Legendary Entrepreneurs in India (Traditional Business Giants)
![legendary-entrepreneurs-in-india-traditional-business-giants]( "Legendary Entrepreneurs in India (Traditional Business Giants)")
1. Mukesh Ambani
Mukesh Ambani is chairman of Reliance Industries, India’s biggest private company. Reliance is known for petrochemicals, refining and petro products, plus telecom (Jio) and retail. Ambani modernized Reliance’s refineries and launched Jio, which connected India with cheap data and phones. His bold investments in technology helped make India a data-driven country. Mukesh Ambani’s vision also shaped retail with Reliance Retail reaching lakhs of stores across India. He is consistently India’s richest person and one of the richest in the world.
Net worth: ₹9.5 Lakh Crore+
2. Gautam Adani
Gautam Adani founded the Adani Group, starting with a small commodity trading company. It later expanded into ports, power, energy, airports, and infrastructure. Under his leadership, Adani Group built India’s largest private port and some of its biggest power projects. He entered defence and airport sectors too, becoming a major player in India’s infrastructure development. At one point, he was the richest Indian. As of 2025, his wealth remains extremely high, though volatile due to stock market factors.
Net worth: ₹6.9 Lakh Crore+
3. Shiv Nadar
Shiv Nadar founded HCL Technologies (initially Hindustan Computers Ltd.) in 1976. HCL began as a hardware company and transformed into one of India’s top IT services firms. Nadar focused on tech-driven growth and also heavily supported education through the Shiv Nadar Foundation. He established schools and a university to help underprivileged students. While he stepped back from active roles, his wealth remains tied to HCL’s ongoing success. He is one of India’s richest individuals today.
Net worth: ₹3 Lakh Crore+
4. Kumar Mangalam Birla
Kumar Birla is the chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, which runs businesses in cement, metals, telecom, textiles, and financial services. He took over at a young age after his father’s passing and expanded globally. The group runs big names like UltraTech Cement and has a stake in Vodafone Idea. Birla is known for stable leadership and creating value for shareholders. His investments and leadership have helped the group stay among India’s most respected.
Net worth: ₹1.6 Lakh Crore+
5. Sunil Bharti Mittal
Sunil Bharti Mittal is the founder of Bharti Enterprises and launched Airtel, India’s major telecom company. He played a key role in making mobile and internet services affordable across India. Airtel also grew across Africa and other markets under his leadership. Mittal is seen as a pioneer in India’s telecom boom. Besides Airtel, Bharti Enterprises has interests in food, insurance, and real estate. His wealth mostly comes from Bharti Airtel shares and other investments.
Net worth: ₹1 Lakh Crore+
6. Azim Premji
Azim Premji transformed Wipro from a small cooking oil company into one of India’s top IT and FMCG firms. Under his leadership, Wipro became a trusted IT outsourcing partner globally. Premji is known for his simple lifestyle and massive donations to charity. He created the Azim Premji Foundation and pledged to give most of his wealth away. Though generous, he still holds a large stake in Wipro and remains among India’s wealthiest individuals.
Net worth: ₹96,000 Crore+
7. Rahul Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj led Bajaj Auto for decades and turned it into India’s top motorcycle and scooter maker. Bajaj scooters like Chetak became symbols of middle-class life in the 80s and 90s. Under his leadership, the company expanded into sports bikes and exports. He also served in the Rajya Sabha and spoke on economic reforms and industry issues. Rahul Bajaj passed away in 2022 but left behind a strong legacy and one of India’s most trusted brands.
Net worth: ₹61,500 Crore+
8. Narayana Murthy
Narayana Murthy co-founded Infosys in 1981 and is widely known as the father of India’s IT services industry. Infosys helped put India on the global software map. Murthy built a strong corporate culture at Infosys and emphasized transparency and good governance. He retired in 2011 but returned briefly before stepping away. Today, he is chairman emeritus. His wealth is primarily from his stake in Infosys, and he remains a highly respected voice in the business world.
