DMart's Radhakishan Damani Retains Crown As India's Top Self-Made Entrepreneur: Hurun India

Radhakishan Damani, the visionary behind retail giant DMart, has once again clinched the top spot in the second edition of the IDFC FIRST Private Banking and Hurun India's 'Top 200 Self-Made Entrepreneurs of the Millennia 2024.'

Damani's flagship business saw a stellar 44% growth, pushing its valuation to an impressive Rs 3.4 lakh crore.

Riding India's quick-commerce revolution wave, Deepinder Goyal of Zomato and Sriharsha Majety and Nandan Reddy of Swiggy have secured second and third positions, respectively.

With 66 companies headquartered in Bengaluru, the city dominates the list of entrepreneurial hubs, followed by Mumbai (36) and Gurugram (31). On the founder front as well, Bengaluru leads with 98 names, trailed by Mumbai (73) and Delhi (51). Together, these cities account for 57% of the list's total representation.

Youth continues to redefine entrepreneurship in India. Kaivalya Vohra, 21, and Aadit Palicha, 22, co-founders of Zepto, experienced a staggering rise with a 259% growth in their company's valuation, now pegged at Rs 41,800 crore. This makes Vohra the youngest entrepreneur on the list.

Meanwhile, the duo also gained 54 ranks, entering the top 20. Their success underscores the growing influence of Gen Z entrepreneurs in reshaping the country's quick-commerce sector.

Indian founders are making their mark globally, with over one-third of the featured companies operating internationally. Leading the charge is Ritesh Agarwal of OYO Rooms, whose company operates in 80 countries, solidifying his position as the entrepreneur with the largest global footprint.

Among the 19 women on the list, Falguni Nayar of Nykaa leads as the highest-ranked woman, breaking into the top 10 with a 30% valuation gain. At just 36, Ghazal Alagh of MamaEarth became the youngest woman entrepreneur, with her company's valuation growing by 55% to Rs 15,500 crore.

The cumulative valuation of the 200 companies stands at Rs 36 lakh crore ($431 billion), a 20% increase from last year. This figure rivals the GDP of Maharashtra and surpasses that of all other Indian states.

A robust stock market brought 12 new names to the rankings. Notable newcomers include Deep Kalra and Rajesh Magow of MakeMyTrip (ranked 4), and Yashish Dahiya and Alok Bansal of PolicyBazaar (ranked 6). The biggest gainers include Perfios (up 87 positions), Signature Global (up 80), and Navi Technologies by Sachin Bansal (up 70).