Dubai: Families in India have dominated this year’s list of wealthiest clans in Asia, according to the latest ranking by Forbes.
For the first time, India’s Ambani family took the crown as the richest in the region, with a net worth of $44.8 billion. The Ambanis led the table of 50 families whose combined fortunes went up to $699 billion this year, up 35 per cent from 2016.
According to Forbes, the Ambanis are not just the richest, they are also this year’s biggest gainer of wealth, both in dollar and percentage terms.
This year, the family saw their shares ballooned by $19 billion, thanks to the growth in Reliance Industries, edging out South Korea’s Lee (Byung-Chull) family who owns Samsung Electronics.
The Ambani family is one of the popular clans who own businesses in India. Mukesh Ambani, known as an oil-and-gas tycoon, has a younger brother, Anil, who owns Reliance Communications.
Their father, Dhirubhai, used to work at a Yemeni petrol station and sold spices and yarn. He founded Reliance Textile Industries that later became known for the iconic Vimal textile grand.
Overall, at least 16 families from India entered Forbes’ wealthiest list. Hong Kong has the second-highest number of wealthiest families at 9, followed by Singapore (5) and South Korea (4) and Indonesia (4).
Three families from Thailand, as well as two families each from the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan were also included in the list.
50 richest families in Asia (Source of wealth/ Country/ Net worth)
1.Ambani family (Reliance Group, India)
$44.8 billion
2.Lee (Byung-Chull) family (Samsung Electronics, South Korea)
$40.8 billion
3.Kwok family (Sun Hung Kai & Co, Hong Kong)
$40.4 billion/ Hong Kong
4.Chearavanont family (Charoean Pokphand (CP) Group, Thailand)
$36.6 billion
5.R. Budi & Michael Hartono (Djarum, Indonesia)
$32 billion
6.Lee (Shau Kee) family (Henderson Development, Hong Kong)
$29 billion
7.Kwek/ Quek family (Hong Leong group, Malaysia)
$23.3 billion
8.Cheng family (Chow Tai Fook, Hong Kong)
$22.5 billion
9.Sy family (SM Investments Corporation, Philippines)
$20.1 billion
10.Chirathivat family (Retail, Thailand)
$19.3 billion
11.Premji family (Wipro, India)
$19.2 billion
12.Hinduja family (Diversified, United Kingdom)
$18.8 billion
13.Tsai (Wan-Tsai) family (Cathay Financial, Taiwan)
$17.7 billion
14.Mittal family (ArcelorMittal, India)
$17.2 billion
15.Kuok family (Kuok Group, Singapore)
$16.6 billion
16.Mistry family (Shapoorji Pallonji Group, India)
$16.1 billion
17.Chung family (Hyundai, South Korea)
$14.8 billion
18.Saji family (Suntory, Japan)
$14.2 billion
19.Birla family (Commodities, India)
$14.1 billion
20.Godrej family (Godrej Group, India)
$14 billion
21.Pao family (BW Group, Hong Kong)
$13.4 billion
22.Yoovidhya family (Drinks, Thailand)
$13.1 billion
23.Kadoorie family (CLP Holdings Ltd, Hong Kong)
$11 billion
24.Widjaja family (Sin Armas Group, Indonesia)
$10.4 billion
25.Ng family (Far East Organization, Singapore)
$9.7 billion
26.Bajaj family (Bajaj Group, India)
$9.3 billion
27.Salim family (Salim Group, Indonesia)
$8.8 billion
28.Koo family (LG) (LG Corp, South Korea)
$8.7 billion
29.Lohia family (Indorama Corporation, Indonesia)
$8.6 billion
30.Lee Man Tat family (Food, Hong Kong)
$8.4 billion
31.Law family (Bossini, Hong Kong)
$7.8 billion
32.Jindal family (Jindal Group, India)
$7.68 billion
33.Mori family (Mori Building Company, Japan)
$7.6 billion
34.Tsai (Eng-Meng family (Want Want China, Taiwan)
$7.1 billion
35.Burman family (Dabur India, India)
$7.05 billion
36.Lal family (Eicher Group, India)
$7 billion
37.Bangur family (Shree Cement, India)
$6.7 billion
38.Khoo family (Maybank, Singapore)
$6.4 billion
39.Chey family (Textiles, South Korea)
$6.3 billion
40.Wee family (United Overseas Bank, Singapore)
$6.25 billion
41.Sehgal family (Auto parts, India)
$6.15 billion
42.Wadia family (Diversified, India)
$6.14 billion
43.Zobel family (Ayala Corp, Philippines)
$6.13 billion
44.Kushal Pal Singh (Real estate, India)
$6.1 billion
45.Patel family (Cadila Healthcare, India)
$6 billion
46.Kwee family (Real estate, Singapore)
$5.5 billion
47.Piramal family (India)
$5.38 billion
48.Munjal family (Hero Group, India)
5.37 billion
49.Tung Chee Hwa & Chee Chen (Shipping, Hong Kong)
$5.2 billion
50.Lo family (Shui On Group, Hong Kong)
$5 billion
