The golden leap

There were billionaires who gained wealth. There were those who lost wealth. And then there were those who hit the jackpot in 2013. Here's a peep into their soaring fortunes

AMIT JATIA
Vice-chairman, Westlife development

 

There's clearly a lot of money in burgers. For proof, just look at the fortunes of Amit Jatia, the 46-year-old fast food tycoon entrusted with developing the Indian market for McDonald's. In one year, Jatia's net worth has shot up more than 12 times - from Rs 253 crore in December 2012 to Rs 3,206 in December 2013. Hardcastle Restaurants, which runs over 170 McDonald's restaurants in West and South India, is controlled by Jatia's Westlife. And there's clearly plenty of scope to grow with the world's biggest - and expanding - hamburger chain. Here's why. McDonald's has less than 300 outlets in India. Compare that to China, where it has 2,000. Or Japan, where it has 4,000. McDonald's has made it amply clear that it intends to expand in India. Last year in October, when it introduced its first McCafe outlet, a coffeehouse-style chain, in Mumbai, it did so through Jaitia's Hardcastle Restaurants. So here's a billionaire whose fortunes would be worth keeping an eye on.

PURUSHOTTAM B AGRAWAL
Vice-chairman, Ajanta Pharma

Purushottam B Agrawal, the man who founded the Mumbai-headquartered Indian multinational pharmaceutical company in 1973, saw his net worth soar more than three times - from Rs 668 crore in December 2012 to Rs 2,482 in December 2013. His company, Ajanta Pharma, now sells its medicines in over 40 countries. In India, the focus is more on therapeutic segments like cardiovascular diseases - the Indian subcontinent has among the highest rates of cardiovascular disease in the world - dermatology, ophthalmology and musculoskeletal conditions.

CHIRAYU R AMIN
Chairman and managing director, Alembic

In India, business and cricket have always made a winning combination. Chirayu Amin, a businessman and cricket administrator, would know. In one year, his net worth has nearly trebled - from Rs 727 crore in December 2012 to Rs 2,013 in December 2013. The chairman of the century-old pharmaceutical group, Alembic, has in the past been chairman of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce. In 2010, this low-profile businessman with an interest in cricket and golf, had replaced the flamboyant Lalit Modi as interim commissioner of the Indian Premier League.

GIRRAJ KISHOR AGRAWAL
Managing director, Out of City Travel Solutions

And then there is Girraj Kishor Agrawal, the managing director of Out of City Travel Solutions (earlier called Tilak Finance Limited), whose net worth went up from Rs 762 crore in December 2012 to Rs 2,095 in December 2013. The Mumbai-based company which was incorporated in 1980 and used to operate a travel portal now has nothing to do with travel, even though its name suggests so. Agrawal's Out Of City Travel Solutions has moved to the lucrative finance business and is into lending, advancing and depositing money in industrial undertakings and businesses.