Early Life
Anil Agarwal was born in Patna, Bihar, India, into a Marwari family. His father had a small aluminum conductor business. He attended Miller High School in Patna but chose to join his father's business, making aluminum conductors instead of pursuing a university education. At 19, he moved to Mumbai to seek career opportunities, beginning his entrepreneurial journey.
Rise to Success
Agarwal's career started in the mid-1970s with scrap metal trading. In 1976, he acquired Shamsher Sterling Corporation, a manufacturer of enameled copper. He established Sterlite Industries in 1986 to manufacture jelly-filled cables. Recognizing the impact of raw material prices, he ventured into metal production, with Sterlite becoming the first private sector company in India to set up a copper smelter and refinery in 1993. He later founded Vedanta Resources in 2003, which became the first Indian company listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Key Business Strategies
Agarwal's strategy included backward integration to control costs, strategic acquisitions to expand operations, and a focus on the mining and metals sector. He also aimed at controlling input costs by manufacturing metals instead of buying them. Vedanta has expanded its operations significantly over the years.
Philanthropy
Anil Agarwal established the Vedanta Foundation in 1992. He has pledged to donate 75% of his family's wealth to charity. His philanthropic efforts include initiatives focused on child welfare, women's empowerment, and education, including the Nand Ghar project, which modernizes Anganwadis in India. In 2014, he was ranked second in the Hurun India Philanthropy List for his personal donation of Rs. 1,796 crore (about $360 million).
