In the past few weeks, we have been presenting to you an array of global rich lists encompassing influential people from different professional fields. In this final edition of the Global rich list, we present to you the ten current highest earning global Indian politicians.
1. Mangal Lodha - $3.6 billion.
Mangal (Prabhat) Lodha is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Malabar Hill, Maharashtra. He is the vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Maharashtra and is also an active social worker.
He was born in Jodhpur in 1955. He also completed his B. Com and his LLB from the University of Jodhpur, as well as practiced law at the Jodhpur High court.
In 1981, Lodha moved to Mumbai where he set up the Lodha Group, a real estate company. Lodha Group has become one of the leading real estate companies in India.
His Lodha Foundation implements initiatives, such as education, healthcare, sports and culture. The foundation also provides medical treatment, education, vocational training, sports training and many more to the underprivileged.
2. Lord Swraj Paul - $2.9 billion.
Lord Swraj Paul was born in 1931 in Jalandhar, India. He has a MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA). He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India and in 1996, he was elevated to the British Peerage.
Swraj Paul worked in a small foundry, Apeejay Surrendra Group, which was started by his father. Apeejay Surrendra Group became one of India's largest family owned industrial groups in a wide range of industries, such as steel, engineering, pharmaceuticals, hotels, shipping and tea.
Swraj Paul is a member of the UK's House of Lords. Previously a Labour party peer, he is now a crossbencher or independent lawmaker. He is the chairman of Caparo Group.
Lord Paul came to England in 1966 for the medical treatement of his daughter, Ambika. After the tragic death of his daughter, Paul remained in England and set up Caparo Group in 1968 as a dedication to her.
3. Nandan Nilekani - $1.75 billion.
Nandan Nilekani joined the Congress party and unsuccessfully fought as a Lok Sabha candidate in 2014.
Nandan Nilekani is the former chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). He is also a member of the Indian Congress party.
Nilekani was born in Bangalore. He received his Bachelors' degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai.
He is also one of the founders of Infosys, where he worked for 28 years before joining UIDAI.
Nandan Nilekani and his wife are philanthropists who have given away a part of their wealth to several causes. They have also invested in education and healthcare, as well as funded non-profit efforts in water infrastructure, micro-credit, and social research.
4. Mohammed Dewji - $1.25 billion.
A member of parliament in Tanzania since 2005, Mohammed Dewji is also head of MeTL Group, the country's largest privately held conglomerate.
Mohammed Dewji is a member of parliament in Tanzania. He is also the head of MeTL Group, Tanzania's largest home-grown company.
MeTL Group is worth more than $1 billion with a presence in 11 countries in Africa, such as Uganda, Ethiopia Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, DR Congo, as well as Tanzania. They provide logistic services, manufacturing products and brands that people love.
5. Vijay Mallya - $750 million.
Vijay Mallya is a shareholder in United Spirits and United Breweries (UB). He is the owner of Force India in F1 racing and the owner of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Vijay Mallya is an independent MP in the Rajya Sabha.
Vijay Mallya is the son of a famous industrialist, Vittal Mallya. Vijay Mallya became the chairman of United Breweries in 1983 and took the company to great heights.
The UB Group has several business interests, such as alcoholic beverages to life sciences, engineering, agriculture, chemicals, information technology and leisure.
In 2000, Mallya entered politics. He became the president of the Janata Party.
Vijay Mallya is also the founder of the Kingfisher airline and beer brand.
6. Ravindra Kishore Sinha- $138.23 million.
Ravindra Kishore Sinha is the founder of Security and Intelligence Services (India) Ltd. He is also a BJP MP in the Rajya Sabha. He is also a graduate in Political Science and Law.
Sinha set up the Delhi-based security services company in 1973. The company is said to have over 78,000 employees.
In the 60s, Sinha worked as a journalist; as a war correspondent, he spent an extensive amount of time with the Bihar regiment in forward areas covering the Bangladesh war action, as well as developing a close bond with several officers of the regiment.
He also received many accolades for his work as a war correspondent during the Indo-Pak war in 1971. It was Sinha's inclination to help ex-servicemen after the Indo-Pak war, which led him to start the Security and Intelligence Services (SIS) company.
7. Mahendra Prasad - $110. million
Dr Mahendra Prasad is an MP of the Rajyasabha, elected from Bihar state as a member of Janata Dal (United) Party. He is a former Congress Party member. He is also the owner of Aristo Pharmaceuticals.
Prasad has graduated with honours in Economics from the Patna University, Bihar. He has received his Doctorate from State Medical & Pharmaceutical University, Moldova.
By profession, he has been an Environmentalist, Horticulturist, Economist, Agriculturist, Political and Social Worker.
8. Jayadev Galla - $110. million
Jayadev Galla is the Managing Director of the Amara Raja Batteries Limited (ARBL). He is also an MP for Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the Lok Sabha for Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
He holds a Bachelors' degree in Politics and Economics with a Business Cognate from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA.
ARBL is a widely held public limited company listed on the National Stock Exchange of India Limited and the Bombay Stock Exchange Limited.
9. Konda Vishweshwar Reddy - $85.16. million
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy is a Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP in the Chevella Lok Sabha. He is also a shareholder in the Apollo Hospitals. His wife, Sangeeta Reddy is the Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals.
Reddy’s father, K. Madhava Reddy was Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court. His grandfather was noted freedom fighter and Telangana leader, K.V. Ranga Reddy, on whose name 'Ranga Reddy' district was named.
10. Jagan Mohan Reddy - $71.95 million.
Jagan Mohan Reddy (Yeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mohan Reddy) is the MLA for YSR Congress Party and is the leader of opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. He also has a degree in Business Administration.
Reddy's parents are noted politicians as well. His father was the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and his mother is Y.S. Vijayamma, MLA for Pulivendula.
Reddy was arrested under suspicion of accumulating disproportionate assets when this father was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
