
Meet Indian billionaire who beat Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani by making bombs and ammo; his wealth rose by 78% due to..., net worth is Rs...
Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani and the top richest individuals in India, however, a surprise entrant has earned more wealth than the Reliance Industries chairman and the Adani Group boss in the first half of the current fiscal year. No, its not any of the usual culprits like Narayana Murthy, Shiv Nadar or Azim Premji, the man we are talking about is billionaire Satyanarayan Nuwal, the co-founder and President of Solar Industries India. Who is Satyanarayan Nuwal?
Satyanarayan Nuwal is the co-founder of Solar Industries India, a company he established in 1995, initially to trade in industrial explosives, before venturing in the manufacturing of the same.
At the age of 18, Satyanarayan Nuwal, the son of a middle-income government employee, started his first business, and later set up Solar Industries India, which currently has 25 manufacturing plants across India and exports ammunition and explosives to more than 50 countries around the globe.
A major chunk of the company's annual revenue comes from global exports, followed by housing and infrastructure, state-owned coal companies and the defense sector, according to Forbes.
The Nagpur-based firm manufactures detonators, explosives and ammunition at its 25 facilities across India. How Satyanarayan Nuwal's net worth increased by 78% in 2025?
According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Satyanarayan Nuwal currently has a net worth of $7.90 billion as his wealth surged by a whopping 78 percent in the first half of 2025, surpassing heavyweights like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani. The primary reason for the astonishing rise in Nuwal's fortune is the rapid increase in the stock prices of Solar Industries India, which rose 45 percent in 2024, and 54 percent in 2023.
However, the Nuwal's company's is witnessing its best year in 2025 as its share prices have jumped 81 percent in the first half. Who earned how much in 2025?
As per Bloomberg, the total wealth of Satyanarayan Nuwal increased by a whopping 78.4 percent during the first half of this year to reach $7.9 billion, while telecom tycoon Sunil Mittal witnessed 27.3 percent rise in his fortune, taking his total wealth to $30.4 billion.
The net worth of London-based Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal jumped to $24.8 billion, an increase of 26.1 percent, while billionaire Rahul Bhatia's fortune surged by 24.9 percent, reaching $10.8 billion.
Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man, saw a jump of 21.9 percent in his total wealth and has a current net worth of $110.5 billion, while Gautam Adani, India's second-richest individual has a net worth of $85.4 billion, after an increase of 8.5 percent in the first six months of 2025, according to Bloomberg.
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Mint
35 minutes ago
- Mint
India makes a push for cheaper foreign loans in yen, rupee
India is pressing multilateral development banks (MDBs) to lend more in Japanese yen and Indian rupees in an attempt to reduce borrowing costs and manage exchange rate risks more effectively, two officials aware of the matter said. New Delhi has steadily expanded loans and official development assistance (ODA) in yen to gain from ultra-low interest rates and the rupee's appreciation against the Japanese currency. Many of these loans finance infrastructure and development projects. 'Yen rates remain close to zero, and with the rupee having appreciated significantly against the yen since early 2023, yen borrowings, including through Samurai bonds, have emerged as a compelling option," one of the two officials cited above said, requesting anonymity. Samurai bonds are yen-denominated bonds issued in Japan by foreign entities to raise money. The development assumes significance since MDBs such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) play a central role in global finance, especially in developing economies. These institutions lend in dollar as well as other reserve currencies. ADB, which mainly lends in dollars, has also issued rupee bonds. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) too lends in yen, euro and rupees. The yen is part of IMF's special drawing rights (SDR) basket of currencies, and can be used depending on borrower preference and availability. India is pushing for loans in yen, the second official confirmed, adding "These loans and ODAs are not free, and we pay interest on them. A lot has changed now with India's rise at the global high table, and we are in a better position to negotiate our terms and conditions with the MDBs," said the second person. 'Also, given our past record, India also happens to be very attractive for these lending institutions as well, given our repayment history and the credit profile. We will follow the strategy which is in our best interest," the person added. An ADB spokesperson said the bank has received a handful of requests from India for yen-denominated loans in the last two years, with three such agreements signed in 2023 and 2024. These include the Delhi-Meerut RRTS Tranche 3 (2023), the Nagpur Metro Urban Mobility Project (2024) and the Amaravati Capital City Development Programme (2024). The ADB spokesperson pointed out that despite the rising interest in yen loans, 20 out of 22 sovereign loans signed by ADB in India in 2024 were in dollars. 