India's 25 richest people

India's 100 richest people saw a 3 per cent rise in the wealth totaling $259 billion, says Forbes.

"The growth in wealth was lacklustre due to India's stumbling economy, which has been hit by inflation and a falling rupee," Forbes said.

Sun Pharmaceuticals founder Dilip Shanghvi is the highest gainer in the Forbes richest list. His wealth rose by $4.7 billion to hit a high of $13.9 billion.

Click NEXT to find out more about the 25 richest Indians in the corporate world...

Mukesh Ambani

Rank: 1

Wealth: $21 billion 

Mukesh Ambani, chairman, Reliance Industries continues to top the Forbes list of richest Indians for the sixth time, though his wealth has dropped considerably from $49 billion in 2007.

He has played a key role in transforming Reliance into one of India’s most valued companies. He also led the creation of the world’s largest grassroots petroleum refinery at Jamnagar in Gujarat. 

Ambani is ranked as the 22nd richest person in the world. Forbes has also listed Mukesh Ambani as one of the most powerful people in the world.

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Lakshmi Mittal

Rank: 2

Wealth: $16 billion

Chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel making company, Mittal owns 41 per cent of ArcelorMittal.

Mittal was ranked as the 47th ‘most powerful person’ in Forbes' list for 2012.

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Dilip Shanghvi

Rank: 3

Wealth: $13.9 billion

Dilip Shanghvi is the highest dollar gainer in the Forbes rich list. His wealth rose by $4.7 billion from $9.4 billion in March 2013.

Shanghvi is the founder and managing director of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, one of fastest growing and most profitable pharmaceutical companies in India.

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Azim Premji

Rank: 4

Wealth: $13.8 billion

Azim Premji has been at the helm of Wipro since his return from Stanford University in the late 1960's.

Premji transformed a $2 million hydrogenated cooking oil company into the $7.3 billion revenue IT, BPO and R&D Services organisation with a presence in 54 countries.

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Pallonji Mistry

Rank: 5

Wealth: $12.5 billion

With 18.4 per cent stake in Tata Sons, Chairman of Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Pallonji Mistry’s he is the single largest shareholder in the Tata Group.

Pallonji Mistry’s son Cyrus Mistry is Chairman of Tata Group.

Shapoorji Pallonji Group owns Shapoorji Pallonji Construction, Forbes Textiles and Eureka Forbes Limited.

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Hinduja Brothers

Rank: 6

Wealth: $9 billion

Hinduja Group Chairman Srichand P Hinduja, along with brothers Gopichand, Prakash and Ashok transformed the company into an international conglomerate with business spanning across 37 countries.

Srichand P Hinduja is the eldest son of Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, the founder of the Hinduja Group.

Gopichand P Hinduja is the Co-Chairman of the Hinduja Group of Companies. Prakash P Hinduja is the Chairman of the Hinduja Group of Companies in Europe.

The youngest brother Ashok P Hinduja is Chairman, Hinduja Group of Companies (India).

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Shiv Nadar

Rank: 7

Wealth: $8.6 billion

From being ranked at 13th last year, Shiv Nadar rose to 7th position in the richest list.

In the last three decades, under the leadership of Shiv Nadar, HCL has evolved into a $6.3-billion global enterprise with over 100,000 professionals.

In 2009, Forbes Magazine featured him in its list of ‘48 Heroes of Philanthropy’ in the Asia Pacific region. Nadar has won the Padma Bhushan for his contribution in the IT industry in 2001.

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Adi Godrej & family

Rank: 8

Wealth: $8.3 billion

An inspiring business leader, Adi Godrej is known for modernising and revamping his family business into one of India’s largest conglomerates. 

It operates across diverse sectors such as real estate, consumer products, industrial engineering, appliances, furniture, security and agricultural products.

Godrej has received several awards and recognitions including the Rajiv Gandhi Award in 2002.  

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2013. He also won the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year India Award in February 2013.

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Kumar Mangalam Birla

Rank: 9

Wealth: $7.6 billion

From taking over the reins of the company at the young age of 28, Kumar Mangalam Birla has come a long way. 

He was instrumental in raising the group's turnover from $2 billion in 1995, to $40 billion today. Birla has restructured the businesses to emerge as a leader in the sectors. 

He has made 26 acquisitions in 17 years in India and globally, the highest by an Indian multinational in India. In 2012, he was awarded the Forbes India Leadership Award and Nasscom’s Global Business Leader Award.

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Sunil Mittal & family

Rank: 10

Wealth: $6.6 billion

A born entrepreneur, Mittal started his first business in April 1976, with Rs 20,000 borrowed from his father. His first business was to supply spare parts for local bicycle manufacturers.

In 1992, he bid for one of the four mobile phone network licences auctioned in India. 

Under his leadership, Bharti Enterprises has emerged as one of India’s leading business groups with interests in telecom, retail, realty, financial services and agri-products.

