Mukesh Ambani Vs Gautam Adani : Among the business names this year, it is notable that industrialist Gautam Adani made it into the top 10 and beat out fellow billionaire Mukesh Ambani on the ladder by one position.
The ‘Top 100 Most Influential Indians of 2024’ list, which was published by The Indian Express today, February 29, features notable figures who impact the nation in business, politics, entertainment, and sports.
This year’s business names are noteworthy for the industrialist Gautam Adani, who surpassed fellow billionaire Mukesh Ambani by one spot on the ladder and entered the top 10. It’s also noteworthy that he moved up 33 ranks from where he was last year.
Further down the business landscape, Infosys founder Nandan Nilekani has a surprising 44-rank lift to #95 after starring a government online project; Azim Premji stands out at #37, a testament to his humanitarian initiatives.
Adani Overtakes Ambani in Influence
Gautam Adani, the 61-year-old chairman of the Adani Group, finished in the top 10 of the Top 100 list, surpassing Reliance Industries (RIL) CEO Mukesh Ambani by one position. The publication cited Adani’s “rapid progress in various infrastructure sectors such as cement, power, airport, green energy, ports, power and gas distribution” as the main factor in his ranking of the top ten. These sectors include acquisitions and greenfield projects.
With a $101 billion net worth, Adani is also the second richest Indian, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index (BBI). The group has “bounced back” and stocks have regained their losses, the article said, despite being battered by the Hindenberg Research claims of accounting fraud and stock manipulation.
Aside from this, he has been in the news since the Parliamentary Opposition claimed that his conglomerate has benefited from his “closeness” to the ruling party.
In terms of plans, it noted the Adani Group’s plans for ₹7 lakh crore investment in airports, green energy, ports and power sectors, besides making roadways into the news and media space.
It also noted Adani’s online presence on social media site X (formerly known as Twitter), where the billionaire has 1 million followers: @gautam_adani.
Mukesh Ambani takes 11th Spot
In addition to listing Jio Financial Services (JFS), the list acknowledged RIL CMD Mukesh Ambani’s efforts to fortify the conglomerate through investments in “new energy, reorganization, and succession planning.” The Ambani children, Akash, who leads Jio’s digital business, Isha, who leads Reliance Retail’s retail division, and Anant, who leads the energy business, have also been appointed to positions on the RIL board.
RIL is planning to introduce its Hanooman AI model for India and is supporting BharatGPT in an effort to leverage the artificial intelligence trend.
It further mentioned that, according to BBI, Ambani, who is 66 years old, is the richest Indian, with a net worth of $109 billion. In addition to his personal riches, RIL recently achieved a market capitalization of ₹20 lakh crore, making it the most valuable listed firm in India.
Plans include the building of the Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex in Jamnagar, which will be the world’s largest integrated renewable manufacturing plant spanning 5,000 acres, and the anticipated IPO of Jio Platform and Reliance Retail.
Interestingly, though, Ambani is not on any social media platforms.
Top 100 Influential Indians of 2024
The list demonstrated the BJP’s (Bharatiya Janata Party) continued strength as the Lok Sabha 2024 Elections draw near. Amit Shah, the home minister, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the top two ranks in the power list for the sixth year in a row, among other party members.
The only two people from the RSS/BJP in the top 10 are business mogul Adani at number ten and Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud at number four.
In contrast, the opposition was only represented in the next ten rankings, where Mamata Banerjee topped the list at number 15, followed by Rahul Gandhi at number 16 and Arvind Kejriwal at number 18. The three’s strong presence is a result of their ability to withstand the BJP’s hegemony.
With Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin and Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah winning places in the upper 20s, at #25 and #22, respectively, as a barrier against the BJP’s growth, southern leaders also appeared formidable.
In addition to politicians, wrestler Vinesh Phogat (#100) and Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra (#46) leave their marks on the list. Shah Rukh Khan climbed to the position of #27, while Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt, who are at #79 and #80 respectively, symbolize the rise of women in Bollywood.
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