Top 8 richest person in Karnataka in 2025: Businessman with Rs 1.07 lakh crore net worth beats Nikhil Kamath and Narayana Murthy for #1 spot

The wealth of the state is also seen in tax numbers. In August 2025, Karnataka collected over Rs 14,000 crore in GST, the second highest in India, proving the strength of its economy.

On the Forbes list of India’s 100 richest people, only eight belong to Karnataka, but their impact is huge. From Azim Premji, who put Karnataka on the global IT map through Wipro, to Nikhil Kamath, who changed how Indians trade stocks with Zerodha, these names stand out for their vision and success.

Here’s a look at the Top 10 richest people in Karnataka (2025), whose journeys showcase the state’s spirit of innovation, resilience, and success.

Top 8 richest person in Karnataka in 2025

Azim Premji – $12.2 Billion

Azim Premji turned his family’s small cooking oil business into Wipro

Azim Premji turned his family’s small cooking oil business into Wipro, one of India’s biggest software companies, earning $11.3 billion in revenue. He left Stanford in 1966 after his father’s death to take charge, and later expanded into IT. Wipro now even has an innovation hub in Silicon Valley.

Nithin and Nikhil Kamath – $8.4 Billion

Brothers Nithin and Nikhil Kamath started Zerodha in 2010

Brothers Nithin and Nikhil Kamath started Zerodha in 2010, now one of India’s biggest stock brokers. They also back startups through Rainmatter, run True Beacon for wealthy investors, and in 2023, Nikhil pledged to give away much of his wealth to charity.

Irfan Razack – $6 Billion

Irfan Razack leads Prestige Estates, a major Bengaluru-based real estate company. Starting in 1986, he grew the business from garments to property, completing 300+ projects in housing, offices, malls, and hotels. His brothers Rezwan and Noaman also help run the company, which now has 92 million sq. ft. under development.

N R Narayana Murthy – $5.3 Billion

N R Narayana Murthy

N R Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys, led the company for decades before stepping down in 2011. He later returned briefly, and in 2017 his concerns over governance led to big changes at Infosys. In 2023, he sparked debate by saying young Indians should work 70 hours a week.

Senapathy Gopalakrishnan – $4.35 Billion

Senapathy “Kris” Gopalakrishnan, co-founder of Infosys, retired in 2014 after serving as CEO and vice chairman. Since then, he has invested in several startups, including Ki Mobility, through his incubator Axilor Ventures and other funds. He is also known for supporting brain research, funding centers at IISc and IIT Madras, the latter named after his wife, Sudha.

G M Rao – $3.99 Billion

GM Rao co-owns the Delhi Capitals IPL team

G M Rao runs GMR Airports, which manages airports in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Cebu. He co-owns the Delhi Capitals IPL team and in 2024, his group started an aviation school with Airbus in Hyderabad.

Nandan Nilekani – $3.63 Billion

Nandan Nilekani donated $38 million to IIT Bombay in 2023

Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, returned as its chairman in 2017. He led the creation of Aadhaar, supported startups through his fund Fundamentum, and donated $38 million to IIT Bombay in 2023.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw – $3.6 Billion

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, one of India’s top self-made women billionaires, founded Biocon in 1978. The company makes insulin, expanded to the United States, and bought Viatris’ biosimilars arm for $3.3 billion. In 2024, its cancer therapy spin-off Bicara raised $362 million in a Nasdaq IPO.