'ADB's advice to borrowers is to choose the most financially advantageous termsbased on needs and risk exposure of the project and the borrower's overall external debt portfolio," the spokesperson added. Queries emailed to the spokespersons of India's finance ministry, World Bank, AIIB, IMF and Exim Bank remained unanswered. 'India is expected to expand its yen exposure further as part of a calibrated shift to longer-tenure, lower-cost financing to mitigate exchange rate risks. It will also explore greater use of the domestic currency. However, the dollar will remain dominant in the medium term, given its role as the principal global reserve currency," the official cited earlier said. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, yen-denominated liabilities rose to 6.2% of India's total external debt at the end of March 2025, up from 5.8% a year earlier. In absolute terms, this equals $45.6 billion out of the total $736.3 billion in external debt at the end of FY25. India's total external debt rose 10% in FY25. The US dollar still dominated India's external borrowings, accounting for 54.2%, followed by the Indian rupee (31.1%), yen (6.2%), SDR (4.6%), and the euro (3.2%). While the appeal of yen financing is clear, economists caution that since India lacks a deep forex market for the yen, most conversions still happen through cross-rates with the dollar or euro rather than direct market-determined rates, adding layers of complexity. 'Rupee-denominated loans are preferable from a stability standpoint. As for yen borrowings, unless a more efficient and transparent yen market develops, the advantages remain limited. In many cases, dollar- or SDR-denominated loans might still be more practical," said Bhanumurthy N.R., director of the Madras School of Economics. India's yen borrowing strategy is gaining traction across both bilateral and multilateral channels. In FY24 alone, India signed yen loan agreements with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) worth over ¥276 billion (around ₹15,600 crore), funding metro rail, logistics, and renewable energy projects. In FY25, JICA followed up with six ODA agreements worth ¥191.7 billion ( ₹11,181 crore) to support urban transport, water infrastructure, environmental protection, and livelihood programmes, including Delhi Metro Phase IV, Chennai's desalination plant, biodiversity projects in Punjab, and an aquaculture initiative in Assam. A separate ¥84.3 billion loan for Mumbai Metro Line 3 took the year's total to ¥276 billion ( ₹15,655 crore). 'India's push to secure more yen- and rupee-denominated loans from MDBs reflects a prudent effort to lower external borrowing costs while reducing exposure to the volatility of major foreign currencies like the US dollar," said Venkatakrishnan Srinivasan, managing partner at Rockfort Fincap Llp, a financial advisory firm. 'From a bond market and risk perspective, rupee-denominated MDB funding is a strong fit. It eliminates currency mismatch, enhances debt predictability, and aligns well with India's broader strategy of deepening its local currency bond ecosystem. Yen-denominated loans, though historically low-cost, now come with added complexity due to heightened forex volatility and an uncertain interest rate trajectory in Japan," he added.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Kolhapuri chappal gets leg-up over ‘copying' by Italian brand
Mumbai: A public interest litigation filed in Bombay high court seeks reliefs against Italian luxury fashion label Prada after it showcased open-toe leather sandals at the recent Milan Fashion Week that are "deceptively similar" to the Kolhapuri chappal. "The Kolhapuri chappal is the cultural symbol of Maharashtra and has special public sentiments attached to it. The act of copying and misrepresenting this craft in international markets effectively amounts to depriving local artisans of rightful recognition and credit for their work, who have preserved and practised this traditional art form for nearly 800 years," states the PIL filed by six advocates led by Ganesh Hingmire, an intellectual property rights expert. According to their petition, Kolhapuri chappal is protected with a geographical indication (GI). On June 22, Prada held its Spring/Summer 2026 Men's collection unveiling toe ring sandals "reportedly priced at over Rs 1 lakh per pair". There was no mention that it was Indian-inspired design. "The infringement of the design of the Kolhapuri chappal by a luxurious fashion label is without the knowledge or consent of the GI application holder or the authorised users," it adds. