Fortune of Ambani brothers have grown over six-fold to a staggering over $40 billion ever since Forbes has started publishing the list of rich Indians.
In 2004, when Forbes India published its inaugural list of 40 wealthiest business people, the Ambani siblings -- Mukesh and Anil -- were together and their combined net worth stood at $6.4 billion which has taken a handsome leap to touch an impressive figure of $40.3 billion in 2010, where the billionaire brothers have been ranked separately.
The Ambani brothers were ranked at the third place on the 2004 list featuring 13 billionaires.
Just an year after the Forbes started coming out with the India Rich List, the Ambani brothers parted ways. Mukesh had a fortune of $7 billion and Anil had a networth of $5.5 billion then.
According to the latest list, elder brother Mukesh, who has topped the 2010 Forbes India list, alone has a wealth of $27 billion while the younger Anil has grabbed the sixth spot with a net worth of $13.3 billion.
Over the years, Indian business tycoons have build upon their sizeable cash piles, with a record 69 billionaires featuring in Forbes India's Rich List for 2010. While number of members in India's Richie-Rich club stood at 52 last year.
The 8.5 per cent GDP growth of the Indian economy and bullish stock markets have pushed up networths of tycoons in the top 100 list. Also, the number of wealthy people has more than doubled to 100 last year from just 40 when the India Rich List was launched.
Interestingly, the first three places on Forbes list have been shuffling among the trio of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and Wipro's Azim Premji. Mittal had topped the first list followed by Premji at the second slot, while Ambani brothers ranked third in 2004.
According to Forbes India, this year's list is topped by industrialist Mukesh Ambani followed by Mittal at second and Premji bagging the third position. Mittal has a fortune of $26.1 billion and while that of Premji is $17.6 billion.
A minimum networth of $305 million was required to make the cut in 2004, while it has increased to $500 million to make the grade in this year's list.
