Meet Kolkata's richest man, richer than Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani, his net worth is...

Benu Gopal Bangur is among the richest persons in Kolkata, age 93, is listed among the top 100 wealthiest individuals in the Hurun India Rich List (Hurun India Rich List, 2024) as well. 

Benu Gopal Bangur, the former Chairman of Shree Cement, has been named Kolkata’s wealthiest individual. His current net worth, as reported by Forbes, is a staggering USD 7.6 billion (about Rs 63,120 crore). As of 2023, he is the 26th richest person in India and the 319th richest person in the world. In terms of wealth, this places him above well-known billionaires like NR Narayana Murthy and Nandan Nilekani. His controlling ownership in the cement production company, which as of August 2023 had a market capitalisation of Rs 87,351 crore, is what has brought him this enormous wealth.

Benu Gopal Bangur gets his wealth from a majority stake in Shree Cement, which is among the most economical cement manufacturers in India. Shree Cement, a Jaipur-based company founded in 1979, offers branded cement under the brands Rockstrong, Bangur Cement, and Shree Ultra Jung Rodhak.

Bangur hails from Kolkata and got control of Shree Cement in the 1990s after a family split. Benu Gopal Bangur is an alumnus of Calcutta University, holding a B.Com (Hons.) degree. 

In October 2022, at the age of 92, he stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Shree Cement. His son Hari Mohan, who is a chemical engineer and graduated from IIT Bombay, was named chairman in October 2022 following Bangur's resignation, is currently in charge of the business. Vice Chairman Prashant is his grandson.

Benu Gopal Bangur, has two sons. In Kolkata, he lives in an luxurious mansion that is 51,000 square feet in size and has a home theatre and gym. Even though stepping down from his official role, his influence lives on in Shree Cement, which is still thriving under his family's direction.