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Anil Ambani

Rank: 11

Wealth: $6.2 billion

Anil Ambani started his career in Reliance Industries as the Co-Chief Executive Officer in 1983.

He played a key role in transforming Reliance Group along with his brother Mukesh Ambani.

Anil Ambani is now chairman of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG). The company was formed after the Reliance empire was split following a bitter battle between the Anil and Mukesh Ambani.

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Shashi & Ravi Ruia

Rank: 12

Wealth: $5.5 billion

Brothers Shashi Ruia and Ravi Ruia founded the Essar group in 1969.

Essar Group is today a multinational conglomerate with operations in more than 25 countries and has revenues to the tune of $17 billion. 

It is a leading player across sectors like steel, oil & gas, power, communications, shipping ports & logistics, construction and minerals.

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Micky Jagtiani

Rank: 13

Wealth: $5 billion

Micky Jagtiani is the man behind Landmark Group's success.

Founded in 1973 in Bahrain, the Landmark Group has grown into one of the largest retail organisations in the Middle East and India.

The Group operates over 1,200 outlets across a retail presence of over 18 million square and has over 40,000 employees.

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Savitri Jindal & family

Rank: 14

Wealth: $4.9 billion

Savitri Jindal is the richest businesswoman in India. 

She is the non-executive chairperson of O P Jindal Group, and member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly. 

Savitri Jindal also served as a Minister of Power in the Haryana government until 2010.

Only five women find a place in India's 100 richest, having a collective wealth of $8.83 billion.

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Uday Kotak

Rank: 15

Wealth: $4.1 billion

Uday Kotak is the founder, vice-chairman and managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank.

From a start-up venture in a limited range of activities, Uday Kotak played a key role in building the company into a full financial services group.

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Cyrus Poonawalla

Rank: 16

Wealth: $4 billion

Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman of Poonawalla Group which includes Serum Institute, one of the world's largest makers of pediatric vaccines.

He was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to the field of medicine in 2005.

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Anand Burman

Rank: 17

Wealth: $3.7 billion

Anand C Burman is the Chairman of Dabur India.

He is also the Managing Director of Dabur Oncology plc UK, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Dabur Pharma Ltd.

His interests are in the areas of research and development in pharmaceutical sciences and biotechnology. 

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Kushal Pal Singh

Rank: 18

Wealth: $3.4 billion

Kushal Pal Singh is the chairman of DLF, one of India's leading real estate companies.

DLF has a presence in over 30 cities across 18 states. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010.

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Desh Bandhu Gupta

Rank: 19

Wealth: $3.2 billion

Desh Bandhu Gupta started his career as Associate Professor at Birla Institute of Science and Technology, Pilani, Rajasthan. 

Gupta founded Lupin in 1968 with a seed capital of just Rs 5,000. He steered Lupin's operations, research and innovation programs in new drug research and novel drug delivery systems

Today, Lupin is one of the fastest growing pharma companies with products reaching 100 countries. 

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Bajaj Family

Rank: 20

Wealth: $3.1 billion

Chairman of the Bajaj Group and Member of Parliament, Rahul Bajaj is one the India’s most respected businessmen.

The Bajaj Group is amongst the top 10 business houses in India with business spanning automobiles, home appliances, lighting, iron and steel, insurance, travel and finance. 

He was awarded the third highest civilian award Padma Bhushan in 2001.

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Anil Agarwal

Rank: 21

Wealth: $3 billion

Anil Agarwal founded Vedanta Resources Corporation in 1976.

Vedanta Resources is a diversified natural resources major with interests in zinc, lead, silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium, power and oil & gas.

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Gautam Adani

Rank: 22

Wealth: $2.65 billion

A self-made billionaire, Gautam Adani is the Chairman of Adani Group.

The Adani Group has businesses spanning coal trading, coal mining, oil & gas exploration, ports, multi-modal logistics, power generation & transmission and gas distribution.

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Kalanithi Maran

Rank: 23

Wealth: $2.6 billion

Media baron Kalanithi Maran is chairman and Managing Director of Sun Group, one of the most profitable television networks in Asia.

Kalanithi Maran and his wife are India’s highest paid business executives with a package of Rs 56.25 crore (Rs 562.5 million) each in the last fiscal year.

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Brijmohan Lall Munjal

Rank: 24

Wealth: $2.55 billion

Brijmohan Lall Munjal is the Founder Director and Chairman of the $3.2 billion Hero Group.

In recognition of his contribution to industry, Munjal was conferred the Padma Bhushan. 

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Subhash Chandra

Rank: 25

Wealth: $2.35 billion

Subhash Chandra is the chairman of Zee Entertainment Enterprises and promoter of the Essel Group of Companies 

He revolutionised the television industry by launching the country's first satellite Hindi channel Zee TV in 1992 and later the first private news channel, Zee News.