Roshni Nadar Malhotra Becomes First Woman Billionaire in India’s Top 10 Rich List

Roshni Nadar Malhotra, the Chairperson of HCL Technologies, has become the first woman billionaire from India to break into the top 10 richest individuals in the country.

According to the Hurun Global Rich List 2025, she holds the third position in India, following Mukesh Ambani, the richest Indian, and Gautam Adani in second place. With a net worth of ₹3.5 lakh crore, Roshni has also become the fifth richest woman in the world.

The 43-year-old billionaire’s rise comes after her father, Shiv Nadar, transferred a 47% stake in HCL to her as part of a strategic succession plan.

Roshni’s inclusion in the elite global top 10 women’s rich list is a historic moment for India. Alice Walton of Walmart remains the richest woman in the world with a net worth of $102 billion, following a 46% increase in her wealth over the past year.

Who is Roshni Nadar Malhotra?

Roshni Nadar Malhotra is the only child of HCL founder Shiv Nadar and philanthropist Kiran Nadar. Born in 1981, she was raised in New Delhi and attended Vasant Valley School.

She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Communication and later earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Roshni has served on several prestigious advisory boards, including the Dean’s Advisory Council at the MIT School of Engineering and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). She is also a member of the global board of The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Roshni has earned numerous accolades for her business and philanthropic efforts. In 2017, she was recognized as Vogue India’s Philanthropist of the Year.

In 2023, she was ranked 60th on Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women and 72nd on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list. In 2024, she was awarded the French honor Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur for her contributions to business and society.

Beyond her corporate success, Roshni is a trained classical musician. She married Shikhar Malhotra, Vice Chairman of HCL Healthcare, in 2010. The couple has two sons and resides in New Delhi.

Roshni’s Wealth and Strategic Control Over HCL

Roshni’s wealth surged following the transfer of a 47% stake in HCL Technologies from her father, Shiv Nadar. This transfer elevated her net worth to ₹3.5 trillion, securing her position as the fifth richest woman globally and the third richest individual in India.

Roshni now holds control over voting rights for Vama Sundari Investments (Vama Delhi) and HCL Corp, the promoter entities of HCL Technologies.

She holds voting control over Vama Delhi’s 44.17% stake and HCL Corp’s 0.17% stake in HCL Technologies, along with Vama Delhi’s 12.94% stake and HCL Corp’s 49.94% stake in HCL Infosystems.

Shiv Nadar previously held a 51% stake in both Vama Delhi and HCL Corp, while Roshni owned 10.33% in both entities. This strategic shift solidifies Roshni’s authority over the $48 billion technology company’s strategic decisions.

India’s Billionaire Rankings in 2025

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, continues to be India’s richest individual, with a net worth of ₹8.6 trillion, despite a ₹1 trillion decline from last year due to rising debt levels and increased competition.

Ambani has also reclaimed his position as Asia’s richest person, overtaking Gautam Adani, whose net worth increased by 13% to ₹8.4 trillion.

Dilip Shanghvi of Sun Pharmaceuticals holds the fourth position in India with ₹2.5 trillion, while Wipro’s Azim Premji ranks fifth with ₹2.2 trillion.

India’s Growing Billionaire Presence

India’s billionaire count has risen to 284, adding 13 new billionaires compared to last year. This growth cements India’s status as the third-largest hub for billionaires, following the United States and China.

“This rise reflects the country’s growing economic influence on the world stage,” said Anas Rahman Junaid, founder and chief researcher of Hurun India.

“The collective wealth of Indian billionaires has surpassed the trillion-dollar milestone, signalling a new era of prosperity. Notably, 62% of these billionaires have experienced increased wealth, underscoring positive economic trends.”

India’s total billionaire wealth stands at ₹98 trillion, nearly one-third of the country’s overall wealth. The healthcare sector produced the most billionaires, adding 53 entrants, followed by consumer goods with 35 and industrial products with 32.

Mumbai remains home to the most Indian billionaires, with 90 in total. However, Shanghai has overtaken Mumbai as Asia’s billionaire capital. Mumbai still leads Beijing and London in new billionaire entrants, adding eight and seven, respectively.

Global Billionaire Trends

The 2025 Hurun Global Rich List features 3,442 billionaires from 71 countries, marking a 5% increase from last year. Their combined wealth has grown by 13%, highlighting global economic growth despite geopolitical challenges.

The United States remains the largest billionaire hub with 870 billionaires, overtaking China, which has 823.

India follows in third place, with its billionaire count tripling over the past decade. This year, India added 45 new billionaires while 27 dropped off the list.

India’s youngest billionaires are Shashank Kumar and Harshil Mathur, co-founders of Razorpay, each holding a net worth of ₹8,643 crore.

Roshni Nadar’s Lasting Impact

Roshni Nadar Malhotra’s rise to global billionaire status reflects India’s growing influence in global wealth and business.

As the first Indian woman to enter the top 10 richest women globally, Roshni’s leadership in HCL Technologies and her strategic role in shaping the company’s future mark a new era of success for Indian women in business.