Anil Agarwal, founder and chairman of Vedanta Group, has announced that he will donate 75% of his family wealth to charity, following the sudden death of his son, Agnivesh Agarwal, at the age of 49. Agnivesh, who was recovering from a skiing accident, passed away due to cardiac arrest in the United States, leaving Agarwal and his family in deep grief.
Born in 1954 in Patna, Bihar, Anil Agarwal started his journey from a humble background. He began in his father’s aluminium business before moving to Mumbai at the age of 19, trading scrap metals. He acquired his first major company, Shamsher Sterling Corporation, in 1976 and later founded Sterlite Industries, the first private Indian company to set up a copper smelter and refinery.
Over decades, Agarwal built Vedanta into one of India’s largest conglomerates in metals, mining, and natural resources. Despite facing legal and regulatory challenges, he maintained a focus on leadership, resilience, and business growth.
Anil Agarwal is married to Kiran Agarwal, and together they had two children, Agnivesh and Priya. While Agnivesh led Hindustan Zinc and founded Fujeirah Gold, Priya Agarwal Hebbar serves as a non-executive director at Vedanta and chairs Hindustan Zinc. She also co-founded Yoda, an animal care organization.
Following his son’s death, Agarwal shared his grief publicly, calling it the “darkest day” of his life. He described Agnivesh’s passing as sudden and heartbreaking, emphasizing the pain of a parent losing a child.
In tribute and reflection, Agarwal has committed a majority of his wealth to charitable causes, joining the Giving Pledge alongside his daughter Priya. The move underlines his focus on philanthropy and a lasting legacy beyond business achievements, even in the wake of personal tragedy.
