Vedanta founder, Anil Agarwal's son, Agnivesh Agarwal, passed away at 49. Read on to know more about him and his family.
The eldest son of Vedanta Resources founder, Anil Agarwal, Agnivesh Agarwal, bid adieu to the world on January 7, 2026. His untimely death came as a shock to the business world. He suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away at the age of 49. It was a devastating moment for the entire family, who were inconsolable after Agnivesh’s sudden death.
Son of metals and mining magnate Anil Agarwal, Agnivesh was born on June 3, 1976, in Patna. From a middle-class background, he grew up as a corporate leader with dreams in his eyes. His father, Anil described Agnivesh as a 'man of strength, compassion and purpose'. Agnivesh studied at Mayo College, Ajmer, and later went to the US for further studies. Apart from being the chairman of Hindustan Zinc, Agnivesh was a sportsman, musician, and a true leader who cared deeply for his employees.
After completing his studies in the US, Agnivesh didn’t straight away join his father’s business. He spent some time overseas getting professional exposure in global business and finance. After he returned to India, his global experience helped him secure a job at Vedanta. Agnivesh founded Fujairah Gold, a precious metal refinery in the UAE.
Agnivesh served on the board of directors of Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, the largest thermal power plant in Punjab. After serving as the Non-Executive Chairman of Hindustan Zinc, Agnivesh stepped down in 2019. Apart from this, Agnivesh held directorial positions at many other group subsidiaries, which included Twin Star International Ltd. and Sterlite Display Technologies.
Talking about Agnivesh’s family, the late businessman was married to Puja Bangur. She is the daughter of Hari Mohan Bangur, the Managing Director of Shree Cement. There is no information available about the couple’s children. Agnivesh had a sister named Priya Agarwal Hebbar, the current Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc and a Non-Executive Director at Vedanta. Though Agnivesh stayed away from the limelight, he was very close to his family and was loved by his employees.
Agnivesh suffered a skiing accident in the United States and was getting treated at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Agnivesh was reportedly recovering when he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and passed away at the mere age of 49. In his emotional post, Agnivesh’s father, Anil Agarwal, revealed the cause of his death and wrote:
“Today is the darkest day of my life. My beloved son, Agnivesh, left us far too soon. He was just 49 years old, healthy, full of life, and dreams. Following a skiing accident in the US, he was recovering well in Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. We believed the worst was behind us. But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest snatched our son away from us.”
In his long, emotional post, Anil Agarwal revealed that his son, Agnivesh, believed in building a self-reliant India where no one goes hungry. After his death, Anil Agarwal promised to carry on his dream by dedicating 75 per cent of their earnings to society. Penning about the same on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote:
“We shared a dream to ensure that no child sleeps hungry, no child is denied education, every woman stands on her own feet, and every young Indian has meaningful work. I had promised Agni that more than 75% of what we earn would be given back to society. Today, I renew that promise and resolve to live an even simpler life.”
Agnivesh Agarwal’s untimely death left a huge void for his family and friends.
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