and having a net worth of $5 billion (tied with Virgin kingpin Richard Branson).
India’s 58 billionaires puts them far behind the US, which had 492 representatives on the list and was by far the country with the most wealth. India also trails China (153), Russia (112), and Germany (85).
However, perhaps surprisingly, India is ahead of countries such as the UK and France (47 each), Australia (29), Japan and South Korea (27 each), and Switzerland (17). Mexico, despite having the second wealthiest individual (telecom titan Carlos Slim Helu, with $72 billion), only has 17 citizens on the Forbes list. Saudi Arabia logged seven names but its wealthiest citizen is quite high — Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, with investments worth $20.4 billion — and the United Arab Emirates only produced four, its highest being #305 with $4.8 billion.
And the wealthiest individual in the entire world? Microsoft co-founder and renowned philanthropist Bill Gates, who has $76 billion in assets to his name.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com
1 Comment
The writer is soo biased and one sided. Why did he write that ” surprisingly India is ahead of countries like India and France each with 47 Billionaires. What is soo surprising about it??? Of course a country with 1.2 Billion people should be ahead of country which imports foreigners as skileed labor to improve its economic situation.
Infact it is very surprising for me that India is behind Germany amd Russia. In the coming five to ten years we must surpass most countries .
The writer should write facts, not what he thinks is surprising for him.