Forbes India — November 17, 2017

balkrishna: Vipin k

umar / hindustan times Via Getty ima

Ges; biyani: mexy x

aVier

december 29, 2017 forbes india | 29

the list

Surging sales of herbal-consumer-goods maker Patanjali Ayurved more than doubled Balkrishna’s wealth. He owns 98.6
percent of the privately held company, which he co-founded in 2006 with politically well-connected yoga guru Baba Ramdev
(above, right, with Balkrishna). With annual revenue of $1.65 billion in the fiscal year to March 2017, up by 115 percent from the
previous year, Patanjali sells everything from herbal toothpastes and shampoos to noodles and jams. It is now preparing to
launch a line of garments, including jeans. The pair is looking to buy assets of ailing infrastructure companies.

AChAryA bALkrishnA: herbAL iCon

kishore biyAni: bAzAAr boss
India’s retail king returns to the top 100 after a five-year gap, fuelled by a fourfold jump in shares of his future retail
since its relisting in August 2016 as an asset-light, pure-play retailer. It’s known for its Big Bazaar hypermarket chain.
Biyani, who started in 1987 with a trouser brand called Pantaloons, got into trouble after an expansion binge saddled
him with debt. After shutting down stores, laying off 3,000 and selling Pantaloons to Kumar Birla (No 8), the feisty
retailer rebuilt his empire, focusing on food and fashion. Biyani has splurged on technology, with digital screens on the
shelves at Big Bazaar that explain each product and its origin. His Future Group has latched onto ecommerce with three
portals, selling fashion, home decor and electronic items. (Read ‘The Retail Rebound’ on page 154)

38

kArsAnbhAi PAteL

$3.6 BILLION 

NIRMA AGE: 73

39

AshWin dAni

$3.5 BILLION

ASIAN PAINTS AGE: 74

40

GuPtA fAMiLy

$3.45 BILLION 

LUPIN

41

shAshi & rAvi ruiA

$3.4 BILLION 

ESSAR GROUP AGEs: 73, 68

42

sudhir & sAMir MehtA

$3.35 BILLION 

TORRENT GROUP

AGEs: 63, 54

43

sAMPrAdA sinGh

$3.3 BILLION 

ALKEM LABORATORIES

AGE: 91

44

AniL AGArWAL

$3.2 BILLION 

VEDANTA RESOURCES

AGE: 64

45

AniL AMbAni

$3.15 BILLION

RELIANCE COMMUNICATIONS

AGE: 58

46

Pv rAMPrAsAd reddy

$3.14 BILLION

AUROBINDO PHARMA AGE: 59

47

bAbA kALyAni

$3.13 BILLION 

BHARAT FORGE AGE: 68

48

vinod & AniL rAi GuPtA

$3.11 BILLION 

HAVELLS INDIA AGEs: 72, 48

49

sAMeer GehLAut

$3.1 BILLION 

INDIABULLS GROUP

AGE: 43

50

hAsMukh ChudGAr

$3.05 BILLION 

INTAS PHARMACEUTICALS

AGE: 84

UP MORE THAN 10% DOWN MORE THAN 10%

NEW TO LIST RETURNEE