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai While Prada "privately accepted" its collection is "inspired by Indian artisans", this acknowledgement surfaced after widespread backlash on social media. This acknowledgement was not given to the "makers of Kolhapuri chappals, GI Registry, the govt or public at large". Prada has not issued a formal apology, and the statement appears to be a "merely superficial attempt to deflect criticism". The petition said misuse causes "dilution of the GI identity, erodes its distinctiveness and unjustly enriches the foreign brand, depriving the artisans of the right economic and reputational benefits". The PIL says: "The handicraft is the result of countless hours of meticulous labour by artisans." Thus, Prada's "unauthorised profit-oriented motive displaying sandals deceptively close to Kolhapuri chappal and inscribing the word 'PRADA' on the footwear directly undermines the livelihood and dignity of the traditional artisans and authorised users of GI". The petitioners lament that the artisan community is not financially equipped to initiate civil proceedings, does not receive adequate support from govt bodies, and lacks awareness of their community rights, leaving them vulnerable. They want "strong, decisive measures to address these violations and set an exemplary legal precedent that deters future acts of cultural misappropriation". They have prayed for restraint and a permanent injunction on Prada from "commercialising the use of so-called toe ring sandals, which is originally a GI-tagged product, Kolhapuri chappal", to direct Prada to issue a widely circulated public apology and pay compensation to artisans for "reputational and economic damages." The PIL will be heard in due course.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Tata Power plans to contest Rs 4k-cr Singapore arbitral order
MUMBAI: Tata Power, the utility arm of the Tata Group, plans to contest the $490 million (Rs 4,200 crore) verdict handed down by the Singapore arbitral tribunal. The ruling stems from alleged breaches of confidentiality agreements with investment firm Kleros Capital Partners concerning a potential coal mining project in Russia. At Tata Power's annual shareholder meeting on Friday, chairman N Chandrasekaran said: "The company is reviewing the contents of the July 1 arbitration award and is discussing with lawyers. It will look at all options, including challenging the decision." He emphasised, "This is top of the agenda." The Singapore International Arbitration Centre granted Kleros a monetary award totalling more than $618 million. This included $490 million in damages, alongside interest payments exceeding $120 million (calculated at 5.33% from Nov 30, 2020 - when the lawsuit commenced - until payment settlement), and $8 million in legal costs with interest (at 5.33% from July 1, 2025--when the verdict was issued-until final payment). Tata Power has not accounted for any provisions in its financial accounts in relation to the arbitral award. Since July 1, Tata Power stock has lost nearly 1.5%. On Friday, the stock on BSE closed at Rs 401. The Singapore arbitral tribunal held that Tata Power breached certain clauses of the non-disclosure agreements it had entered. However, in its FY25 report, the Indian company maintained that Kleros's case was an afterthought and therefore lacked merit. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is your tinnitus getting worse? Do this immediately (Watch) Hearing Magazine Undo Also, Kleros failed to substantiate its project value claims concerning loss of opportunity and compensation negotiations. Consequently, Tata Power believed its position was strong and deemed it unnecessary to make provisions concerning the arbitration ruling, the FY25 report showed. In another dispute, Adaro International (Singapore) has sought damages of $106 million from Tata Power for alleged contractual breaches. Tata Power, in turn, has filed a counterclaim for $229 million for losses suffered due to non-supply of coal by Adaro. According to its FY25 report, Tata Power entered into a coal supply agreement with Adaro for its Trombay, Mumbai power plant, which required it to procure a certain quantity of coal annually. Both parties have initiated arbitration proceedings. Responding to shareholders' questions regarding ongoing litigation cases, Chandrasekaran said: "With regard to the other arbitration case, the company believes that it should definitely challenge that. That is something that is waiting for resolution." The company currently imports 15 million tonnes of coal yearly for its domestic thermal power operations. Interestingly, Tata Power is reassessing its thermal power strategy, four years after deciding to focus on green energy instead of expanding thermal power. Chandrasekaran said: "The company had declared that it will not expand in coal-based energy. However, this decision is being reviewed by the board due to the increasing demand for electricity in the country. The country may not be able to switch off all coal projects in the near future. It may take longer because the country's net zero target is 2070 whereas the company's target is 2045. So to meet the immediate demands of the industry, should there be a need to look at participation in additional coal-based projects is something that the board constantly looks at. " He indicated that the company has no intentions to convert its coal-based power plants to gas-based plants. "Our coal plants will be coming to the end of their life in the next 10 to 15 years. After that, we will slowly replace them with renewables". Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now