Mukesh Ambani's wealth swelled by over Rs 1 lakh crore in last one year

Ambani saw his wealth increase to USD 38 billion (nearly Rs 2.5 lakh crore) from $22.7 billion last year.

Mumbai: Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has again topped the list of richest Indian for the 10th consecutive year, business magazine Forbes India said on Thursday.

Ambani, who cemented his decade-long hold on the top slot, added a staggering USD 15.3 billion (over Rs 1 lakh crore) or 67 percent to his last year's wealth to become one of Asia's top five richest.

Ambani, 60, who retains the top spot in the annual list of 100 richest Indian tycoons, saw his wealth   increase to USD 38 billion (nearly Rs 2.5 lakh crore) from $22.7 billion last year, while the wealth of 100 richest rose by 26 percent despite economic hiccups.

RIL`s share price has risen over the last year on the back of the company`s improved refining margins, and the telecom unit Reliance Jio`s massive success in notching up 130 million subscribers since its 2016 launch.

Anil Ambani, Mukesh's younger brother, was ranked much lower at 45th place with USD 3.15 billion. He was ranked 32nd in 2016 (USD 3.4 billion) and 29th a year before that.

Another Gujarati businessman Gautam Adani has moved up to 10th position (USD 11 billion), from 13th rank last year, as his networth rose from USD 6.3 billion.

Patanjali Ayurved's Acharya Balkrishna, known as a close associate of yoga guru Ramdev, made a big jump from 48th place last year to 19th now with a net worth of USD 6.55 billion (about Rs 43,000 crore).

The richest newcomer is cookies-and-airline tycoon Nusli Wadia at the 25th place with a net worth of USD 5.6 billion. Among the five other new entrants to the list are Dinesh Nandwana (88, USD 1.72 billion) of e-governance services firm Vakrangee; Vijay Shekhar Sharma (99, USD 1.47 billion) of fast-rising mobile wallet Paytm and Rana Kapoor (100, USD 1.46 billion) of Yes Bank.

Veteran investor Radhakishan Damani, boosted by the listing of his supermarket chain D-Mart in March, returned to the list at 12th place with a net worth of USD 9.3 billion. Other returnees are Future Group's Kishore Biyani (55th, USD 2.75 billion) and siblings Murli Dhar and Bimal Gyanchandani (75, USD 1.96 billion).

With Agency Inputs