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This article was first published 12 years ago

India's 25 richest people

Last updated on: October 27, 2011 15:27 IST

Image: An kite maker stands besides a kite made of notes of the Indian currency in New Delhi.
Photographs: B Mathur/Reuters.

Inflation, corruption scandals and falling stock and currency prices are denting the fortunes of India's richest.

According to the 2011 Forbes India Rich List, the combined wealth of India's 100 richest people is down 20 per cent from a year ago to $241 billion.

The combined wealth of India's 100 richest people is down 20 per cent from a year ago to $241 billion, according to the 2011 Forbes India Rich List.

This year's list also has a total of 57 billionaires. The top 10 richest are collectively worth $113.6 billion, down from $150 billion last year

Among the 15 who dropped out of the top 100 altogether are Vinod Goenka and Shahid Balwa, former billionaires now in jail for their alleged involvement in a telecom corruption scandal, says Forbes.

Click NEXT to see India's 25 richest people...

India's 25 richest people

Image: Mukesh Ambani.
Photographs: B Mathur/Reuters.

1. Mukesh Ambani
Net worth: $22.6 billion


Mukesh Ambani retained the title of India's richest man, with a net worth of $22.6 billion this year, despite seeing a drop of $4.4 billion.

"This has been a turbulent year for India's richest. Despite the economy growing at close to 8 percent, a spate of corruption scandals and rising inflation have taken a toll," Naazneen Karmali, India Editor of Forbes Asia said.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Lakshmi Mittal.
Photographs: B Mathur/Reuters.

2. Lakshmi Mittal
Net worth: $19.2 billion


Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal remains No.2 with a net worth of $19.2 billion, down 26% from last year.

Despite the recovery in steel demand, shares of his flagship, ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaker, plunged 40 per cent due to surging costs.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Azim Premji
Photographs: Reuters.

3. Azim Premji
Net worth: $13 billion

Infotech tycoon Azim Premji retained his third place, though his wealth slipped from $16.8 billion earlier this year.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Shashi and Ravi Ruia.
Photographs: Reuters.

4. Shashi and Ravi Ruia
Net worth: $10.2 billion

Brothers Shashi and Ravi Ruia, who head the Essar group are the fourth richest businessmen in India.

5. Savitri Jindal
Net worth: $9.5 billion

Savitri Jindal is the richest woman in India Inc. The non-executive chair of O P Jindal Group, she took over the steel and power conglomerate founded by her late husband Om Prakash in 1952.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Sunil Mittal.
Photographs: Reuters.

6. Sunil Mittal
Net worth: $8.8 billion


With a fortune of $8.8 billion, chairman of Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel, Sunil Mittal is the 8th richest man in India.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Gautam Adani.

7. Gautam Adani
Net worth: $8.2 billion

Chairman of the Adani Group, Gautam Adani's net worth has fallen to $8.2 billion from $10 billion.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Kumar Mangalam Birla.

8. Kumar Mangalam Birla
Net worth: $7.7 billion

With a net worth of $7.7 billion, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Birla's wealth has fallen from $9.2 billion seen earlier this year. 

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Pallonji Mistry.

9. Pallonji Mistry
Net worth: $7.6 billion

Chairman of Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Pallonji Mistry is ranked 9th in the list.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Adi Godrej.

10. Adi Godrej
Net worth: $6.8 billion

Chairman of the Godrej group, Adi Godrej is the tenth richest Indian with a new worth of $6.8 billion.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Dilip Shanghvi.

11. Dilip Shanghvi
Net worth: $6.7 billion


Dilip Shanghvi, chairman of Sun Pharmaceuticals saw a rise in fortune to $6.7 billion.

He is the biggest dollar gainer up by $1.5 billion from last year.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Kushal Pal Singh.

12. Kushal Pal Singh
Net worth: $6.5 billion
         
Chairman of DLF, Kushal Pal Singh was pushed out of the top 10 this year as well. 

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Anil Ambani.
Photographs: Reuters.

13. Anil Ambani
Net worth: $5.9 billion


The biggest dollar loser was Anil Ambani, down $7.4 billion; he slipped out of the top 10 for the first time since his 2004 to No. 13 this year.

His net worth is estimated at $5.9 billion, down from $13.3 billion last year.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Shiv Nadar.

14. Shiv Nadar
Net worth: $4.6 billion

Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL, has a net worth of $4.6 billion.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Uday Kotak.

15. Uday Kotak
Net worth: $3.6 billion


Uday Kotak, founder of the Kotak Mahindra Bank is the 15th richest Indian. 

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Anil Agarwal.

16. Anil Agarwal
Net worth: $3. 5 billion

Anil Agarwal is founder-director and executive chairman of the UK-based Vedanta Resources corporation.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Malvinder and Shivinder Singh.
Photographs: Reuters.

17. Malvinder and Shivinder Singh
Net worth: $3.2 billion

Former Ranbaxy CEO Malvinder Singh and his brother Shivinder Singh saw a drop in wealth to $3.2 billion.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Rahul Bajaj.

18. Rahul Bajaj
Net worth: $3.1 billion


Rahul Bajaj took over the Bajaj Group in 1965. Under his leadership, Bajaj Auto grew to become one of India's top automobile companies.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Micky Jagtiani.

19. Micky Jagtiani
Net worth: $3 billion


Micky Jagtiani, CEO of the Landmark Group has a fortune of $3 billion.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Anand Burman.

20. Anand Burman
Net worth: $2. 9 billion

Anand C. Burman is the Chairman of Dabur India with interests in pharmaceutical sciences.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Brijmohan Lall.

21. Brijmohan Lall

The biggest percentage gainer is Hero Group patriarch, Brijmohan Lall Munjal, ranked No. 21 with $2.7 billion.

He broke off his long-standing partnership with Honda Motor.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Subhash Chandra.

22. Subhash Chandra
Net worth: $2.6 billion


Media baron and Chairman of Essel Group, Subhash Chandra, with a fortune of $2.6 billion, is ranked at No. 22.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Kalanithi Maran.

23. Kalanithi Maran
Net worth: $2.5 billion


Media tycoon Kalanithi Maran heads Sun TV, India's biggest regional broadcaster

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Pankaj Patel.

24. Pankaj Patel
Net worth: $2. 4 billion


Pankaj Patel, chairman and managing director of Cadila Healthcare, the fifth largest pharmaceutical company in India.

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India's 25 richest people

Image: Indu Jain.

25. Indu Jain
Net worth: $2.3 billion


Indu Jain is the second richest woman in India. Chairperson of Bennett & Coleman Ltd and a spiritualist, her fortune stands at $2.3 billion.