Net worth: ₹38,000 Crore+
9. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw founded Biocon in 1978, initially operating out of her garage. Today, Biocon is a major player in biopharmaceuticals, producing insulin, cancer drugs, and other important medicines. She broke barriers in the male-dominated pharma world and became India’s richest self-made woman. Her leadership helped Biocon become a billion-dollar firm with a global footprint. She also invests in biotech startups and supports healthcare causes through the Biocon Foundation.
Net worth: ₹28,000 Crore+
10. Anand Mahindra
Anand Mahindra is the chairman of the Mahindra Group, which makes cars, tractors, and also operates in finance and IT. He helped Mahindra become a leading SUV and tractor brand in India, launching models like Scorpio and XUV500. Anand is also an active investor and popular on social media. His wealth is largely from Mahindra & Mahindra shares and other group companies like Tech Mahindra. He’s also known for backing startups and encouraging innovation.
Net worth: ₹17,000 Crore+
11. Ratan Tata
Ratan Tata led the Tata Group as chairman from 1991 to 2012, overseeing its global expansion. He’s known for major acquisitions like Jaguar Land Rover and for launching the Tata Nano. He has always focused on ethical business practices and value-driven leadership. Tata is also one of India’s most generous philanthropists, donating large amounts through Tata Trusts. Though he controls billions in business value, his personal wealth is modest due to the trust-based company ownership.
Net worth: ₹7,900 Crore+
12. Savitri Jindal
Savitri Jindal heads the O.P. Jindal Group, which deals in steel, power, and cement. After her husband O.P. Jindal passed away, she took on the business responsibilities and became one of India’s richest women. The Jindal Group runs multiple large companies and is known for its steel plants across the country. She is also active in politics and social service. Recent reports list her as one of India’s wealthiest, especially among female entrepreneurs in India.
Net worth: ₹3,700 Crore+
Modern Entrepreneurs & Startup Founders
![modern-entrepreneurs-startup-founders]( "Modern Entrepreneurs & Startup Founders")
1. Jaynti Kanani & Sandeep Nailwal
Jaynti Kanani & Sandeep Nailwal co-founded Polygon (formerly MATIC) in 2017, a blockchain platform for Ethereum scaling. They helped build one of India’s first successful crypto projects. Polygon’s token and network grew popular in crypto markets. As crypto entrepreneurs, they became wealthy as Polygon’s valuation rose. Exact net worth figures are volatile (crypto-based), but Forbes and crypto trackers list both as multi-millionaires (often over $1 billion each at peak). No simple authoritative source is cited here.
Net worth: ₹61,750 Crore+ (Jaynti), ₹9,960 Crore+ (Sandeep)
2. Sridhar Vembu
Sridhar Vembu is the founder of Zoho Corporation, a company that makes business software like CRM tools, email services, and cloud-based office apps. What makes Sridhar stand out is that he built Zoho without taking a single rupee of external funding. He shifted parts of Zoho’s operations to rural Tamil Nadu to provide tech jobs outside big cities. Under his leadership, Zoho became a global company with millions of users. Vembu owns around 90% of Zoho, which is privately held, making him one of the richest tech founders in India. His focus on profitability, product quality, and rural innovation makes him a respected name in India’s startup world.
Net worth: ₹50,000 Crore+
3. Nithin Kamath
Nithin Kamath is the co-founder of Zerodha, India’s top stock brokerage by number of users. Along with his brother Nikhil, Nithin changed how people trade stocks in India by offering zero-commission trades and easy-to-use tools. Zerodha was launched in 2010 and became profitable without outside funding. Nithin is known for his straightforward style, and he has inspired a generation of DIY investors. Besides Zerodha, he also invests in fintech and startups. Media sources estimate that he and his brother together have a combined wealth over ₹80,000 crore, but individually, Nithin is believed to be worth nearly half of that. His net worth mostly comes from Zerodha’s strong growth and profits.
