Top 10 Billionaires in Tamil Nadu and Chennai (2026)

The list of Top 10 Billionaires in Tamil Nadu and Chennai is starts with Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL, with a net worth of around $35 billion. Next up are the Murugappa family ($8 billion) and Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu ($6 billion).

Chennai in Tamil Nadu is home to some of India’s most powerful business families and first generation entrepreneurs.Their businesses range from technology to autos, media, health care, textiles, real estate and AI.

In this blog, we have listed the Top 10 Billionaires of Tamil Nadu and Chennai in 2026 and explained the work behind each fortune. Net worth figures are estimates based on sources are subject to change with markets.

Top 10 Billionaires In Tamil Nadu: The List In A Glimpse

1. Shiv Nadar: Founder, HCL Group ($35 Billion)

Shiv Nadar is Tamil Nadu’s richest person and one of India’s best-known technology entrepreneurs. Born in Tamil Nadu, he founded HCL in 1976 as one of India’s early computer hardware start-ups.

Over the decades, he built HCLTech into a global IT services company serving large enterprises worldwide. Beyond business, the Shiv Nadar Foundation is known for its work in education and philanthropy.

2. Murugappa Family: Murugappa Group ($8 Billion)

The Murugappa family runs the Murugappa Group, a Chennai conglomerate founded in 1900. It is one of the oldest business houses in South India.

The group’s companies include Tube Investments of India (known for cycle brands such as BSA and Hercules), Coromandel International, Carborundum Universal (CUMI) and Cholamandalam Finance. As a result, its interests span engineering, agricultural inputs, abrasives and financial services.

3. Sridhar Vembu: Co-founder, Zoho Corporation ($6 Billion)

Sridhar Vembu co-founded Zoho, a global software company headquartered in Chennai. The company began in 1996 as AdventNet and was later renamed Zoho.

Today, Zoho offers a suite of more than 50 cloud business applications, from CRM to accounting. Vembu is also known for building offices in rural Tamil Nadu, such as Tenkasi, to create technology jobs outside big cities.

4. Venu Srinivasan: Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor Company ($5.8 Billion)

Venu Srinivasan is a leading figure in India’s automobile industry and part of the Chennai-based TVS group. Under his leadership, TVS Motor grew into one of India’s leading two-wheeler makers.

Its brands include Apache, Jupiter and Ntorq, and the company also owns the British motorcycle brand Norton. Today, he serves as Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company.

5. Kalanithi Maran: Founder and Chairman, Sun Group ($3.2 Billion)

Kalanithi Maran leads Sun Group, one of India’s largest media and entertainment businesses. Its flagship, Sun TV Network, runs dozens of television channels across several South Indian languages.

In addition, the group operates in radio through Suryan FM and in films through Sun Pictures. It also owns the IPL cricket team Sunrisers Hyderabad.

6. Dr. Prathap C. Reddy: Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals ($3 Billion)

Dr. Prathap C. Reddy is widely regarded as a pioneer of private healthcare in India. In 1983, he opened India’s first corporate hospital, Apollo Hospitals, in Chennai.

Since then, Apollo has grown into a large healthcare network spanning hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, diagnostics and digital health. His daughters now hold key leadership roles in the group.

7. P. Adityaram: Founder, Chairman and MD, Adityaram Group ($2 Billion)

P. Adityaram is a Chennai-based entrepreneur and the Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Adityaram Group. His reported net worth of about $2 billion is cited from The Times of India.

The group works mainly in real estate and infrastructure through Adityaram Properties, which develops luxury villas and premium residential villa plotted communities in Akkarai, ECR, OMR, Thiruporur, Kelambakkam, and Padappai . In addition, Adityaram Group has interests in film production.

8. K.P. Ramasamy: Founder and Chairman, KPR Mill ($1.9 Billion)

K.P. Ramasamy founded KPR Mill, a Coimbatore-based textile company. It is one of India’s large vertically integrated apparel makers, producing yarn, fabric and finished garments.

Moreover, the group has diversified into sugar and ethanol. His rise reflects the strength of Tamil Nadu’s textile hub in the Coimbatore and Tiruppur region.

9. Aravind Srinivas: Co-founder and CEO, Perplexity AI ($1.5 Billion)

Aravind Srinivas is the youngest name on this list and a new-generation tech founder. Born in Chennai, he studied at IIT Madras before doing AI research at companies including OpenAI and Google.

In 2022, he co-founded Perplexity, an AI-powered answer engine that has grown rapidly worldwide. His success shows how Chennai talent is shaping global artificial intelligence.

10. A.C. Muthiah: Industrialist, SPIC ($1.2 Billion)

A.C. Muthiah is a veteran Chennai industrialist best known for building Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation (SPIC). The company became a major name in fertilizers and chemicals.

Beyond industry, he also served as President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

What This List Says About Tamil Nadu’s Economy

The list shows that Tamil Nadu’s wealth comes from a wide mix of industries rather than a single sector. For example, technology, manufacturing, media, healthcare, textiles and real estate are all represented.

It also mixes century-old business houses like the Murugappa Group with first-generation founders like Sridhar Vembu and Aravind Srinivas. Together, they reflect Chennai’s strengths in engineering talent, industry and entrepreneurship.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is the richest person in Tamil Nadu?

Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL, is the richest person associated with Tamil Nadu, with a reported net worth of about $35 billion according to Source.

2. Who is the richest person in Chennai?

Among Chennai-based business leaders, the Murugappa family and Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu are among the wealthiest. Shiv Nadar, though based in Delhi NCR, is also closely associated with Tamil Nadu.

3. Who is the youngest billionaire on this list?

Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, is the youngest billionaire on this list.

4. Which industries created the most wealth in Tamil Nadu?

Technology, automobiles, media, healthcare and textiles have created the most wealth, along with real estate and diversified industrial groups.

5. What does Adityaram Group do?

Adityaram Group, led by P. Adityaram, works in real estate, infrastructure and film production. Its real estate arm, Adityaram Properties, develops luxury villas and plotted communities in Chennai.

Conclusion

The top 10 billionaires of Tamil Nadu and Chennai show the state’s depth across old and new industries. From Shiv Nadar’s global IT empire to Aravind Srinivas’ AI start-up, their journeys shine a spotlight on Chennai as a launchpad for business.

Net worth figures are estimates that fluctuate with market trends. This list is reviewed periodically and updated to reflect any significant changes.