Industrialist Anil Agarwal, Founder and Chairman of Vedanta Group, has reaffirmed his position as Bihar’s richest individual. His family’s wealth has been reported at Rs 35,000cr crore, according to Forbes July 2025 list, placing him among India’s most influential business figures. He also ranks at the 16th position in the top 100 of the M3M Hurun India Rich List 2025 and 4th among non-Resident India wealth creators globally.
As per the information shared on his LinkedIn profile, he left his hometown at age 19 with basic belongings and ambition. With a tiffin box and bedding, Agarwal travelled to Mumbai. He was determined to build a business career for himself in India’s commercial capital. In his initial years, he tried his luck with nine different business ventures, but all of them failed, leaving him struggling to make ends meet. His only dream was to build a company of his own. Agarwal never gave up and later went ahead to establish the Vedanta Group in 1976.
From modest beginnings to global expansion
Born in Patna on January 24, 1954, Agarwal grew up in a Marwadi family, and his formal schooling ended at Miller school in the city because of money constraints. Agarwal’s early professional journey started with the scrap metal trade during the mid-1970s, giving him direct exposure to industrial supply cycles and commodity pricing. He later expanded into manufacturing through Sterlite Industries in 1986. He was initially producing jelly-filled cables. Sterlite later established India’s first private-sector copper smelter and refinery in 1993, marking Agarwal’s first major industrial breakthrough.
A crucial milestone came in 2001, when it acquired a controlling stake in Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), followed by a majority shareholding in Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL). These strategic takeovers elevated his influence in India’s aluminium and zinc markets and earned him the title of ‘’metal king’’ inside the business circles.
Vedanta today operates across a diversified portfolio including zinc, copper, aluminium, silver, power, nickel, oil & gas and iron & steel. Under Agarwal’s leadership, the group further expanded from an Indian miner into a global natural resources powerhouse. The company is expanding its footprint in semiconductors and display glass manufacturing, aligning with India’s push towards electronics self-reliance.
As per Hurun, Bihar has 6 entrants featured in this year’s ranking, and it is up from four previously.
Agarwal’s philanthropy work
Agarwal has pledged 75% of his wealth for social impact initiatives and is a signatory of The Giving Pledge, joining global philanthropists committed to giving away most of their fortune. His flagship project, Nand Ghar, aims to transform Anganwadi to support child malnutrition, empower women through skill development and improve education.
He also invests heavily in grassroots sports infrastructure and actively mentors young entrepreneurs. He often advises youth to “be humble, be fearless.”