Net worth: ₹40,000 Crore+
4. Byju Raveendran
Byju Raveendran founded BYJU’S, India’s biggest education technology company. It started with offline coaching classes and evolved into an app-based learning platform. BYJU’S offered video lessons and test prep for students in India and abroad. At its peak, the company was valued at $22 billion, making Byju a billionaire. However, after financial troubles and drop in valuation, his net worth changed dramatically. While some earlier reports pegged him at $2.1 billion, more recent estimates suggest he is worth far more than originally thought. Despite the ups and downs, he remains one of the most talked-about entrepreneurs in edtech.
Net worth: ₹28,220 Crore+
5. Falguni Nayar
Falguni Nayar is the founder of Nykaa, India’s leading online beauty and personal care brand. A former investment banker, Falguni started Nykaa in 2012, using her own money. The brand grew rapidly with its online and offline presence, offering a wide range of beauty, wellness, and fashion products. Nykaa became a unicorn and had a successful IPO in 2021. After the listing, Falguni briefly became India’s richest self-made woman. Most of her wealth comes from her ownership in Nykaa. Though the share prices have moved up and down, she still remains among the top women entrepreneurs in India.
Net worth: ₹25,000 Crore+
6. Nikhil Kamath
Nikhil Kamath is the co-founder of Zerodha, India’s top discount brokerage. He and his brother Nithin started the company in 2010 to make trading easier and cheaper. Nikhil also manages a wealth fund and invests in startups and alternative assets. While Nithin focuses more on operations, Nikhil is known for his investing skills and public commentary on finance. Zerodha’s consistent profitability and massive user base helped the Kamath brothers become billionaires. Like Nithin, Nikhil’s net worth is driven mostly by Zerodha’s value, along with his investment ventures.
Net worth: ₹21,000 Crore+
7. Bhavish Aggarwal
Bhavish Aggarwal co-founded Ola, one of India’s biggest ride-sharing platforms, in 2010. Ola started as a cab-hailing app and later expanded into electric vehicles through Ola Electric. Bhavish has big ambitions in clean mobility and AI. Ola Electric’s public listing in 2024 increased his net worth sharply. He is one of India’s youngest billionaires and is often compared to tech leaders like Elon Musk. His wealth mainly comes from his stake in Ola and Ola Electric, which are seen as major players in the future of mobility in India.
Net worth: ₹21,000 Crore+
8. Ritesh Agarwal
Ritesh Agarwal founded OYO Rooms, now known as OYO Hotels & Homes, in 2013. He built OYO into a massive budget hotel chain that operates in India and overseas. Ritesh started the company as a teenager and quickly became one of the youngest billionaires in the world. OYO standardizes room quality and helps small hotels connect with online travelers. Despite ups and downs in valuation, especially during COVID, OYO bounced back with funding and expansions. Most of Ritesh’s wealth is linked to OYO’s performance and share value.
Net worth: ₹16,000 Crore+
9. Deepinder Goyal
Deepinder Goyal is the co-founder and CEO of Zomato, a food delivery and restaurant discovery platform. Zomato started as a food review site and expanded into deliveries, restaurant services, and international operations. The company’s IPO in 2021 gave him billionaire status. Goyal continues to lead the company and has made acquisitions to expand Zomato’s ecosystem. His net worth is based on his stake in the company, which has remained strong even during market ups and downs.
Net worth: ₹15,300 Crore+
10. Kunal Shah
Kunal Shah is the founder of CRED, an app that rewards users for paying credit card bills. He previously created FreeCharge, which was acquired. Kunal is known for his deep understanding of consumer behavior and has invested in 200+ startups. CRED became a unicorn and gained wide recognition among India’s urban professionals. Shah’s net worth is mostly on paper, tied to the valuation of CRED and his equity. Though private about exact numbers, estimates suggest his wealth is in the multi-thousand crore range.
