Meet Ludhiana's richest who worked as labourer at 14 for Rs 30, now runs Rs 16000 crore company, his business is…

The most remarkable success stories are those of self-made individuals who thrive in the face of adversity. One such motivational life story is that of Rajinder Gupta who began with modest beginnings and built his vision into a conglomerate worth over USD 1 billion. 

Rajinder Gupta is now the richest man in Ludhiana, according to the recently published Hurun India Rich List 2024, which lists the nation's wealthiest people and identifies billionaires by city. Rajinder Gupta is the Founder and Chairman of Trident Limited, the flagship company of the Trident Group, which has become a leading enterprise valued at over a billion dollars. The fact that Gupta is one of just two billionaires in Ludhiana highlights the extraordinary influence of his business career.

Gupta belongs to a family of cotton dealers in Punjab. Due to financial difficulties, he was compelled to leave school after 9th grade. As a result, he began working in low-paying occupations like making candles and cement pipes for Rs 30 a day. 

After fighting unfavourable circumstances for several years, he made a significant decision in the 1980s. In 1985, he invested Rs 6.5 crore in a fertiliser business, Abhishek Industries. In 1991, he founded Katai Mill, a joint venture, which subsequently turned a profit.

Gupta later decided to enter the paper, chemical, and textile businesses. He founded multiple Trident Group firm operations in Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. Presently, they have made retail giants like JCPenney, Walmart and Luxury and Linen as their customers.

The 64-year-old Gupta left Trident's Board of Directors in 2022 for personal reasons after many years of service in his business organisation. At the moment, he serves as Chairman of Trident Limited, the Trident Group's flagship business. In 2007, he was also awarded the Padma Shri. According to the latest Forbes’ data, the Trident founder is a billionaire with a net worth of USD 1.6 billion, up from USD 1.4 billion in 2023. Gupta’s fortune is, however, down from USD 2.6 billion in 2022.