For decades, Indian-origin wealth in the US has been closely linked to technology, from enterprise software and networking to venture capital and the internet. The latest Hurun India Rich List shows that artificial intelligence is now becoming a major part of that story.

The 2026 list has 1,810 individuals with a wealth of at least INR 1,000 crore. Together, they are worth INR 187.5 lakh crore, or about $1.96 trillion. A growing share of this wealth is held by Indians living outside the country.

This year, 156 people on the list live overseas, up from 101 last year. The US is by far the biggest destination, with 90 Indian-origin billionaires, compared with 48 a year earlier. However, the nature of this wealth is also changing.

For the first time, Hurun has listed artificial intelligence as a separate category. It has 19 entrants with a combined wealth of INR 3.07 lakh crore. Thirteen of them live outside India, with many based in the US.

They are joining an older group of Indian-origin billionaires who made their fortunes in venture capital, networking, enterprise software and other areas of technology.

The ten richest Indian-origin billionaires living in the US show how that wealth is changing, from Silicon Valley pioneers who spent decades building their businesses to younger founders who have made billions from the rapid growth of AI.

ALSO READ

The old guard still leads

At the top is Vinod Khosla, with a wealth of INR 1.16 lakh crore, or about $12.2 billion. He is the richest Indian-origin billionaire living in the US on the Hurun list.

Khosla’s career began long before the current AI boom. He co-founded Sun Microsystems in the 1980s and later moved into venture capital, founding Khosla Ventures. His investments have covered technology, clean energy and, more recently, artificial intelligence. He is followed by Jay Chaudhry, with INR 99,800 crore, or around $10.4 billion.

Chaudhry made his fortune in cybersecurity. After founding and selling several companies, he started Zscaler, which has grown into a major cloud security company. Based in San Jose, California, Chaudhry has spent nearly three decades building businesses around internet security.

ALSO READ

At number three is Jayshree Ullal, with INR 77,400 crore, or about $8.1 billion. Ullal took over Arista Networks early in its journey and helped build it into a major enterprise networking company. She also tops Hurun’s separate lists of self-made women and professional managers this year.

From software to AI

The next group shows how the earlier technology boom is now feeding into the AI economy. Romesh T Wadhwani, with INR 54,300 crore, or about $5.7 billion, made his fortune through software and private equity. His firm, Symphony Technology Group, has increasingly focused on artificial intelligence.

Kavitark Ram Shriram, worth INR 39,400 crore, or around $4.1 billion, took a different route. Shriram was one of Google’s early investors and has remained associated with the company for years. His wealth comes from one of the most successful investments of the internet era. Despite his fortune, he has maintained a relatively low public profile.

Rakesh Gangwal, meanwhile, built his fortune outside technology. Worth INR 39,100 crore, or about $4.1 billion, Gangwal co-founded InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo. He lives in Miami, Florida, and is one of the few people in the top ten whose wealth comes mainly from aviation rather than technology.

Vivek Ranadive, worth INR 36,800 crore, or about $3.8 billion, made his fortune in enterprise software. He founded TIBCO Software, which became a major player in enterprise data integration. He later moved into professional sports and acquired the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.

AI is creating wealth faster

At number eight is Jitendra Mohan, with INR 28,800 crore, or close to $3 billion. Mohan co-founded Astera Labs, a semiconductor company that makes technology used to connect components inside data centres. As demand for AI computing has grown, so has the importance of the infrastructure needed to run it.

Based in Santa Clara, California, Mohan represents a newer generation of technology wealth, built around the infrastructure supporting AI.

His Astera Labs co-founder, Sanjay Gajendra, is also in the top ten, at number 10, with INR 27,600 crore, or about $2.9 billion.

Then there is Aravind Srinivas. At 32, Srinivas is the youngest person in the top ten. He has a wealth of INR 28,500 crore, or about $3 billion, largely linked to Perplexity, the AI search company he co-founded.

Two generations of technology wealth

This list tells us a story of two generations. The first includes Khosla, Chaudhry, Ullal, Wadhwani and Shriram. Their wealth comes from the earlier waves of Silicon Valley, including software, networking, venture capital and the internet.

Then there are people such as Gangwal and Ranadive, who took technology and business success into sectors such as aviation and professional sports. The newest names, including Mohan, Gajendra and Srinivas,  are tied more directly to AI, whether through semiconductors, computing infrastructure or AI applications.

The trend is also visible in the larger Hurun list. Of the 19 people entering the list under the new artificial intelligence category, 13 live outside India. The US is home to many of them. The geography remains familiar. Silicon Valley and the wider US technology industry continue to be important centres of Indian-origin wealth.However, the source of that wealth is changing.

The first generation built the networks. The next built the software. The new generation is building the infrastructure and applications that power artificial intelligence. If the AI boom continues to create wealth at its current pace, the list of Indian-origin billionaires in America could look very different by the time the next Hurun list is released.