Net worth: ₹15,000 Crore+
Younger Gen & Niche Leaders
![younger-gen-niche-leaders]( "Younger Gen & Niche Leaders")
1. Vidit Aatrey
Vidit Aatrey is the co-founder of Meesho, one of India’s fastest-growing social commerce platforms. Launched in 2015 with Sanjeev Barnwal, Meesho enables small sellers and resellers to market products through WhatsApp, Facebook, and other social media channels. It has empowered millions of women and home-based entrepreneurs across the country. Vidit’s background in engineering and business helped him build Meesho into a company that attracted top global investors like SoftBank and Meta. Meesho’s valuation touched $4 billion by 2025. Based on his stake and equity sales, Vidit’s wealth has grown rapidly in recent years.
Net worth: ₹20,000 Crore+
2. Sanjeev Barnwal
Sanjeev Barnwal is the co-founder and CTO of Meesho. Alongside Vidit Aatrey, he helped shape Meesho’s technology and scale it for millions of users. Sanjeev played a key role in building the backend systems that allowed small businesses to sell easily through smartphones. Under his technical leadership, Meesho raised funding from top venture capital firms and reached unicorn status. In 2025, the company’s valuation climbed to $4 billion. As per reports, Sanjeev’s personal net worth stands in the thousands of crores, thanks to his equity in Meesho.
Net worth: ₹17,430 Crore+
3. Ravish Naresh
Ravish Naresh is the co-founder and CEO of Khatabook, a digital ledger and bookkeeping app built for India’s small merchants. The app lets users record credit and payments, replacing traditional paper books. Khatabook grew rapidly, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and attracted investors like Sequoia and MS Dhoni. Ravish helped the company expand into other fintech services like payments and invoicing. Though his exact net worth isn't publicly declared, estimates based on Khatabook’s $2 billion valuation in 2024 suggest his wealth is in the high hundreds of crores.
Net worth: ₹830 Crore+
4. Ankur Warikoo
Ankur Warikoo is best known for founding Nearbuy, a deals platform that helps users find local experiences such as restaurants, salons, and activities. He launched Nearbuy in 2011 (then known as Groupon India) and expanded it into various cities. Aside from his business, Ankur is widely followed for his content on social media—he speaks about productivity, startups, money management, and personal growth. He’s also a writer, public speaker, and educator. His income now comes from a mix of startup shares, speaking engagements, book sales, and course revenue.
Net worth: ₹123 Crore+
5. Varun Dua
Varun Dua is the founder and CEO of Acko, an insurance technology startup that offers car and health insurance digitally. Before Acko, he co-founded Coverfox, another online insurance platform. Acko changed the traditional insurance model in India by simplifying the buying process and offering bite-sized coverage. The company grew fast, backed by investors like Amazon and Accel. Varun’s wealth mainly comes from his leadership role at Acko and the equity he holds in the company. Reports in 2024 pegged his net worth around ₹107 crore.
Net worth: ₹107 Crore+
6. Rahul Chaudhary
Rahul Chaudhary co-founded Treebo Hotels, a budget hotel chain, in 2015. The startup aimed to solve the problem of inconsistent service in the budget stay segment. Treebo partnered with small hotels, offering them branding, software tools, and customer trust. Rahul later exited Treebo and turned to other ventures like Nestaway, a platform for home rentals. His experience as a serial entrepreneur brought him returns through startup exits. Though his current net worth isn’t publicly broken down, collective estimates from Treebo’s co-founder group suggest his wealth is modest compared to larger startup founders.
Net worth: ₹1.28 Crore+
India has seen many kinds of entrepreneurs, from old business families to new-age startup founders. Some built steel plants and telecom networks, while others made apps for learning, shopping, or payments. What they all have in common is that they worked hard, took risks, and changed the way people live and work.
Whether it's someone like Mukesh Ambani running one of the biggest companies or a young founder like Vidit Aatrey helping small sellers grow online, each person has played a role in building the country’s business world. Their stories show that with the right idea and effort, success is possible in many different ways.
![invite-indias-top-entrepreneurs-to-your-event]( "Invite India’s Top Entrepreneurs to Your Event")
Note: The net worth figures mentioned are approximate and may vary over time due to changes in business performance, market value, and other financial factors.
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