The Big Bull's Portfolio. India's Iconic Investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's Net Worth

The Dalal Street mogul grew his portfolio from 5,000 in 1985 to over 30,000 crore rupee - now the combined portfolio of himself and his wife.

People would often put their money in a particular stock just if they heard Mr Jhunjhunwala was eyeing it. He was known as the investor with a Midas touch, a lover of the king-size life. 

From Forbes:

• An investor with a Midas touch, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, who passed away in August 2022, was often referred to as India's Warren Buffett.
• Son of an income tax officer, Jhunjhunwala started dabbling in stocks while still in college.
• He began investing with $100 in 1985 when the Bombay Stock Exchange Index was at 150; it now trades at over 50,000.
• The most valuable listed holding in his portfolio at the time of his death was watch and jewellery maker Titan, part of the Tata conglomerate.
• Mr Jhunjhunwala's early bets on Star Health, Allied Insurance, and Metro Brands paid off when both companies were listed in 2021.
• His privately owned stock trading firm Rare Enterprises derives its name from the first two initials of his name and his wife Rekha's name. 
• Mr Jhunjhunwala is the 36th richest Indian, according to Forbes. 
• His wealth grew from 1.3 billion to 5.8 billion Between 2013 and now. 

Portfolio And Businesses:

• Starting off his journey in stock markets while still in college with a capital of just ₹ 5,000, he recently teamed up with ex-Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube and former IndiGo head Aditya Ghosh to launch Akasa Air -- India's newest budget carrier.
• The airline began commercial operations this month with a maiden flight from Mumbai to Ahmedabad.
• An investor with Midas touch, Jhunjhunwala was the 48th richest man in the country.
• A chartered accountant by education, he chose Dalal Street instead of auditing accounts. In 1985, Jhunjhunwala invested ₹ 5,000 as capital. By September 2018, that capital had inflated to ₹ 11,000 crore.
• His portfolio includes companies like Star Health, Titan, Rallis India, Escorts, Canara Bank, Indian Hotels Company, Agro Tech Foods, Nazara Technologies, Tata Motors.
• Overall, he had a stake in 47 companies at the end of the June quarter. Titan, Star Health, Tata Motors and Metro Brands were some of his largest holdings.
• He was the chairman of Hungama Media and Aptech and was on the board of directors of firms such as Viceroy Hotels, Concord Biotech, Provogue India and Geojit Financial Services.
• He earned his first big profit in 1986 when he bought 5,000 shares of Tata Tea at ₹ 43 and the stock rose to ₹ 143 within three months. In three years, he earned ₹ 20-25 lakh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over Jhunjhunwala's death.

"Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was indomitable. Full of life, witty and insightful, he leaves behind an indelible contribution to the financial world," he tweeted.

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