(CNN Business) — Gautam The enemy of the era richest man in asia. He is now the third richest person in the world, surpassing LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault and becoming the first Asian person to hold that positionaccording to Bloomberg and his Billionaires Index.
Adani, who runs one of India’s top conglomerates, is now worth around $137 billion, according to the index.
That’s after a raise this week put him just behind Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whose own fortunes are estimated at $251 billion and $153 billion, respectively.
Like others billionaires from all over the worldAdani saw how his wealth skyrocketed during the pandemic.
The founder of the Adani Group, which bears his name, controls companies ranging from ports and aerospace to solar power and coal.
His fortune has grown exponentially since the start of the global health crisis, as investors bet on his ability to grow his business in sectors that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prioritized for development. Adani has also benefited from a rebound in coal use, which has fueled its rise in recent months, according to Bloomberg.
In February, Adam beat fellow Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani and became the richest person in the region.
Its rise in the global wealth rankings comes as some members of the world’s 1% give up more resources.
In July, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates ad that he would dedicate US$ 20,000 million to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and reiterated his intention to leave “the list of the richest people in the world”. Gates is currently the fifth richest person in the world, according to the Bloomberg index, with a net worth of $117 billion.
Within India, Adani has also made a name for herself in other ways.
Last week he announced a hostile offer to take over an influential television network, New Delhi Television (NDTV). The operation is carried out by AMG Media Networks, a unit of the Adani conglomerate.
However, the group’s foray into the media comes at a time when its rapid, debt-fueled expansion has become a matter of concern for analysts. The move also raised concerns about the future editorial freedom of NDTV, one of the country’s most respected news networks.
Diksha Madhok contributed to this report.