Gautam Adani is an Indian billionaire businessman and the chairman of the Adani Group. As of 2024, Gautam Adani has an estimated net worth of $78.1 billion, making him one of the richest people in Asia and among the top 10 richest people in the world.
Adani has built his fortune through the Adani Group, founded in 1988, and has interests in ports, energy, logistics, and more. His net worth has rapidly grown. In 2020, his net worth was estimated at $30 billion. By 2024, it had grown to $78.1 billion.
Gautam Adani Net Worth
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As of January 2024, Gautam Adani has a net worth of $78.1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. That makes him the wealthiest person in Asia and the 10th richest in the world.
In just the past few years, Adani has added tens of billions to his net worth as the market capitalization of his companies has surged. In 2019, his net worth was around $8 billion.
Adani’s wealth stems from his 75% ownership of the Adani Group. The key listed companies of the group include Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Adani Power, Adani Green Energy, Adani Transmission, and Adani Total Gas.
Early Life and Education
Gautam Adani was born on 24 June 1962 in Ahmedabad, India. He comes from a modest background, with his father being a textile merchant. After dropping out of college, Adani moved to Mumbai in the early 1980s to try his luck and make his fortune.
Adani attended school at Sheth Chimanlal Nagindas Vidyalaya School in Ahmedabad. He was an average student but was very keen on business and entrepreneurship from a young age.
After school, Adani graduated with a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Gujarat University. He was an avid cricket fan during his college days.
After completing his B.Com, Adani briefly worked at a local company for a salary of ₹800 per month. But he wanted to be an entrepreneur. So, he moved to Mumbai in the 1980s to try his luck soon after finishing college.
Career Beginnings
After completing his education, Adani moved to Mumbai in the early 1980s to try his luck and make a career. He started working as a diamond sorter at Mahindra Brothers. In 1981, his brother Mansukhbhai Adani bought a plastics unit in Ahmedabad, and Gautam returned to manage it. However, that gave him his first taste of business management.
In 1988, Adani established Adani Enterprises as an import-export business based in Ahmedabad. In the 1990s, Adani diversified into infrastructure development, starting with the development of the Mundra Port in Gujarat. Besides, that would begin the Adani Group’s focus on infrastructure and energy.
However, Adani expanded the ports business aggressively, developing ports in various parts of India. Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone is now India’s largest private port operator. The Adani Group also ventured into thermal power generation, coal mining, natural gas distribution, airport management, and more.
Sources of Wealth
The biggest source of Adani’s wealth comes from the meteoric rise in stock prices of his companies under the Adani Group conglomerate. He owns 75% of Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Adani Power, Adani Green Energy, and other listed firms.
Adani’s net worth has surged as these companies’ valuations have surged. For example, Adani Enterprises share price increased 1500% between 2019 and 2022.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd is India’s largest private-sector-ctor port operator, accounting for a quarter of India’s port cargo. However, it generates massive revenues for the group from handling cargo and port operations. In 2021-22, its revenue was $1.3 billion.
Adani Group is developing and operating several coal mines in India and Australia, including the Carmichael coal mine. Once fully operational, coal production and exports will provide billions in revenue.
Wealth Milestones
- 1988 – Established Adani Enterprises as an import-export business
- 1994 – Developed Mundra Port, laying the foundation for port business
- 2006 – Adani Power was established to foray into power generation
- 2009 – Adani Enterprise Limited was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange with an IPO
- 2014 – Adani Ports profit crosses $1 billion mark
- 2015 – Adani Green Energy was founded to consolidate the renewable energy business
- 2019 – Adani Group wins bids to operate six airports in India
- 2020 – Adani’s net worth crosses the $30 billion mark for the first time
- 2022 – Adani becomes Asia’s richest person, overtaking Mukesh Ambani
- 2024 – Adani’s net worth reaches $78.1 billion
Business Ventures
Gautam Adani has built a multi-industry empire under the Adani Group conglomerate. His first major venture was Adani Enterprises Limited, which focused on trading commodities in agricultural products.
In the 1990s, Adani expanded into infrastructure development, starting with the Mundra Port in Gujarat, India’s largest private sector port today.
Adani then forayed into thermal power generation and distribution with Adani Power Limited. Today, Adani Power has become India’s largest private thermal power producer, with plants across states producing 13,450 MW.
Investments and Acquisitions
Adani has recently accelerated his group’s expansion through big-ticket acquisitions and investments. Some notable deals include:
- In 2020, Adani Green acquired SB Energy’s 5 GW renewable portfolio for $3.5 billion. That was one of India’s largest renewable energy deals.
- In 2021, Adani Ports acquired Gangavaram Port for Rs 36 billion. The same year, it also acquired Dighi Port for around Rs 705 crore.
- In 2022, Adani Ports acquired Israel’s Haifa Port for $1.2 billion. It also acquired Holcim’s cement plants for $10.5 billion.
- In 2023, Adani acquired Switzerland-based AIT for $495 million to boost airport ambitions. He also continued to invest heavily across existing businesses.
Philanthropy
Gautam Adani has increased his philanthropy in recent years. The Adani Foundation, the group’s philanthropic arm, focuses on four key areas – education, community health, sustainable livelihood, and community infrastructure development. However, the Adani Foundation runs three medical colleges and several schools.
In 2020, the Adani family contributed Rs 100 crore to the PM Cares Fund to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The foundation also distributed food packets and other essentials worth millions of rupees during the pandemic.
Personal Life
Gautam Adani married Priti Adani in 1985. They have two sons – Karan Adani and Jeet Adani. Karan Adani is CEO of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited, while Jeet Adani manages the finance operations of the Adani Group.
Adani is a workaholic with a strong business mind and ability to take risks. However, he has a simple lifestyle and avoids unnecessary limelight and media coverage. He is a vegetarian and a teetotaler.
Adani is also keenly interested in cricket and has invested in major cricketing ventures. He owns cricket teams like Mumbai Indians in the IPL and Gujarat Giants in the Pro Kabaddi League. The Adani Group also operates stadiums in Ahmedabad and Visakhapatnam.
FAQs on Gautam Adani Net Worth
How did Gautam Adani become so wealthy?
Adani became one of the wealthiest people in Asia due to the phenomenal growth and flourishing of his Adani Group into a multibillion-dollar conglomerate spanning ports, power, mining, and other sectors.
What are Adani’s biggest companies and sources of wealth?
Adani’s wealth mainly comes from owning companies like Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Adani Power, and Adani Green Energy. Also, his key income pillars are ports, coal mining, power generation, and renewable energy.
How did Adani start his first business?
In 1988, Adani started Adani Enterprises as an agri-commodities trading business. In the 1990s, he pivoted into infrastructure like ports and power plants, which became his big break. However, his first port project was Mundra Port in Gujarat.
What are Adani’s latest and new business ventures?
Adani is expanding into new sectors like airport ownership, city gas distribution, data centers, defense manufacturing, and petrochemicals.
Final Words
Gautam Adani has come a long way from his early days as a diamond trader and first-generation entrepreneur to become India’s richest person and one of the top billionaires globally.
His net worth has rapidly grown due to the successful execution of a portfolio of infrastructure and energy businesses. However, he faces challenges due to high debt levels across group companies. Notwithstanding, the Adani Group’s growth has been among the most remarkable Indian business success stories.
